White Sox conclude historic losing season by defeating playoff-bound Tigers 9-5

The Chicago White Sox secured a 9-5 victory over the playoff-bound Detroit Tigers, with Lenyn Sosa’s three-run homer in the third inning giving them a five-run advantage. Despite Kerry Carpenter’s grand slam narrowing the gap in the fifth inning, Detroit couldn’t catch up. Bryan Ramos’ two-run single in the seventh inning further solidified Chicago’s lead.
Detroit clinched an American League wild card spot by defeating the White Sox on Friday, marking the end of a ten-year playoff drought. They will face Houston on Tuesday. The Tigers finished the season with an 86-76 record, showcasing an eight-game improvement from the previous year and achieving their first winning season since 2016.
In contrast, the White Sox concluded their season with 121 losses, surpassing the post-1900 record for most losses previously held by the 1962 New York Mets. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf expressed disappointment in the team’s performance, labeling the season as “embarrassing” and a “failure.”
Chicago managed to salvage some success by winning five of their last six games, providing a brighter end to a challenging season. Following the dismissal of manager Pedro Grifol in August, Grady Sizemore was promoted to interim manager.
In the final game, Jonathan Cannon (5-10) pitched for Chicago, allowing four runs over five innings. On the other hand, Kenta Maeda (3-7) of the Tigers struggled, conceding five runs over 4 2/3 innings. Despite signing a $24 million contract last November, Maeda’s spot on the playoff roster is uncertain.
The White Sox exhibited resilience in the final week of the season, showcasing their competitive spirit. Notable performances included Korey Lee’s RBI single and Dominic Fletcher’s sacrifice fly.
The game drew a crowd of 41,740 fans, contributing to the Tigers’ total season attendance of 1,858,295. This marked an increase from 1,612,876 fans in 2023, with 128,108 attendees at the final series – the highest since 2012.
Looking ahead, the White Sox are scheduled to face the Cubs in their spring training opener on Feb. 22, while the Tigers will embark on a three-game series against the Astros starting Tuesday.