MINNEAPOLIS — No team in National League or American League history had been shut out in eight of its first 22 games — 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 have been blanked once in each.
Here’s a closer look at each shutout.
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 with a single, but that was followed by a strikeout, fielder’s choice and popout.
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)
The Sox managed just three hits — two singles and a double — 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
Playing without Luis Robert Jr., who suffered a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain the night before, the Sox again managed just three hits.
Best scoring chance: DeJong doubled to lead off the eighth, 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
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.
Best scoring chance: Two walks and a wild pitch gave the Sox runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth. But Moncada grounded out to first to end the inning.
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
The Sox didn’t have a hit until the sixth, when Grossman reached on an infield single. The only other Sox hit came in the ninth: Kevin Pillar singled but got picked off.
Best scoring chance: Pillar walked with two outs in the fourth and stole second base, but 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
Nick Nastrini, in his big-league debut, and the Sox held the Royals to five hits, but they tallied only 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
The Sox didn’t have a hit off Phillies starter Spencer Turnbull until one out in the seventh, when Sheets singled to right. They finished with two hits.
Best scoring chance: Vaughn followed Sheets’ single with a walk. They advanced to second and third 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 was 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
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
