They came, they saw, they lost.
A 3-22 start through April 25 was merely the appetizer. A staggering 71 losses by the All-Star break in mid-July made it clear that history was inevitable. After getting swept by the San Diego Padres on Sept. 22, they were a mind-numbing 84 games under .500 at 36-120, tying the major-league record for losses set by the 1962 New York Mets.
The 2024 Chicago White Sox wound up surpassing the Mets’ record by one game with a 4-1 loss Friday in Detroit and finished Sunday with a 41-121 record.
At 40-120, the ’62 Mets had a worse winning percentage — .250 to the Sox’s .253 — but it was small consolation to Sox fans who had to witness the carnage.
Many were called upon to serve, but few answered the call. The Sox tied an American League record with a 21-game losing streak, set a franchise record with 16 consecutive home losses, lost 20 consecutive series and were swept 24 times.
The Sox proved it all year long, losing every way possible.
Here are the 63 players — the team’s preview high was 56 in 2023 — who participated in at least one game for the 2024 Sox and the two managers who led them down this historic road.
Managers
Pedro Grifol
Went 28-89 in his second season after going 61-101 in 2023 but managed to keep his job until Aug. 8, when he was fired with a .319 winning percentage, the worst of any manager in Sox history. No one could’ve won with this roster, but few managers would’ve kept their job as long as Grifol did.
Grady Sizemore
A surprising choice by general manager Chris Getz to replace Grifol as interim manager, the former All-Star center fielder quickly gained the respect of players and won five of his final six games to finish 13-32 in his brief stint. Despite the record, Getz said Sizemore will be considered for the vacancy.
Final active roster
Position players
Jacob Amaya
A late arrival on the Sox journey, the shortstop was claimed off waivers from the Houston Astros at the end of August. Amaya hit .119 with one RBI and 19 strikeouts in his final 15 games.
Andrew Benintendi
One of the worst offensive players in baseball most of the season, hitting .199 on July 30, Benintendi rebounded with a .270 average and 12 homers in his last 45 games. Still a poor season by any standard, but a strong finish could increase his value in an offseason trade, assuming the Sox eat some of the remaining contract.
Zach DeLoach
Acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the Gregory Santos trade, DeLoach was a nonfactor in limited action. He hit one home run in 75 plate appearances after hitting 23 last year at Triple-A Tacoma.
Dominic Fletcher
Proved himself as a stellar defender in right and center field but lacks the offensive ability for a full-time role and hit .177 versus left-handers. Should return as a backup if the Sox beef up their outfield through free agency.
Korey Lee
The young catcher was hitting .309 with an .835 OPS on May 15 while sharing time with veteran Martín Maldonado. But Lee hit .182 with a .524 OPS in his final 96 games and figures to be challenged for playing time in 2025 by top prospect Edgar Quero.
Nicky Lopez
Offense wasn’t expected from Lopez when the Sox acquired him from the Atlanta Braves in the Aaron Bummer deal, but the Naperville native didn’t drive in a run until May 11 and finished with 21 RBIs. Played steady defense at second base but had minus-1 defensive runs saved there, 21st at the position.
Yoán Moncada
Played only 12 games because of a left adductor injury that sidelined him from April 10 until September. Sizemore declined to play him when he returned from his rehab stint, so he ended his Sox career on the bench.
Bryan Ramos
After a strong start following a May call-up, the rookie was demoted May 30 and hit .164 in his final 22 games after returning to the Sox. Needs more time to develop in the minors before his next call-up.
Luis Robert Jr.
Spent much of the first half on the injured list and then the trading block. Regression from his All-Star year in 2023 helped sink the Sox offense, and he finished with an 0.5 fWAR. Signed a six-year, $50 million deal in 2020 before his first major-league game, with club options through 2027. He’s a prime candidate to be dealt.
Chuckie Robinson
A late-season audition didn’t go well for Robinson, who had a .326 OPS and turns 30 in December. Doesn’t figure to be a part of 2025 plans unless the Sox keep Quero in the minors for more development.
