Fourteen sweeps: Royals 4, White Sox 1

South Siders get three-hit, and laughed out of Kansas City

The White Sox have now been swept 14 times this season and have more games of one or fewer runs scored (29) than wins (27). They are averaging 2.14 runs per game. Only 10 teams in history played the first 101 games of a season and had a worse record than the 2024 White Sox, none of them after 1979.

#BetterAtTheBallpark

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Top Play

In the bottom of the eighth and the score still tied, 1-1, Vinnie Pasquantino singled Bobby Witt Jr. to third, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Such a scenario ensures a solid offensive team will take the lead, and sure enough K.C.’s win probability jumped to 84.4%. Vinnie’s WPA on the single was 17.5%.

Top Performer

Would you like to know one way that a team has a decidedly morbid offense (or in another galaxy, defense or pitching)? When your starting pitcher is the BEST PLAYER in the game but you lose by three runs. Drew Thorpe went six shutout innings with five Ks and just three hits and two walks against him, for a 37.4% WPA. The question now how soon a Chicago offense capable of only three hits and letting Seth Lugo complete a win in fewer than 100 pitches will breaks Thorpe’s spirit for good.

Hardest Hit

By a relatively wide margin, Bobby Witt Jr.’s 111.8 mph single to center in the sixth was the scariest mash of the ballgame.

Weakest Contact

Cutie pie Tommy Pham dinked 50.9 mph a infield hit to third base as the first batter of the game. Guilty, Pham gave that hit right back by ending the inning on a strike-him-out-throw-him-out caught stealing at second base.

Luckiest Hit

Somehow, Pham’s love tap to lead off the game was not the most fortunate hit, as Dairon Blanco singled in the seventh with a .160 xBA; apparently, Pham should have been there to catch the ball in left.

Toughest Out

Nicky Lopez lined out in the eighth on a 93.0 mph, .940 xBA screamer to left. See, good defense can change games, people.

Longest Hit

Andrew Vaughn lined out to the warning track in left field, as 366 feet held up as the longest clout in this pitchers’ duel. It would have been a home run in eight MLB parks, though.

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Futility Watch

White Sox 2024 Record 27-74, worst 101-game start in White Sox history (7 games worse than the next-worst, 1970 White Sox), tied for 11th-worst start all-time, and a season-worst 47 games under .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -191, tied for 37th-worst 101-game start in MLB history and a White Sox season-worst
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 43-119 (.267)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) EVEN
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 2 games better
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 13 games worse
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 9 1⁄2 games worse
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 5 games better
*record adjusted to a 162-game season

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Glossary

WPA win probability added measures contributions to the win
xBA expected batting average