Every season, one team holds the title for the most unsuccessful in baseball. In 2024, the Chicago White Sox’s unprecedented start at the beginning of 2024 has rapidly increased the team’s chances at the title.
Through eight full series, the Chicago White Sox have been swept five times. Even if the White Sox win the least amount of games in MLB this season, the 2025 draft will not help significantly. Large market teams aren’t able to make draft lottery selections two seasons in a row. Chicago will pick fifth overall in the July 2024 draft.
While some may have predicted them to finish with the worst record in baseball, no one expected this slow of a start. The White Sox held a 3-22 record through the first 25 games and losing streaks of 4, 5, 6 and 7 games. A league-low 56 offensive runs, a league-low 152 hits, the lowest number of home runs (14) and by far the fewest RBI are some of the head-scratching offensive numbers 25 games. In addition, the team was shutout eight times in the first 22 games — the most in a 22-game stretch since the 1976 Padres.
The Mendoza Line, named after former MLB veteran Mario Mendoza, represents historic offensive struggles. Mendoza played nine seasons in baseball and failed to hit above .200 in five of those seasons. The White Sox as a team are swinging the bat at a .192 clip through the first 25 games.
The offensive struggles are immense, but the team’s pitching isn’t any better. The team holds the second-worst ERA (5.26) in baseball and have allowed the third-most earned runs. Additionally, Chicago has allowed the most home runs (38) and are one of only five teams to not throw a shutout.
Why has the team struggled so much to start the season? There are plenty of reasons, but the injury bug can be pointed to.
Luis Robert Jr., one of baseball’s best center fielders and Chicago’s best player, hasn’t played since early April. The 2023 All-Star and Silver Slugger recipient slugged 38 home runs a year ago. He suffered a right hip flexor strain — a less severe strain than the one he endured in 2021 — while running the bases. His expected return to action is mid-May. Only four days later, third baseman Yoan Moncada left the field with a left adductor strain while running to first base. Moncada has struggled to stay on the field over the past few seasons. He last played over 105 games in 2021 — when he put together an above-average season at the plate. Moncada’s expected return after the All-Star break.
Outfielder Eloy Jimenez has only appeared in 14 games this season. Jimenez missed two weeks early into the season due a left adductor injury. He’s since returned to the White Sox lineup, but there has been an injury history for the 27-year-old. Since the 2019 campaign, he has only appeared in 450 games.
There is some future hope for the Chicago fan base. The White Sox returned four players from the Dylan Cease trade, including three of the Padres’ top prospects. Now, Bleacher Report is ranking the White Sox’s farm system at No. 3 in baseball. Chicago is only behind the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs.
Top prospect Colson Montgomery is playing in Triple-A and should make his MLB debut at some point this season. Two of the team’s other top prospects, right-handed pitchers Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte, were brought in through the Cease trade.
No matter how unprecedented the White Sox’s start has been, the future could be bright for the Southsiders.
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