Chicago White Sox News: MLB Award finalists show just how tough the AL Central got in 2024

So much for playing in a weak AL Central.

That was one of the foolhardy reasons Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf believed when he tabbed Chris Getz to be the team's new general manager in 2023 after not interviewing a single candidate.

The belief was Getz alone could turn things around quickly after the Sox lost 101 games that year because he knew the team inside and out, plus the AL Central was weak.

Fast forward to the present and the White Sox just set the record for most losses in a 162-game season. A record originally set by the 1962 New York Mets that had to deal with the difficulties of being an expansion.

The White Sox had no such excuse, and a good chunk of their record-setting 121 losses came in part to playing in suddenly what became one of the toughest divisions in baseball.

The Sox went 10-42 against their division rivals. They only managed to beat the Kansas City Royals once, and the same goes for the Minnesota Twins.

The Royals used Bobby Witt Jr. as a foundational player and spent wisely to go from dead last in 2023 to making the playoffs in 2024 while winning their AL Wild Card series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Talk about getting lapped by the field.

The Royals were even worse than the 101-loss Chicago White Sox in 2023 and found a way to not only get better but leave the Sox in their dust. However, maybe the Sox left themselves there and will continue to stay in last because of their unwillingness to spend this offseason.

What is also going to keep the White Sox at the bottom of the AL Central standings is that there are quality players and managers now in the division.

The finalists for AL Manager of the Year are all from the AL Central.

The same goes for the AL Cy Young finalists.

Then Witt Jr. is a finalist for AL MVP.

These are small market teams with players and managers in contention for the highest awards in baseball. Yet, the Sox, who play in the largest market of the division, claim poverty.

Maybe playing against the White Sox is what helped launch teams like the Royals to the playoffs, but beating Baltimore in the postseason legitimized Kansas City as a playoff team. The Sox did manage to go 5-8 against the Cleveland Guardians, so they cannot truly say they won the division due in part to beating up on the weakest team in baseball.

Seth Lugo is signed for next season, along with a player option for 2026. Tarik Skubal has two more years of club control left. Emmanuel Clase is under contract for four more seasons. Witt Jr. is signed long-term in Kansas City.

So, there is a good chance the AL Central will stay strong for years to come. That makes the White Sox rebuild even tougher.