If you were born after 1988, the White Sox are doing something no MLB team has done in your lifetime — and it's not something they should be proud of.
Chicago has lost 21 consecutive games entering Tuesday night's contest with the Athletics, easily surpassing a franchise record. Now, the White Sox are threatening the all-time MLB losing streak record.
The White Sox (27-88) last won in the first game of a doubleheader on July 10 — six days before the All-Star Game and nearly three weeks before the trade deadline, both of which have now come and gone. Perhaps most stunning is that Chicago comfortably held the worst record in baseball the day its streak started. From 40 games under .500 to more than 60, the White Sox are now barreling toward the wrong kind of history.
Here's a look at the longest losing streaks in MLB history and how the White Sox can tie or break the record.
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Longest losing streaks in MLB history
A small handful of teams suffered losing streaks of at least 20 games before 1901, which marks the start of the modern era in MLB.
Here's a list of the longest losing streaks in the modern era, led by the 1961 Phillies:
Modern era (1901-present)
| Streak | Team | Year |
| 23 | Philadelphia Phillies | 1961 |
| 21 | Baltimore Orioles | 1988 |
| 21 | Chicago White Sox | 2024 |
| 20 | Boston Americans | 1906 |
| 20 | Philadelphia Athletics | 1916 |
| 20 | Philadelphia Athletics | 1943 |
| 20 | Montreal Expos | 1969 |
| 19 | Boston Beaneaters | 1906 |
| 19 | Cincinnati Reds | 1914 |
| 19 | Detroit Tigers | 1975 |
| 19 | Kansas City Royals | 2005 |
| 19 | Baltimore Orioles | 2021 |
Only the 1961 Phillies have endured a longer losing streak in the modern era than the White Sox, as Chicago's loss to Oakland on Monday tied the franchise with the 1988 Orioles at 21 consecutive losses.
If the White Sox really want to dial up the losses, the all-time record including competition from the 1800s is also within reach. No MLB team in any era has lost more consecutive games than the 1889 Louisville Colonels, who dropped 26 straight.
Take a look at when the White Sox can tie and break MLB's losing streak records.
White Sox upcoming schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Stakes |
| Aug. 6 | at Athletics | 9:40 p.m. | Can achieve longest losing streak since 1961 |
| Aug. 7 | at Athletics | 3:37 p.m. | Can tie modern-era record |
| Aug. 9 | vs. Cubs | 8:10 p.m. | Can break modern-era record |
| Aug. 10 | vs. Cubs | 7:15 p.m. | |
| Aug. 12 | vs. Yankees | 8:10 p.m. | Can tie all-time record set in 1889 |
| Aug. 13 | vs. Yankees | 8:10 p.m. | Can break all-time record set in 1889 |
The White Sox can leave Oakland with the modern-era losing streak record in hand, as two more losses to the Athletics would leave Chicago with 23 consecutive losses.
That would position the White Sox for more history against their crosstown rival Cubs, with a loss on Friday breaking the 1961 Phillies record if the streak continues.
Another loss on Saturday could set up the White Sox to tie the all-time record of 26 consecutive losses, set in 1889, at home against the Yankees on Monday with the chance to hit 27 straight on Tuesday.
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White Sox losing streak
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| July 10 | vs. Twins | L, 3-2 |
| July 12 | vs. Pirates | L, 4-1 |
| July 13 | vs. Pirates | L, 6-2 |
| July 14 | vs. Pirates | L, 9-4 |
| July 19 | at Royals | L, 7-1 |
| July 20 | at Royals | L, 6-1 |
| July 21 | at Royals | L, 4-1 |
| July 22 | at Rangers | L, 4-3 (10 inn.) |
| July 23 | at Rangers | L, 3-2 |
| July 24 | at Rangers | L, 10-2 |
| July 25 | at Rangers | L, 2-1 |
| July 26 | vs. Mariners | L, 10-0 |
| July 27 | vs. Mariners | L, 6-3 |
| July 28 | vs. Mariners | L, 6-3 |
| July 29 | vs. Royals | L, 8-5 |
| July 30 | vs. Royals | L, 4-3 |
| July 31 | vs. Royals | L, 10-3 |
| Aug. 2 | at Twins | L, 10-2 |
| Aug. 3 | at Twins | L, 6-2 |
| Aug. 4 | at Twins | L, 13-7 |
| Aug. 5 | at Athletics | L, 5-1 |
16 of the White Sox' 21 losses during their historic streak have come by multiple runs, including each of their last five entering Tuesday.
Chicago is on pace to finish the season 38-124, which would give them the lowest winning percentage of any team in the modern era. The single-season loss record, held by the 1962 expansion Mets, is 120.