Rangers’ bullpen game handcuffs inept White Sox offense, 3-1

Over-aggressive and incompetent bats lead to 47th loss in 70 games

In what should’ve been a competitive outing against the Rangers bullpen, the White Sox could only muster up six hits and one run in a pathetic showing in a 3-1 loss.

The White Sox were retired in order to start the first, and then gave up back-to-back singles. Corey Seager provided a sac fly RBI to put Texas on the board first. The top of the second was the same, and Jake Burger singled to start the bottom of the frame, but he was stranded.

Wheeling and dealing, Shawn Armstrong managed four straight strikeouts, stunning an aggressive lineup with no punch. Josh Smith started the bottom of the third with a solo home run.

Two walks flanked by two outs would bring Ethan Katz out to chat with Adrian Houser in the fourth, and it worked. Jacob Webb, who came in as relief for Armstrong, kept the White Sox in line with three easy outs.

Jonah Heim singled in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, but was quickly picked off by Houser for a speedy frame.

Luis Robert Jr. broke up the combined no-hitter with a single in the top of the fifth. Initially he was called out at first, but after review, the call was overturned. Alas, with two outs already, Josh Rojas flew out to end the frame.

Smith and Seager picked up walks in the bottom of the fifth with only one out, prompting the bullpen to stir. Old friend Marcus Semien sent Smith home with an RBI double. A ground out from Burger limited any further damage, and Houser walked away from the inning with his team down, 3-0.

Mike Tauchman got the second White Sox hit of the game in the top of the sixth, but could not advance.

Josh Jung was hit by a pitch from Dan Altavilla to start the bottom of the sixth inning, but a line out and double play would keep the Rangers from scoring.

Vargas singled with one out, and Edgar Quero, who came in to pinch hit, followed through. Vargas on second base, in the seventh, was the first runner in scoring position for the WHite Sox all game.

With two runners on, Robert got his second hit of the night, an RBI double to put the Sox on the board. With another change, Brooks Baldwin — who just came back today — stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter, prompting a pitching change. Baldwin went down on strikes with some wild swings, failing to put the ball in play. Michael A. Taylor at least made contact, but flew out to strand the runners.

Tyler Gilbert’s return from the injured list started great, with a 1-2-3 seventh. The eighth was quiet for both teams, with the exception of a Burger double.

Andrew Benintendi managed a leadoff double in the ninth and Vargas followed with a walk. Two outs came quickly, but Austin Slater fought for a walk to load the bases. Alas, Taylor — at .207-hitting defensive specialist forced to bat under pressure because the White Sox simply aren’t very good — ended the game with another K, leaving the bases loaded.

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Futility Watch

White Sox 2025 Record: 23-47, tied for second-worst start in White Sox history and tied for the 89th-worst start in baseball history. A 23-47 record projects to 53-109 over a full season. A year ago, the record-breaking White Sox were 18-52.

All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2025, 19,276 games) 9,617-9,659 (.4989). It’s been 114 games since the White Sox had an all-time winning record.

Record Since the New Pope Was Revealed as a White Sox Fan 13-19

• Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2024 White Sox, 41-121)
• Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120-1, finished three percentage points worse than the 2024 White Sox)
• Race to the Most White Sox Losses (2024, 121)
• Race to the Worst White Sox Record (2024, 41-121)

12 games better, in all cases

Race to the Worst Post-1899 Record (1916 A’s, 38-124 adjusted to 162 games) 15 games better

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