MINNEAPOLIS — No team in National League or American League history had ever been shut out in eight of its first 22 games to start a season — until the 2024 Chicago White Sox.
They accomplished the dubious distinction with Monday’s 7-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Sox have played eight series this season and they have been blanked once in each.
Here’s a closer look at each time the Sox have been shut out.
March 28 at Guaranteed Rate Field: Detroit Tigers 1, Sox 0
Opening day set the tone in all the wrong ways, as the Sox were limited to three singles. The Tigers retired the last 17 batters.
Best scoring chance: Andrew Vaughn led off the second inning with a single, but that was followed by a strikeout, fielder’s choice and popout by the lineup.
Postgame quote: “He’s an opening-day starter for a reason. You think about it, there’s 30 guys going, 30 of the best. He has good stuff, challenged us and got the better of us.” — Vaughn on Tigers starter Tarik Skubal
April 1 at Guaranteed Rate Field: Atlanta Braves 9, Sox 0 (8 innings)
Luis Robert Jr. walks into the dugout after striking out during the eighth inning against the Braves at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 1, 2024. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
The Sox managed just three hits — two singles and a double — in a loss in the rain-shortened series opener.
Best scoring chance: Yoán Moncada singled with one out in the first. With two outs, Vaughn walked and Gavin Sheets got hit by a pitch, but Paul DeJong struck out to end the scoring opportunity.
Postgame quote: “We have to continue to work on that, continue to work to put balls in play when we’ve got runners in scoring position.” — manager Pedro Grifol
April 6 at Kauffman Stadium: Kansas City Royals 3, Sox 0
White Sox’s Kevin Pillar looks back at home plate umpire Doug Eddings after striking out during the fifth inning against the Royals in Kansas City, Mo., on April 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Playing without Luis Robert Jr. who suffered a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain the night before, the Sox again managed just three hits on the night.
Best scoring chance: DeJong doubled to lead off the eighth inning and with one out, Dominic Fletcher walked. But Robbie Grossman grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
Postgame quote: “Just have to trust that it’s a long season, a lot of baseball to be played, keep playing hard and showing up and grinding every day.” — Fletcher
April 8 at Progressive Field: Cleveland Guardians 4, Sox 0
Members of the White Sox look up from the grass outside the dugout as the moon partially covers the sun during a total solar eclipse over Progressive Field in Cleveland on April 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
There was plenty of buzz in Cleveland with the total solar eclipse happening pregame. The disappearing act then continued for the Sox, who had only four hits in the loss.
Best scoring chance: Two walks and a wild pitch gave the Sox runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth inning. But Moncada grounded out to first to end all that.
Postgame quote: “I’ve seen streaks like this on the offensive side. We’re going to get out of it working and going out there and competing our asses off. That’s how we’re going to get out of it. We’re not going to get out of it feeling sorry for ourselves.” — Grifol
April 13 at Guaranteed Rate Field: Cincinnati Reds 5, Sox 0
White Sox’s Andrew Vaughn grounds out to against the Reds during the first inning on April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
The Sox didn’t have a hit until the sixth inning, when Grossman reached on an infield single. The only other hit for the Sox all game came in the ninth: Kevin Pillar singled, but then got picked off.
Best scoring chance: Pillar walked with two outs in the fourth and stole second base, but then Lenyn Sosa struck out.
Postgame quote: “Regardless of whether guys are out (because of injury) or not, we’ve got to go about our business, we’ve got to put in the work and we’ve got to show up ready to play every day. It can’t be a press” — Sheets
April 15 at Guaranteed Rate Field: Royals 2, Sox 0
White Sox outfielder Dominic Fletcher bats during a game against the Royals on April 17, 2024, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Vincent Alban/Chicago Tribune)
Nick Nastrini — in his big-league debut — and the Sox held the Royals to five hits, but only tallied four themselves — all singles.
Best scoring chance: Braden Shewmake singled to begin the fifth. He stole second when Martín Maldonado struck out, but two flyouts followed.
Postgame quote: “They’re not just showing up here at 6:30 for a 6:40 game, they’re working on it. At some point, they’ve just got to apply it and execute it out on the field.” — Grifol
April 19 at Citizens Bank Park: Philadelphia Phillies 7, Sox 0
Eloy Jiménez walks to the White Sox dugout after popping out to end the eighth inning against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Sox didn’t have a hit off Phillies starter Spencer Turnbull until one out in the seventh when Sheets singled to right field. They finished with two hits.
Best scoring chance: Vaughn followed Sheets’ single with a walk. The two advanced to second and third base when second baseman Edmundo Sosa made a nice play to get to Andrew Benintendi’s grounder and throw him out at first. DeJong’s long fly to center field got tracked down near the warning track to end the inning.
Postgame quote: “You’ve just got to trust each other. You’ve got to trust the guy behind you, feed off each other. We’re going through it right now as a team.” — Sheets
April 22 at Target Field: Twins 7, Sox 0
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol toward home plate umpire Mike Estabrook after being ejected after the top of the eighth inning against the Twins on April 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Sox left nine men on base as their record fell to 3-19, the worst 22-game start in franchise history.
Best scoring chance: The Sox loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. Vaughn hit a liner, but first baseman Alex Kirilloff made a diving catch. DeJong then struck out.
Postgame quote: “You’re scuffling a little bit and you want to see that ball get into the grass and you score a couple of runs, but they’re making good plays. That’s when you’ve got to take a little positive out of it and say ‘I’m barreling the ball up, that was a good swing, now let’s build off of it.’ You keep doing that and not go down that negative hole, you’re going to turn those into hits and it’s going to work out for you in the end.” — Nicky Lopez
