White Sox are baseball’s worst team – by far
The greater appeal of power rankings resides at the top, eager readers wondering if their favorite club’s little hot streak dented the unforgiving hierarchy.
This week let’s pay tribute to the very bottom of the list – and the team that might never get out of the No. 30 slot.
The Chicago White Sox are not just the worst team in baseball – a stunning designation given the Oakland Athletics’ existence – they are essentially egging on the rest of the league to lap them.
At 3-18, the White Sox have got the worst record on lock. Worse yet, they’re last in the major leagues in, let’s see here, home runs, batting average, OPS, batting average, hits …
Oh, and runs scored, of course: They’ve crossed home just 45 times in 21 games – 22 runs less than the 29thranked A’s. Not surprisingly, the White Sox have been held to two or fewer runs in 14 of 21 games. Each week brings more indignity: Saturday and Sunday, Philadelphia Phillies starters Spencer Turnbull and Zack Wheeler carried no-hitters bids against them into the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.
That’s more than enough to sign a sixmonth lease in the cellar of USA TODAY Sports’ MLB power rankings. Perhaps not so great, though, if the White Sox truly hope to hoodwink Chicago into a new stadium.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Atlanta Braves (+2)
u“These guys don’t need me to win a World Series,” says Spencer Strider. He’s right.
2. Baltimore Orioles (+2)
uCorbin Burnes gets better as game gets deeper, holding hitters to .140 average in innings 4-7.
3. New York Yankees (-2)
uThey really booed Aaron Judge at Yankee Stadium? Idiotic fans.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (-2)
uTyler Glasnow ties career high with eight-inning, scoreless effort against Mets.
5. Cleveland Guardians (+3)
uIf they score runs like this all year, they might win 100.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (-1)
uWith .313 average, .389 OBP, .889 OPS, Willy Adames setting sail on career year.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)
uThey were 15-14 last March-April, 14-8 this time around.
8. Cincinnati Reds (+6)
uWith six homers and 10 steals, Elly De La Cruz charting an Acuña-esque course.
9. Toronto Blue Jays (+6)
uJose Berríos is the best pitcher in the American League at the moment.
10. Chicago Cubs (-1)
uJameson Taillon looks crisp in 2024 debut.
11. Texas Rangers (-3)
uAfter scraping together 5-5 road trip, they’re now home for nine straight – and Max Scherzer nearing return.
12. Boston Red Sox (-)
uKutter Crawford’s 0.66 ERA leads majors.
13. Seattle Mariners (+5)
uSluggish start still has them near top of AL West.
14. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)
uKevin Cash could pass Joe Maddon as Rays’ winningest manager this week.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (-4)
uJordan Montgomery prevails over Blake Snell in battle of tardy aces.
16. Kansas City Royals (-6)
uNearly half of their 13 wins have come against White Sox.
17. New York Mets (+3)
uHow long will the Luis Severino joyride last?
18. Detroit Tigers (-5)
uCasey Mize has a 2.95 ERA through four starts.
19. San Diego Padres (-)
uRobert Suarez tied for NL lead with seven saves.
20. Pittsburgh Pirates (-4)
uHow many more 100-mph fastballs will Paul Skenes throw in the minor leagues?
21. San Francisco Giants (+3)
uSimply treading water – they’re 6-5 against Padres and Diamondbacks, two teams they need to beat.
22. Houston Astros (-1)
uWill Framber Valdez regain his command after stint on injured list?
23. Los Angeles Angels (-)
uAnthony Rendon gutted through 19 games before hamstring injury sent him to IL.
24. St. Louis Cardinals (+1)
uScored just six runs in three games against Brewers pitching.
25. Washington Nationals (+1)
uSeries wins against Dodgers, Giants, Astros.
26. Minnesota Twins (-4)
uRyan Jeffers is having a nice year, but the plan wasn’t for him to be their best offensive player.
27. Miami Marlins (+1)
uStill haven’t won a series. But splitting four at Wrigley Field is a start.
28. Oakland Athletics (-1)
uOutscored 51-18 in season series against Cleveland.
29. Colorado Rockies (-)
uThirty-three degrees at first pitch one night. And people still keep coming to the games.
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
uAt least Eloy Jimenez hit his first home run.