OAKLAND, Calif. — To say the Chicago White Sox are having an off year is putting it mildly. For fans of the team from the south side of Chicago, it’s been downright brutal. And it's now historically brutal.
The Sox, owners of the worst record in baseball, are a on slide for the ages. Their loss to Oakland on Monday was their 21st straight, tying a modern-day American League record. Though even with that many consecutive losses, their current losing streak isn’t the worst ever in baseball….yet.
While Chicago was racking up the losses, we took a look at the longest losing streaks in MLB history.
According to MLB.com, the longest one of all times belongs to the 1889 Louisville Colonels. That season, the Colonels dropped 26 straight games. Of course, the game was a little different back then, so MLB.com broke it down by modern-day baseball.
The team at the top (or bottom) in MLB's modern era is the 1961 Phillies, who found themselves on the losing end of 23 straight games that season. The Phillies snapped the streak on the back half of a double header…and then won their next three after that.
Their overall record that season – 47-107.
Then there was the Baltimore Orioles. That team lost 21 straight games…and the O’s streak was to start the season. They didn’t win their fist game that year until April 29 against the White Sox.
The Orioles’ record that season – 54-107.
The O's had stood alone as the modern-day leader for American League losses in a row. Until now.
This year’s White Sox team on Monday night tied that ’88 Orioles team with their 21st straight loss. Ever since winning the first half of a double header against Minnesota on July 10, Chicago has had 21 consecutive losses. With two more games against the A’s, they could set the modern-day American League record before leaving Oakland. They could set the overall modern-era record Friday at home against their cross-town rival Chicago Cubs.
The White Sox record so far – 27-88.
After the Cubs, the White Sox host the New York Yankees for three games before heading to Minute Maid Park on August 16, 17 and 18 to face the Astros.
To see the other teams on the list of longest losing streaks, visit MLB.com.
