Paul Konerko throws a strike, but it’s all downhill from there as White Sox lose to the Guardians, 6-2
And they were even mostly gifted the two
OK, highlight of the day, 2005 Captain Paul Konerko gets to throw out the first pitch:
Unfortunately, thanks to some silly rule, the 2005 team couldn’t then play the game, which left us at the mercy of the 2025 version.
The only two runs the current group could muster up came thanks to stupidity — their own. The Guardians took a 2-0 lead early, but then Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa led off the bottom of the fourth with singles, and things were looking up.
However, Benintendi then went brain dead and wandered off of second about 20 feet, for no reason. He then did wake up to do what he had to when picked off by a mile or two and headed to third, where he would have been out by at least those 20 feet except for a wild throw that advanced the runners.
That brought up Kyle Teel, who came through with a slap shot:
That tied the game, but the Sox must have gotten exhausted from all that base running and needed a rest, because they never got another runner past first and made 12 straight outs to end the game.
Sox starter Sean Burke only gave up two runs through five innings, but needed 97 pitches to get there, so it was then up to the pen — which as we all know in the case of the White Sox, is definitely not mightier than the sword.
Cleveland was free to score on a Kyle Manzardo homer, Steven Kwan sac fly (second SF of the game, taking advantage of Benintendi’s Little League arm in left) to make it 4-2 before knocking Steven Wilson around for two final runs in the ninth.
That puts the Sox record back to winning a third of their games on the season (32-64, if you’re keeping a tally), with a final game before the All Star break tomorrow afternoon. It’ll be Aaron Civale trying to salvage the shreds of his reputation on the mound for the Sox, and reliever Joey Cantillo starting for the Guardians.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2025 Record: 32-64, the third-worst start in White Sox history and tied for the 78th-worst start in baseball history. A 32-64 record projects to 54-108 over a full season. A year ago, the record-breaking White Sox were 27-69.
All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2025, 19,301 games) 9,626-9,676 (.4987). It’s been 140 games since the White Sox had an all-time winning record. The White Sox are currently 50 games worse than .500 and falling under by 66 more games will land the team at its lowest point in its 125-year history.
Record Since the New Pope Was Revealed as a White Sox Fan 22-35
Race With the Colorado Rockies for to the Worst Record in 2025 9 ½ games better
- 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)
13 games better, in all cases