On Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, the Chicago White Sox took their 120th loss to the San Diego Padres, tying the 1952 New York Mets for the most losses in a 162-game season. The ’52 Mets had the excuse of being a brand new expansion team, but Sox fans wonder: what has happened to their team?
Many of the White Sox’s issues come from their problematic front office. Three years ago, the White Sox started searching for a new manager after Hall of Famer Anthony La Russa stepped down from management due to health issues. Miguel Cairo first served as interim, keeping the Sox at .543 with 19 wins and 16 losses. The White Soxes then hired Pedro Grifol to fill the position full-time on Nov. 1, 2022. Grifol coached only 89 wins through 279 games. In the middle of Grifol’s coaching stint, the White Sox also let go of their general manager, hiring Chris Getz in August of 2023 to try to turn the team around. A year later, Getz let Grifols go amid their awful record-setting season.
A messy front office has catapulted a White Sox team that won their division with a 93-win season just three years ago into a historically awful season. The team’s future is bleak with no chance at a lottery pick in the next MLB draft due to the White Sox having an awful 2023 season with 101 losses. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf has his work cut out for him if he wants to turn the franchise around.