With only 19 games left on the schedule, the Chicago White Sox will assuredly finish 2024 with the worst record in baseball history. It is laughable that this team could finish the season 10-9 to avoid setting the record.
The South Siders are 6-41 since the all-star break, and have nine wins since June. Many expected the 26 players that broke camp in March to form a 100-loss team.
While many of those on the opening day roster are no longer members of the club, the team is far worse than a vast majority of Sox fans envisioned.
Off-Key
However, it didn't come as a big surprise to the person in charge of constructing the team. General Manager Chris Getz spoke to the media before Monday night's loss and shared thoughts on 2024's results.
Getz displayed the usual brand of tone-deaf we've come to expect from the organization.
Each sentence has many blunders, and it's a lot to unpack, but the tweet below sums it up nicely.
Nevertheless, the Chicago White Sox had a game that evening against the Cleveland Guardians. How would the club respond to Getz's comments?
Almost Perfect
The club dropped the series opener to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday and, in the process, were retired in order through 6.2 innings by Cleveland's rookie starter Joey Cantillo. Andrew Benintendi poked a single through the right side of the infield, ending Canitllo's perfect game bid. The lefty entered the game with an ERA of 7.71
The Pale Hose have somehow managed to play to a .500 record (5-5) against their division foe. The Sox have not won back-to-back games since their home series against the Colorado Rockies on the last weekend of June.
They can take the season series if they win the next two, with Jonathan Cannon scheduled to pitch Tuesday night and Davis Martin on the bump in the series finale.
On a rare positive note, rookie third baseman Bryan Ramos belted his first career home run in the eighth inning, a two-run shot that cut the deficit to two.
Front Office Renovations
The White Sox have also been cleaning house internally over the last week. They've relieved longtime special assistant Marco Paddy of his duties as head of international scouting. In addition to Paddy, several scouts, including veteran Billy Scherer, were dismissed.
Scherer won a World Series Championship with the Detroit Tigers in 1984 and two more as a scout. He won his first as a scout with the 1997 Florida Marlins and second in 2005 with the White Sox while serving as a scout and special assistant to general manager Kenny Williams.
Number 62
The White Sox announced today that they have optioned right-hander Nick Nastrini to Triple-A Charlotte. The demotion ends his fourth stint with the big-league club, which started well. The righty dominated the Texas Rangers over six innings, allowing one run on three hits and one walk.
Things went off the rails in the following start against the Baltimore Orioles when he allowed four earned runs in 1.2 innings on six walks and four hits. The 24-year-old tossed 3.1 scoreless innings on Monday night, allowing one hit while issuing four free passes.
Starting pitcher Sean Burke will take Nastrini's spot on the 26-man roster. The White Sox 2021 third-round draftee's debut makes his MLB debut tonight in relief, per MLB.Com's Scott Merkin.
Burke has a 4.62 ERA with the Charlotte Knights in Triple-A in 64.1 innings over 16 starts. He is striking out 12 batters per nine innings while walking five per nine. Burke will be the 62nd member of the worst baseball team ever, well past last year's franchise record of 56.
Gone and Back
Last but not least, Touki Toussaint cleared waivers and returned to the White Sox, who outrighted him to Triple-A Charlotte. Chicago designated Toussaint for assignment on September 3rd to make room for reliever Matt Foster.
What's On Tap Next?
With 19 games left to play, it's not a matter of if the White Sox will break the record for losses. It's a matter of how many games they will break it by. If the South Siders .127 winning percentage since the all-star break holds, they're on track to win two more games.
We will hope and look for signs of growth from young players as the season comes to a merciful end in three weeks.
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