The Chicago White Sox are in the midst of yet another long losing streak, but can they somehow avoid posting the worst record in MLB history?
As they entered play Tuesday, the White Sox had a record of 31-108 on the season, having already set their single-season record for most losses.
The team is also in the midst of an 11-game losing streak, their third losing streak of 10 or more games this season.
Now, as they prepare to take on the Baltimore Orioles, the team is trying to avoid yet another record mark: the worst record in MLB history.
To do that, they have quite a bit of work to do. The current record-holders are the 1962 New York Mets, who went 40-120 as they struggled through their first few seasons of existence.
In order to avoid tying that record, the White Sox would have to play their remaining 23 games at an above-.500 clip, with a 12-11 record required to avoid hitting 120 losses.
While the White Sox do have a good number of games against teams that are out of serious playoff contention, including the Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Angels, they do have a good number of games left against teams in postseason contention, including the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox.
If the White Sox lose three more games, they would tie for the 10th-most losses in a single season in MLB history. The 2003 Detroit Tigers posted 119 losses, and won five of their last six games to avoid matching or besting the Mets in that category, and the White Sox would have to go 13-10 to avoid tying the American League record.
As the White Sox enter play on Tuesday, they are 39 games behind the Tigers in the American League Central, and have already clinched the worst record in the American League this season.
After their series with the Orioles ends on Wednesday, they will head to Boston for three games against the Red Sox before returning home for three games with the Guardians next week.