Gavin Sheets
An .841 OPS and 11 RBIs in March/April made Sheets one of the only offensive threats, but he continued to struggle against left-handers, hitting .205, and finished with a minus-0.9 bWAR. A clubhouse leader, Sheets could be back in 2025, albeit in more of a platoon role.
Lenyn Sosa
A strong finish from Sosa — a .395 average with a 1.108 OPS in his final 21 games after Sept. 4 — probably earned him the nod as the starting second baseman in 2025. Hit .296 against left-handed pitching and deserves a full-time shot.
Miguel Vargas
As the only major-leaguer the Sox received in the three-way deal with the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, Vargas had a chance to seal the third base spot in 2025. Instead he hit .104 with a .387 OPS in 42 games with the Sox, and his future remains uncertain.
Andrew Vaughn
Led all Sox hitters with 70 RBIs and a 99 OPS+ and finished strong with a .297 average in September. More will be expected from Vaughn in 2025. His minus-0.1 fWAR was fourth-worst among first basemen with 300 or more plate appearances.
Pitchers
Justin Anderson
Recorded a 10-game scoreless streak from June 9-29, a stretch of 9 1/3 innings representing the longest by a Sox reliever this season. With a 3.13 ERA and .209 batting average against over his final 25 games, Anderson sealed a spot in the 2025 bullpen, potentially as the closer.
Prelander Berroa
Acquired in an offseason trade from the Mariners, Berroa had 26 strikeouts in 19 innings but also finished with 13 walks. If he improves his control, he should be a fit in the opening-day bullpen.
Sean Burke
The 2021 third-round draft pick joined the Sox in the final month and moved into the rotation after pitching three relief innings in his major-league debut Sept. 10 against the Cleveland Guardians. He went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts, earning a shot at next year’s rotation.
Jonathan Cannon
Rookie earned the save to end the team’s 14-game losing streak and was the winning pitcher to end the franchise-record 21-game skid. His 124 1/3 innings ranked third on the team, and he’ll be penciled into the 2025 rotation.
Garrett Crochet
The team’s best pitcher earned an All-Star selection after moving from the bullpen to the rotation. His innings were limited in the second half to protect his arm in his first season as a starter, but he still finished seventh in the majors with 209 strikeouts. Likely trade bait this offseason.
Enyel De Los Santos
The Sox roughed him up for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings on Aug. 12 while he was pitching for the New York Yankees, then acquired him for the “stretch run.” A 3.63 ERA in 16 appearances made him an asset to Sizemore in September.
Jake Eder
Acquired last season from the Miami Marlins in the Jake Burger trade, Eder made his major-league debut Sept. 17 against the Los Angeles Angels. He spent most of the season in the minors between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.
Fraser Ellard
The lefty was one of the team’s more reliable relievers after arriving from Charlotte on July 30. He had a 3.75 ERA in 25 appearances and earned his first big-league save Sept. 15 against the Oakland Athletics.
Chris Flexen
Signed as a free agent by Getz, the right-hander went 0-11 with a 5.48 ERA in a 23-start stretch before winning his final start Sept. 26, leaving to a standing ovation at Guaranteed Rate Field. The winless streak was the longest in franchise history, and the Sox were 0-20 in his starts from May 14 to Sept. 8 — the longest team losing streak for a starter in major-league history.
Jairo Iriarte
Iriarte worked out of the bullpen after arriving as a September call-up from Birmingham. He was one of four players acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade.
Davis Martin
The right-hander returned to the majors in late July after returning from Tommy John surgery last season. He made one relief outing before joining the rotation, and the Sox monitored his workload as he continued to build up. Went 0-5 with a 4.32 ERA and will compete for a starting job in 2025.
Jared Shuster
Part of the offseason trade that sent Bummer to Atlanta, the lefty worked largely out of the bullpen. He was 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in four starts as an opener and 2-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 35 games as a reliever.
