General manager Chris Getz said he understands the frustration in Chicago. As the White Sox prepared for their game against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night, they were tied with the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in a season since 1900, with 120.
“It’s not something we’re proud of,” Getz said. “There’s a myriad of reasons why we stand here today with the record that we have. Now, with that being said, personally, I view this as a tremendous opportunity to build something.”
Does he see it as an embarrassment? “We’re not proud of this,” Getz said. “No one wants to be associated with it. But we’re certainly up for the challenge.”
Getz is facing a big challenge as the White Sox finish their second consecutive season with over 100 losses. He didn’t provide any timelines for when the team might be competitive again.
“It’s tough to say at this point,” he said.
One of Getz’s first tasks will be to hire a new manager. He mentioned that Grady Sizemore is a candidate after stepping in as interim manager when Pedro Grifol was fired in August.
Before this season, the White Sox had never lost more than 106 games in a season. They broke that record set by the 1970 team when the New York Mets beat them on September 1, and they continued to struggle from there.
Recently, on Saturday in San Diego, the White Sox tied the American League record for losses with 119, set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The next day, they matched the record set by the ’62 Mets.
The all-time record for losses in Major League Baseball is held by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who went 20-134.
Chicago has faced losing streaks of 14, 21, and 12 games this season. The 14-game losing streak from May 22 to June 6 was a franchise record until they matched an AL record by losing 21 straight games from July 10 to August 5.
A few days later, the White Sox fired Grifol during his second season and temporarily replaced him with Sizemore, who was part of the coaching staff.
At that time, Getz mentioned that they would likely look for a new manager from outside the organization after the season and that this person would be someone currently working in Major League Baseball.
The news that Sizemore is being considered for the role was somewhat unexpected.
“He’s done a very good job, from our evaluation, and we feel like he deserves to be in consideration,” Getz said. “I can’t say that he’s got a leg up on anyone, because it is going to be a deep process and we’re going to find someone that’s the best fit for us. But he deserves to be in the conversation.”
Entering Tuesday’s game, the White Sox had a record of 8-31 under Sizemore.
“Obviously, I like everything about this organization,” Sizemore said. “I like the opportunity that they’ve given me. I want to continue what I’ve started and be a part of this in any way that I can and just try to help turn this organization around, as fast as we can.”
Chicago had the lowest batting average in the majors at .220 and had been outscored 799-479. However, this decline has not just happened this year; it’s hard to remember that the White Sox made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
“As players, that falls on us,” said Gavin Sheets, who made his debut in 2021. “At the end of the day, wins and losses are how we do on the field. It’s sad to be in this position right now and hopefully, as I said, this is the last time we’re in this position.”
Last season, the White Sox finished with a record of 61-101, their worst since going 56-106 in 1970. During this time, they fired top executives Ken Williams and Rick Hahn and promoted Getz to general manager.
The White Sox didn’t expect to be competitive this season, but things have gone worse than they imagined. Even Stephen King, who knows about scary stories, shared his sympathy for White Sox fans this week in a post on X.
During the offseason, relief pitchers Aaron Bummer and Gregory Santos were traded away, and star pitcher Dylan Cease was sent to San Diego in March. Additionally, All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr., along with key hitters Yoán Moncada and Eloy Jiménez, suffered serious injuries early in the season.
Chicago decided to keep Robert and star pitcher Garrett Crochet at the trade deadline. However, they traded Jiménez to Baltimore, pitcher Tanner Banks to Philadelphia, and infielder Paul DeJong to Kansas City.
As for next season’s roster, it’s difficult to predict.
Getz might try to trade Robert and Crochet again. He also made it clear that the White Sox won’t be big spenders in free agency.
“It won’t be the top of the market, but there are going to be other opportunities to go out there and sign players to help us,” Getz said.
