The Chicago White Sox season continues to spiral out of control and hitting rock bottom still seems far away.
The Sox lost 7-0 on Monday night to the Minnesota Twins. Yes, it was another shut out defeat for the White Sox.
Making matters worse, it was a historic shut out.
For the first time in Major League history, a team has been shutout for the 8th time in their first 22 games pic.twitter.com/6g0WGh4WSO
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 23, 2024
The Sox are one of one when it comes to being the worst team in baseball. The offense makes scoring runs on the same level as trying to solve the mystery of life.
The White Sox lineup made Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack look like Frank Viola. Paddack had an 8.36 ERA coming into the game and gave up 9 runs in his last outing. He may end with Cy Young votes after what he did to the Sox batting order.
He pitched seven strong innings with 10 strikeouts. The Sox had eight hits with all of them singles. The lineup had just one walk! No plate discipline and weak contact is a sure-fire recipe for an offense that is dead last in team batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs scored, and home runs.
The White Sox threw out a lineup with seven hitters batting under .250 and six of them were slugging below .400.
How does the manager react?
“Our record sucks,” said Pedro Grifol. “What are you going to do about it? We’ve got to come out here tomorrow and get ready to play.”
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) April 23, 2024
The problem with manager Pedro Grifol's comment is the next day always seems to be worse than the previous for the White Sox.
There is now talk that this team could finish as the worst team ever in MLB history. We are talking about the Sox contending to be worse than the 1962 New York Mets (subscription required to access the link). Amazing!
What is the White Sox solution to pull out of this? Play more veterans instead of trying to see what some of these prospects left behind by the previous leadership can do.
The Sox sent rookie pitcher Nick Nastrini back to Triple-A so Chris Flexen could return to the rotation. It would not be shocking to see rookie Jonathan Cannon get sent back too after he struggled in his second career MLB start.
Jonathan Cannon: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 50 of 75 pitches for strikes, with 22 called strikes/whiffs.
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) April 23, 2024
The Twins stacked their lineup with lefties, who went 8-for-13 off Cannon*
*presuming I know how to count.
Plus, Mike Clevinger is probably getting close to being ready to rejoin the rotation, so that means the front office has an excuse to send Cannon back. Here is the thing, nothing is gained for the Sox future if Clevinger and Flexen continue to start. Their trade value is next to nothing. Clevinger twice has been available to the 29 other MLB teams, and they passed on picking him up. Flexen is on a $1.75 million deal.
Nastrini and Cannon going through the development process this year in a lost season benefits this team in the long run. Let them go through the ups and downs instead of being sent up and down from Triple-A and Chicago.
Those type of decisions the organization is making is a big reason the Sox are in this current dumpster fire of a season.