Michael Soroka
Another pitcher acquired from the Braves for Bummer, Soroka began the season in the rotation before being moved to the bullpen. He had an 0-10 record before landing on the IL on July 19. Reinstated Sept. 21 and proved he was healthy with 13 strikeouts in 7 1/3 relief innings.
Gus Varland
The right-hander saw plenty of action after being claimed off waivers from the Dodgers in August. He posted a respectable 3.54 ERA in 19 outings with the Sox.
Injured list
Brooks Baldwin
Struggled offensively after showing great promise in the minors. Called up too early and showed it. His mental gaffe, holding on to a relay throw as Cody Bellinger scored from third base in a Cubs-Sox game, was one of the season’s many lowlights.
Ky Bush
Walked 16 in four outings (three starts), including seven in 4 2/3 innings on Aug. 12 against the Yankees — a game the Sox won 12-2.
Mike Clevinger
The Sox made the controversial decision to bring back the right-hander on a one-year deal, agreed upon in early April. He went 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in four starts before going on the IL with elbow inflammation in late May. He later underwent disc replacement surgery on his neck, ending his season.
Matt Foster
The veteran reliever spent much of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He appeared in six games before going back on the IL on Sept. 12 with a herniated disc in his lower back.
Dominic Leone
It was an injury-filled season for Leone, who went on the 60-day IL on Aug. 15 with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament. Leone missed time earlier in the season with lower back tightness and right elbow inflammation.
Drew Thorpe
A key part of the Cease trade, Thorpe made the jump from Double A to the majors on June 11. Displaying an effective changeup, he went 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA over five starts from June 22 to July 21. He had a 22.24 ERA in his final two starts before being placed on the IL on Aug. 1 with a right flexor strain. He had surgery in September related to a bone spur in his right elbow.
Steven Wilson
Another pitcher acquired from the Padres for Cease, Wilson followed a 1.42 ERA in eight May relief outings with a 7.20 ERA in seven June appearances. He had an 18.69 ERA in five August outings before landing on the IL on Aug. 17.
Gone, not forgotten
Tanner Banks
Lefty earned the save in one of the weirdest games of the season, throwing four pitches after a 3-hour, 3-minute rain delay May 4 in St. Louis. He had 55 strikeouts, 15 walks and a 4.13 ERA before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the deadline. Has a 2.50 ERA with the Phillies.
John Brebbia
Surrendered nine home runs and had a 6.29 ERA in 54 relief outings before being designated for assignment Aug. 27. Nicknamed “Rain Man” for his love of pitching in the rain, Brebbia provided some comic relief in the clubhouse.
Oscar Colás
Perennial prospect hit .273 in 13 games with the Sox but was demoted to Charlotte and never returned. Might not be in the future plans at this point, like many others from the 2024 Sox.
Paul DeJong
A low-risk signing, DeJong at least supplied some much-needed power — 18 home runs in 102 games — and was dealt to the Kansas City Royals at the deadline.
Duke Ellis
Getting picked off second by Cubs closer Hector Neris with one out in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss at Wrigley Field ensures Ellis an annual mention in “Great Moments in City Series History.” Played in only eight games, but his four steals were tied for eighth on the Sox.
Erick Fedde
Made a smooth transition from the Korean league back to the majors, going 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA, before being dealt to the Cardinals before the trade deadline. The best signing by far of Getz’s first free-agent class.
Deivi García
Grifol lauded him all spring, but a standout spring training did not carry over to the regular season. García posted a 7.07 ERA in 14 relief outings before being designated for assignment in late April, and he worked largely as a reliever for Charlotte.
Robbie Grossman
Dealt to the Texas Rangers in May and waived in August before the Royals signed him.
Tim Hill
The lefty signed a one-year deal with the Sox in the offseason and allowed multiple runs in four of his final eight relief appearances before being designated for assignment June 12. Signed with the Yankees and solidified their bullpen with a 2.05 ERA in 35 relief outings.
