The New York Mets’ record of futility lasted 62 years until the Chicago White Sox claimed the title in 2024. Chicago’s hold on the crown may last just one year.
The White Sox finished last season with 121 losses, one more than the 1962 expansion Mets, and the 2025 Colorado Rockies are on pace to shatter that mark. Through 49 games, Colorado is 8-41, the worst start to a season in the modern era (since 1901). The Rockies are on pace to win 26 games. Considering they play in arguably the toughest division in the majors, that’s realistic. Chicago was in a tough division, but the 2024 AL Central is not the same caliber as the NL West.
So, are the 2025 Colorado Rockies worse than the 2024 Chicago White Sox?
The numbers, more than a third through the season, say yes. Chicago was 15-34 through 49 games, had losing streaks of 14 games, 21 games, and were 3-22 from mid-August to mid-September. Colorado’s longest losing streak is eight (done three times) and has one winning streak – a two-game streak. During the last eight-game losing streak, the Rockies allowed double-digit runs in four straight games – at home – capped by a 21-0 loss to San Diego on May 10. General manager Bill Schmidt gave a vote of confidence to manager Bud Black before that loss, but fired him less than 24 hours later – moments after a 9-3 win over the Padres – and replaced him with interim manager Warren Schaeffer, who started 1-8.
A closer comparison to the White Sox doesn’t give the Rockies reason for optimism for the rest of 2025. In 2024, Chicago’s core rotation combined for 21 wins in 104 starts. Colorado’s starters have combined for four victories, which projects to 13 this season. The White Sox had a team ERA of 4.67 and allowed 813 runs. The Rockies’ ERA is 5.92, and they are on pace to give up 1,061 runs. Chicago committed 90 errors in 162 games; Colorado has 43 through 49, which, over a full season, would equal 142. The White Sox hit .221 and slugged 133 home runs. The Rockies are batting .218 and, despite playing in a hitter’s park, have hit only 43 home runs.
Colorado is in a youth movement – seven players have made their major league debuts this season – but the organization has failed in its draft-and-develop talent plan. Part of the Rockies’ strategy was signing veterans to supplement their youth, but that has not gone well. They massively overpaid for a broken-down Kris Bryant, who has played 170 of a possible 535 games since signing a seven-year, $182 million free-agent contract before the 2022 season. Second baseman Thairo Estrada, signed before the season, suffered a wrist fracture in spring training and has yet to play in 2025.
History suggests Colorado will reel off multiple wins at some point, but where? Only 10 of the Rockies’ 26 games in June are against teams below .500, and those 10 games are on the road, where they are 3-22. The best chance for a winning streak comes in the first week of August, when their first six games are against Pittsburgh and Toronto. By then, they could have cemented what we already know – they are the worst major league team in 124 years.
