In the most preposterous example of “on any given night” possible, the White Sox wallop Baltimore, 8-1, surely setting the O’s up for a saccharine September
Baltimore steamrolled the White Sox in two games to open a must-sweep home series, having swung a division lead back to a half-game over the Yankees and riding nicely as the best team in the AL entering play on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the White Sox walloped the Orioles, 8-1.
Instead of endless variations on defenders not calling/easing off of flyballs or pitchers throwing the pill 10 feet over the catcher’s head or sleepy pickoffs or languid ABs, we get a bevy of beauties to highlight tonight.
Nicky Lopez had a leadoff smack-a-lacka, his first-ever in our uniform:
Nicky Lopez ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ExVGDMRPGI
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 4, 2024
Tell me again how Luis Robert Jr. shouldn’t have made that throw home for the walk-off sac fly at Cleveland? Dominic Fletcher reminds him that if you’re on the field, make the throw.
Going, going, Vaughn?!?
That one was Vaughn gone! pic.twitter.com/t5MQdrwqL1
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 4, 2024
Even mini-mite Dom Fletcher sent one packing tonight, also his first as a White Sox:
Stay fair. IT WILL! pic.twitter.com/k8ZHbLaQyT
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 4, 2024
Luis flashes that easy power, with a two-run tap to the left-field corner:
tacked on a couple more pic.twitter.com/mVBvN2IROo
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 4, 2024
LRJ did it in the field, too, although this play saw La Pantera leave the game shortly in the top half, after running out a grounder to first that earned him some hamstring tightness:
Flight LRJ88 cleared for take off ✈️ pic.twitter.com/c1DqO6t9XU
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 5, 2024
And the moment we’ve been waiting 12 games for:
That’s more like it.
You wonder if Baltimore can possibly recover from this.
Sadly, the White Sox have a travel day to Boston, where they will start a set with the Red Sox on Friday. Keep the bats warm for the weekend, boys!
White Sox 2024 Record 32-109, worst 141-game start in White Sox history (13 games worse than the next-worst, 1932 White Sox), second-worst MLB start all-time and 77 games below .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -303, sixth-worst 141-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Batting WAR -7.8 (through September 3); on pace for an all-time second-worst -9.0 WAR (1.0 WAR better than all-time MLB-worst 1977 Atlanta Braves (10.0))
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 37-125 (.227)
All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2024) 9,585-9,600 (.4996)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 6games worse; need to finish 12-9 to end season 44-118
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 4 games worse; need to finish 9-12 to end season 41-121
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) new record set (109 and counting)
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 15 1⁄2 games worse; need to finish season 21-0 to end season 53-109
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 1 game worse; need to finish season 7-14 to finish 39-123
*record adjusted to a 162-game season