Chisox Lose 100th Game; Ahead of Pace to Eclipse 1962 New York Mets As Worst Team in Modern MLB History

The Chicago White Sox lost their 100th game of the 2024 MLB season falling 9-4 to the Detroit Tigers this afternoon.

The Chisox now stand at 31-100 this season. Not only are they 44 games back of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, but they are also 34 ½ games back of the fourth place Tigers.

And there's more. The White Sox recorded their 100th loss today (August 25th). That's four days ahead of when the New York Mets lost their 100th game in their inaugural season in 1962. On August 29, 1962, the Mets lost their 100th game in a 3-2 extra inning defeat against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets were 34-100 and would go 6-20 the rest of the way to finish 40-120. Mets manager Casey Stengel, who once guided the New York Yankees to five consecutive World Series titles, said his team "showed me ways to lose I never knew existed."

The South Siders have 31 games remaining on their schedule in 2024. Their winning percentage is .237 (just ahead of the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics which had a winning percentage of .235). Based on their winning percentage, Chicago would go 7-24 the rest of the way and finish with a 38-124 record. 

Then again, that might be an optimistic projection. Since the All-Star Break, the Chisox are sporting a record of 4-29. That's a winning percentage of .122. However, since Grady Sizemore took over the club, they are 3-11. Whatever the case, it seems more likely than not that the 2024 Chicago White Sox will eclipse the 1962 New York Mets as the worst team in modern MLB history. 

Prior to MLB's modern era which began in 1901, there are the 1899 Cleveland Spiders who had a won loss record of 20-134 finishing 84 games back of the Brooklyn Superbas. To add insult to injury, the Spiders only played 42 games in front of their home fans as the visiting teams didn't want dignify Cleveland with their presence. Even the White Sox haven't suffered that indignity. But that is very small consolation. Then again, the Spiders didn't lose their 100th game until August 31st. 

The South Siders have one more game against the Tigers at home tomorrow before they host a three-game series against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers and a three game interleague series against the New York Mets. Somewhere the ghost of Casey Stengel is laughing. Somewhere in the White Sox clubhouse, a pin has dropped.