Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Carlos Rodon walks back to the dugout after being removed during the sixth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, June 30, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. Texas won 13-4. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Somewhat quietly, the Chicago White Sox have been putting together one of the worst seasons the MLB has ever seen. They are in, what they hope, to be the decrescendo of a double-digit losing streak. 21-game losing streak to be exact, just two games shy of the 1963 Phillies who lost 23-straight en route to a 47-107 record that year.
The White Sox have not won a single game since the All-Star break, their last win comes closer to the night the Celtics won the NBA Championship than it did to today & this is not their first streak of the year. Chicago also put together a 14-game losing stretch between May 22nd-June 6th.
The most recent team we’ve seen with this little success goes back to 2003 and the Detroit Tigers who finished with a record of 43-119. The Sox, who currently have 27 wins with 47 games to play, have a very real chance at finishing below that mark.
So where does the blame fall? The White Sox haven’t been ravaged by injuries like the Braves have this year, they play in one of the tamer divisions in baseball, and they do have stars. Well, all eyes are on Manager, Pedro Grifol. In the midst of the White Sox win-drought, the concerns and complaints about Grifol have come like a monsoon. Grifol now owns one of the worst W/L percentages in the history of the game. Below are the three worst MLB managers (by win %) over the last 30 years:
- Alan Trammell Record: 187-302 (.382) Teams managed: Tigers (2003-2005), Diamondbacks (2014)
- John Russell Record: 186-299 (.384) Team managed: Pirates (2008-2010)
- Brad Mills Record: 171-274 (.384) Team managed: Astros (2010-2012)
So where would that put Grifol? Well, he rounds out the top of the list. With an 88-189 career record, that leaves him with a .318 win percentage.
It will be interesting to see when (or if) this streak ends, the White Sox next chance to break it comes tonight at Oakland. It will also be interesting to see how much longer Pedro Grifol is in a White Sox uniform.