Eloy Jiménez
Predicted before the season he might hit 40 home runs. Spoiler alert: He did not hit 40 home runs. The injury-prone designated hitter was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline for a mid-level prospect, and the Orioles demoted him to Triple A in late September.
Corey Julks
Acquired from the Astros on May 15, he hit .214 with three home runs before being demoted to Charlotte near the end of the season. Batted .169 against right-handers and doesn’t figure to play as much if he returns.
Brad Keller
Signed late in camp, Keller made five appearances (two starts) before being designated for assignment May 20. He went 0-2 with a 4.86 ERA.
Michael Kopech
Went 9 of 14 in save opportunities after being moved from the rotation in spring training. Kopech gave up a walk-off three-run homer to Jake Burger on July 7 in Miami and then pitched an immaculate inning (three strikeouts on nine pitches) three days later against the Minnesota Twins. He was lights out for the Dodgers after being dealt at the deadline with a 1.13 ERA in 24 outings.
Chad Kuhl
The right-hander started (three innings June 27 against the Braves), earned a save (Aug. 16 in Houston) and threw 99 pitches in a relief outing (June 23 in Detroit). He had a 10.29 ERA in seven September appearances and was released Sept. 24.
Jordan Leasure
The rookie became a staple out of the bullpen early in the season, recording a 2.66 ERA in 25 appearances through May. He had a 17.61 ERA in his next eight relief outings before heading to the IL on July 17 with a right shoulder impingement. The Sox reinstated Leasure from the IL on Sept. 21 and then optioned him to Charlotte.
Martín Maldonado
Hitting .083 on July 3, Maldonado batted .400 with three home runs over his next five games to climb to .119 before being released July 21. Remained unsigned and his career is likely over.
Danny Mendick
Infielder has a perfect 0.00 ERA in two career pitching outings in blowout losses. Former Sox manager Tony La Russa used him in an 11-4 loss in 2021 in Boston, and Grifol used him in a 14-2 home loss to the Red Sox on June 6. Mendick also had six steals this year, tied for second on the Sox.
Nick Nastrini
Control was the main issue for Nastrini, who walked 36 in 35 2/3 innings over nine appearances (eight starts) with the Sox. The rookie went 0-7 with a 7.07 ERA.
Rafael Ortega
Had a strong year in Charlotte with a .912 OPS. Not so much in Chicago, where Ortega had one hit in 14 at-bats.
Sammy Peralta
The reliever spent much of the season in Charlotte. He made eight appearances with the Sox, allowing eight earned runs in 15 innings.
Tommy Pham
Joined the Sox with no spring training and played well before being dealt to the Cardinals at the deadline. He’ll always have that shadowboxing moment in Milwaukee to look back on fondly when his journeyman career ends.
Kevin Pillar
Journeyman hit .160 before being released to make room for Pham’s arrival and wound up playing 83 games for the Angels.
Zach Remillard
Sox broadcaster John Schriffen lauded Remillard’s play after he went 4-for-9 in his first four games. He hit .167 over his next 11 games and never was heard from again.
Nick Senzel
No one was really sure why the Sox picked up Senzel in mid-July. He played 10 games and hit .100 (3-for-30) before being let go Aug. 28.
Bryan Shaw
The reliever was re-signed after being a workhorse in 2023. He appeared in five games and had a 9.00 ERA before being designated for assignment April 12.
Braden Shewmake
Given the starting shortstop job by Grifol in spring training, the former Brave quickly lost it, hitting .129 in 25 games.
Touki Toussaint
The right-hander became an option for length out of the bullpen, with nine of his 11 appearances lasting more than one inning. He went 1-2 with a 7.43 ERA in his second season with the Sox.
Jake Woodford
He allowed seven runs in four innings in a 14-2 loss to the Red Sox on June 6. That was his second start for the White Sox, and he was designated for assignment the next day.
