The Chicago White Sox lose their 121st game of the season, setting the modern-era MLB record for losses

The Chicago White Sox lost their 121st game of the season on Friday, adding another name to baseball infamy.

With a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers, the White Sox fell to 39-121. They now hold the sole MLB single-season losing record in the modern era, which dates back to 1900. The team greeted the news with the disrespect that has been prevalent on their social media accounts lately.

The White Sox were previously tied with the 1962 New York Mets, who finished 40-120-1. The Sox reached that low point on September 22nd with a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.

The White Sox have two games left on their regular-season schedule and still have time to extend the record before their season ends on Sunday, putting them even further out of reach for future freak losers.

It’s been a season full of low points on Chicago’s South Side. This is undoubtedly the lowest value.

The White Sox’s winning percentage is now .244. The 1916 Philadelphia Athletics played eight fewer games than the 1962 Mets and will hold the record for the worst winning percentage (36-117, .235) in modern history.

The White Sox’ historic season also includes not one, but two notable losing streaks, one of which earns a place in the MLB record books. The White Sox posted a record-breaking 14 straight losing streak that ended on June 7. They ended that losing streak with a record of 15-48 (.238).

Chicago then surpassed that record with a lengthy losing streak that extended beyond the All-Star break. The White Sox lost their last four games before the break and their first 17 games of the second half, snapping a 21-game losing streak. That was the longest tie in American League history with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles and the White Sox were 27-88 (.235).

If there’s any consolation from this streak, Chicago didn’t extend it to 22 to claim the AL record. Even the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who hold the record for the longest losing streak in MLB history at 23 games, were unable to reach or overtake the White Sox.

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What makes this worse is that after all these losses, the White Sox don’t have a premium draft pick to look forward to. MLB rules prohibit major teams (defined as teams that do not receive revenue sharing) from receiving lottery picks in consecutive drafts. The White Sox received a lottery pick (No. 5) in July and therefore cannot pick higher than 10th in the 2025 draft.

Additionally, based on general manager Chris Getz’s statements, it sounds like the franchise has no intention of making any significant gains in free agency.