The offense failed to score runs despite a great performance from Adrian Houser

The White Sox fall, 2-1, in the opener

Despite a great performance from Adrian Houser, the offense couldn’t muster up enough runs, and late-inning hits from the Mets gave the home club the opener win over the White Sox, 2-1

The hit king, Chase Meidroth, started the game with a walk. His teammates, on the other hand, all grounded out. Brandon Nimmo hit a one-out double to break into the bottom of the first, but the White Sox kept the Mets from doing any damage.

Mike Tauchman drew a walk in the fourth, and Miguel Vargas followed up with a double. Andrew Benintendi sent Tauchman home on a sac fly, allowing the White Sox to strike first.

Luis Robert Jr. got to first, but not without a little drama, as Vargas got caught in a pickle on a terrible baserunning decision. With Robert threatening to steal Mets starter Clay Holmes balked, sending Robert to second. But the fun ended with a grounder from Joshua Palacios.

Despite reaching a full count for a fourth time already, Houser showed no fear with Juan Soto at the plate and struck him out in a pivotal moment for the second out in the fourth. Pete Alonso popped out to end the frame.

Edgar Quero took the ball to the vacant side of left field for a standup double to lead off the top of the fifth, but his teammates left him stranded. Houser kept the Mets in check once more, collecting his fifth punch out in a quick frame.

Benintendi managed to sneak one by Alonso for the third hit by the Sox with a two-out single. After going up to a full count, Robert sent a hit right to Francisco Lindor, but Alonso wasn’t able to get to first in time, keeping the inning alive and runners at the corners. On pitch 102, Holmes walked Palacios to load the bases and was yanked off the mound. José Buttó escaped the jam he inherited after eight pitches to Quero that ended in a ground out to first.

Lindor found a hole with two outs to give the Mets their second hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth, but Houser answered with yet another strikeout.

Josh Rojas picked up a one out walk and stole second, but was left stranded. Houser gave up his first walk of the game, in the top of the seventh, to Soto. The Mets offense started to wake up as Alonso followed up with a single and Houser was pulled after 96 pitches.

Starling Marte beat out a double-play grounder and then Tyrone Taylor picked up a walk to load the bases. With Jeff McNeil up, Citi Field got a little livelier, but Eisert had other plans — a punch out with a perfect slider to end a dramatic inning.

Benintendi drew a one-out walk in the eighth, and Austin Slater picked up another after the second out, but a struggling Quero would end the inning. Francisco Alvarez singled to start the bottom of the frame. Lindor struck out, but Nimmo came back with a one-out single to put runners in the corners yet again. Soto tied it up with a sac fly and prompted a bullpen change. Alonso was intentionally walked to get to Marte with two outs. That move did not pay off, as Steven Wilson plunked Marte to load the bases. Thankfully, Brett Baty made it easy for the Sox to get the final out, popping up.

Meidroth snatched up a two-out walk against Edwin Diaz, but the Tauchman couldn’t keep the inning alive. That set up some holiday drama in the bottom of the ninth, and the Mets delivered: Taylor doubled, and the Sox intentionally walked McNeil with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. A base hit for Luis Torrens loaded the bases for Lindor, and a sac fly would seal Chicago’s fate.

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Futility Watch

White Sox 2025 Record 17-37, tied for the second-worst start in White Sox history and tied for the 61st-worst start in baseball history. A 17-17 record projects to 51-111 over a full season. The White Sox have dipped to 20 games under for the first time this season. A year ago, the record-breaking White Sox were 15-39.

All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2025, 19,260 games) 9,611-9,649 (.4990). It’s been 989 games since the White Sox had an all-time winning record.

Record Since the New Pope Was Revealed as a White Sox Fan 7-9

• Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2024 White Sox, 41-121)
• Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120-1, finished three percentage points worse than the 2024 White Sox)
• Race to the Most White Sox Losses (2024, 121)
• Race to the Worst White Sox Record (2024, 41-121)

10 games better, in all cases

Race to the Worst Post-1899 Record (1916 A’s, 38-124 adjusted to 162 games) 13 games better

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