Chicago White Sox reach new level of futility, extend losing streak to 20 games

The Chicago White Sox unlocked a new level of futility with Sunday’s 13-7 loss to the Minnesota Twins, making them only the seventh team in modern baseball history (since 1901) ever to own a 20-game losing streak. It is the longest losing streak in MLB since the Baltimore Orioles dropped 21 in a row to begin the 1988 season.

The White Sox (27-87) are one more bad series away from equaling the record of 23 straight losses by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies. After getting swept by the Twins (62-48), the White Sox continue their trip for a three-game series against another faltering team, the Oakland Athletics.

Sunday’s game was ugly from the start. Andrew Benintendi failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded opportunity in the first inning. Then second baseman Brooks Baldwin booted a would-be inning-ending grounder in the bottom of the inning.

By the time Chris Flexen was yanked with two outs in the second, he’d already thrown 70 pitches and was in a seven-run hole.

Chicago made it a game, cutting an 8-0 score to 8-5 by the seventh inning. It was clawing its way back in the desperate hope of avoiding the infamy of a 20-game skid.

But as it goes with the White Sox, the latter innings were a mess. They’d been outscored by 44 runs in the seventh innings of games this year, and by 43 runs in the eighth. The comeback bid was for naught, as the Twins tacked on five more.

Chicago will fly to the Bay Area in hopes of avoiding history. If the White Sox leave Oakland without a win, they’d be in a position to notch a record-setting 24th straight loss in a series opener against their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.

With their latest loss, the White Sox fell to 60 games under .500, extending their franchise record.

(Photo of Chris Flexen after being removed in the second inning: David Berding / Getty Images)