The Chicago White Sox are officially MLB’s biggest loser .
On Friday, the White Sox etched their name in the history books for all the wrong reasons , breaking the modern-era MLB record for most losses in a single season with 121. The 1962 New York Mets previously held the unflattering title of worst MLB team of all time , losing 120 games that year.
To add insult to injury, the White Sox’s undesirable feat was achieved against the Detroit Tigers, who punched their ticket to the postseason with a 4-1 win over Chicago despite appearing out of contention earlier this season. Through 118 games, Detroit sat a meager 10 games back of the playoffs, thereby becoming the fifth team in MLB history to reach the postseason after sitting 10 or more games out.
The White Sox, to their credit, did their best to avoid the inevitable by sweeping the Los Angeles Angels in a three-game series before their record-setting loss to the Tigers. Despite putting together a historically bad season that will forever live in infamy, pitcher Davis Martin asserted that spirits were still high in the clubhouse.
"We've talked about like, 'Oh, we're having a good time.' We are,” he told ESPN’s Jeff Passan earlier this month. "Really, these are a great group of guys. And I think if there was any other group of guys in here, it would be the most miserable existence ever.
“People are like, 'Oh, how are you not losing your mind?' We're a bunch of young idiots just trying to make sure we have a job next year."
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Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who also owns the Chicago Bulls , found hardly as much joy amid the White Sox’s struggles. "Everyone in this organization is extremely unhappy with the results of this season, that goes without saying,” he said.
"This year has been very painful for all, especially our fans. We did not arrive here overnight, and solutions won't happen overnight either. Going back to last year, we have made difficult decisions and changes to begin building a foundation for future success.
"What has impressed me is how our players and staff have continued to work and bring a professional attitude to the ballpark each day despite a historically difficult season. No one is happy with the results, but I commend the continued effort."
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General manager Chris Getz expressed a similar sentiment Tuesday, saying of the record: "It's not something that anyone wanted to be associated with. And now it wasn't the highest priority to avoid this record, quite honestly, because we were looking at the long-term health of the organization.
“I do want to compliment our players and the staff that we brought up here to help these players finish the season. I think culturally, the attitude and the effort have been really good. And that's because of Grady [Sizemore], that's because of some of the other coaches, and that's because of the players. Obviously, they want more.
"They want to look up and see more wins in the column, just like our fans do. But when we made the change from Pedro [Grifol] in August, the goal was to get us to the finish line and find some wins along the way, and not necessarily just on the win-loss column, but to improve the effort, the play and set us up for a better 2025."
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