The Chicago White Sox matched the record for the most losses in Major League Baseball since 1900, tying with the 1962 expansion New York Mets. This happened on Sunday when the San Diego Padres won 4-2, scoring three runs in the eighth inning, with Fernando Tatis Jr. hitting a big home run.
The White Sox (36-120) had a 2-1 lead thanks to home runs by Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas off pitcher Yu Darvish, but that lead was lost in the eighth inning.
This loss followed another tough day for the White Sox, who had just tied the American League record for losses at 119, previously set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The all-time record for losses in Major League Baseball is held by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who finished 20-134.
Interim manager Grady Sizemore did not speak to the team after the game. He said, “No loss is good. It’s not something that we’re focused on.
I think everyone outside this clubhouse is more obsessed with it than us. The way we spin is to put this one behind us and get ready for the series back home.”
If the White Sox lose one more time in their last six games, they will have the record for the most losses in the modern era.
They have three games at home against the Los Angeles Angels starting Tuesday night and then three games at Detroit, which is competing for a wild-card spot.
Veteran player Andrew Benintendi commented, “I guess when you lose 120 it’s easier to brush it off, but it (stinks) to go through it, but that’s where we’re at.”
The Padres (90-66) secured their first 90-win season since 2010, when they finished 90-72 but missed the playoffs after a rough September.
Now, the Padres need just one more win to secure their third playoff spot since 2020. They head into a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lead the NL West, starting Tuesday night. To win the division title, the Padres must win all their remaining games.
While the Dodgers have a three-game lead over the Padres, San Diego has the advantage in tiebreakers. The Padres are also three games ahead of Arizona for the top wild card spot in the National League. They will play three games at Arizona next weekend.
Some fans in the sold-out crowd of 45,197 started chanting “Beat L.A.!” as the Padres players and staff thanked the fans after their last home game of the regular season. San Diego set a franchise record for attendance with 3,314,593 fans over 80 games.
“We’re never out and that’s probably since the first week that we played baseball this year,” Tatis said. “What we have been doing over here is really special. We have the talent to go all the way. But it’s time to take care of business one day at a time.”
The Padres tied the game at 2 when Donovan Solano and pinch-hitter Luis Arraez hit back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning against Fraser Ellard (2-3). Arraez moved to third on a wild pitch and scored the go-ahead run on Jurickson Profar’s sacrifice fly.
Tatis then hit a high home run into the left field stands, marking his 20th homer of the season.
“It felt amazing. It felt like I showed it that way after I hit it,” Tatis said, describing his joyful run around the bases after the 389-foot hit, which included a playful move at third base.
White Sox rookie Sean Burke limited the Padres to one run and two hits in six innings during just his third game and second start in the major leagues. He struck out eight and walked one.
“Burke threw a hell of a game,” Benintendi said. “They’ve got a lot of good bats up and down that lineup, guys that have played a long time, and once they get the lead with that bullpen, it seems like it’s pretty much over at this point.”
Lee, who grew up in northern San Diego County, hit a solid home run to left field with one out in the third inning, his 11th of the season.
Profar tied the game with a home run to left field, also with one out in the same inning. This was his 24th homer, setting a new career high.
The White Sox regained the lead when Vargas hit a home run to left-center with one out in the sixth, his fifth of the season.
