White Sox Lose 120th Game to Tie Modern MLB Record as Fans Troll Historic Struggles
Sep 22, 2024
SAN DIEGO, CA - Chicago White Sox playes look out from the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, September 22, 2024 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox fell to the San Diego Padres by the score of 4-2 on Sunday, making some unfortunate history.
The White Sox suffered their 120th loss of the year, putting them in a tie with the 1962 New York Mets for the mostsingle-season losses in the modern era.
Congratulations to the Chicago White Sox. They have passed the 2003 Detroit Tigers and have set a new American League worse 120 losses in a single season.
Final: Padres 4, White Sox 2. The White Sox tied the 1962 New York for the most losses in a season during MLBâs modern era with their 120th defeat. Six games remain for the Sox, who are 36-120. The Padres scored 3 in the 8th as the Sox were swept for the 24th time.
It initially seemed as though the White Sox would avoid tying the record against the Padres, as they held a 2-1 lead through seven innings. San Diego struck in the bottom of the eighth, starting with a game-tying double by Luis ArrĂĄez.
Jurickson Profar's sacrifice fly gave the Padres the lead and a solo home run by Fernando Tatis Jr. put the team up by two runs.
Chicago started the 2024 season by losing 22 of its first 25 games. The White Sox didn't fare much better as the year progressed, tying an American League record by dropping 21 consecutive games from July 10 through Aug. 5. Manager Pedro Grifol was fired after the losing streak, getting replaced by Grady Sizemore.
The White Sox suffered their 100th defeat of the season on Aug. 25, becoming the third team in the modern era to reach the century mark in the loss column before the start of September. They were also eliminated from playoff contention on Aug. 17, the earliest mark in the wild card or divisional era.
Chicago will attempt to avoid setting a new single-season loss record as the team begins a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.
All of White Sox's Funny Social Media Posts Immediately after Losing Games This Week
Sep 22, 2024
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 20: A view of a Chicago White Sox ball cap and glove before an MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals on July 20, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox may be historically bad, but at least the social media administration has a sense of humor about the entire thing.
Chicago tied the modern MLB record for most losses in a season with a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres, the team's fifth straight defeat. Each of those five losses prompted amusing social media posts.
Tuesday's 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels ended a three-game winning streak and started a five-post laughing streak:
Narrator: the White Sox did not win 4 in a row đ
Sometimes we all have to laugh to get through difficult times, and calling the 2024 season difficult for the White Sox would be quite the understatement.
The five-game losing streak against the Angels and Padres dropped their record to 36-120 with just six games remaining. They have been seemingly playing out the string for the majority of the campaign, as it didn't take long for it to be clear this was not a playoff team.
Chicago started 3-22 and was 27-71 at the All-Star break. As if that wasn't bad enough, it lost its first 17 games after the All-Star break as things continued to get even worse for the last-place team in the American League Central.
It was part of a 21-game losing streak that tied the American League record and led to the firing of manager Pedro Grifol.
To put things into perspective, the Angels have the worst record in the American League outside of the White Sox, and they have 27 more wins at 63-93. And it will be those Angels who could be on the field when Chicago continues to make history, as the two teams face each other again for a three-game set starting Tuesday.
Sunday's loss put the White Sox in a tie with the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in a single MLB season since 1900 with 120.
At least fans know the ensuing social-media post following the record-setting loss will be must-see.
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 19: The Cleveland Guardians celebrate on the field after the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff spot following the Major League Baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians on September 19, 2024, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Having already secured a spot in the postseason, the Cleveland Guardians can now celebrate winning the 2024 American League Central title.
The Guardians clinched the division on Saturday with the Kansas City Royals' loss to the San Francisco Giants. This marks the fifth time since 2016 that Cleveland has won the AL Central.
Here are the updated playoff standings and potential matchups through Saturday's game as of 7:30 p.m. ET.
Projected American League Playoff Matchups
First-round bye: No. 1 New York Yankees, No. 2 Cleveland Guardians
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Minnesota Twins, No. 4 Baltimore Orioles vs. No. 5 Kansas City Royals
Projected National League Playoff Matchups
First-round bye: No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers, No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies
Wild Card Series: No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 6 New York Mets, No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 Arizona Diamondbacks
Current Standings
AL East
New York Yankees (90-64)*
Baltimore Orioles (86-68, 4 GB)
Tampa Bay Rays (77-78, 13.5 GB)
Boston Red Sox (76-78, 14 GB)
Toronto Blue Jays (73-82, 17.5 GB)
AL Central
Cleveland Guardians (90-65)**
Kansas City Royals (82-72, 7.5 GB)
Minnesota Twins (81-73, 8.5 GB)
Detroit Tigers (80-74, 9.5 GB)
Chicago White Sox (36-118, 53.5 GB)
AL West
Houston Astros (84-70)
Seattle Mariners (79-75, 5 GB)
Texas Rangers (73-81, 11 GB)
Oakland Athletics (67-87, 17 GB)
Los Angeles Angels (62-92, 22 GB)
AL Wild Card
Baltimore Orioles (86-69, +4.5 Games)
Kansas City Royals (82-73, +0.5 Game)
Minnesota Twins (81-73)
Detroit Tigers (81-74, 0.5 GB)
Seattle Mariners (79-75, 2 GB)
Tampa Bay Rays (77-78, 4.5 GB)
Boston Red Sox (76-78, 5 GB)
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies (92-63)*
New York Mets (86-69, 6 GB)
Atlanta Braves (84-71, 8 GB)
Washington Nationals (69-86, 23 GB)
Miami Marlins (57-98, 35 GB)
NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers (88-66)**
Chicago Cubs (79-76, 9.5 GB)
St. Louis Cardinals (77-77, 11 GB)
Cincinnati Reds, (76-80, 13 GB)
Pittsburgh Pirates (72-83, 16.5 GB)
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers (92-62)*
San Diego Padres (88-66, 4 GB)
Arizona Diamondbacks (86-68, 6 GB)
San Francisco Giants (76-79, 16.5 GB)
Colorado Rockies (59-95, 33 GB)
NL Wild Card
San Diego Padres (88-66, +2.5 Games)
Arizona Diamondbacks (86-68, +0.5 Game)
New York Mets (86-69)
Atlanta Braves (84-71, 2 GB)
Chicago Cubs (79-76, 7 GB)
St. Louis Cardinals (77-77, 8.5 GB)
*Denotes clinched playoff spot
**Denotes clinched division
The Guardians clinched a playoff berth on Thursday with a 3-2 extra-inning win over the Minnesota Twins. First-year manager Stephen Vogt led the Guardians back to the top of the AL Central after a disappointing 76-86 record in 2023.
Since MLB adopted the six-division format in 1994, Cleveland has won more AL Central titles than any other club (12). This is the club's fifth division title and sixth playoff appearance in the past nine seasons.
Even though the Guardians have the division wrapped up, there is still work to do for the team in the playoff race. They are still in a battle with the New York Yankees for the best record in the AL and home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.
The Yankees own the tiebreaker by virtue of winning four of six head-to-head meetings in the regular season, so Cleveland would need to finish with a better record to earn the top seed.
Cleveland hasn't finished a season with the best record in the AL since 2017 (102-60). The team has just one playoff series win since reaching the 2016 World Series when it swept the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2022 AL Wild Card series.
Regardless of what happens with the No. 1 overall spot, the Guardians are in a good position with a magic number of threeto secure a first-round bye and avoid the Wild Card series. They are 5.5games ahead of the AL West-leading Houston Astros with six games remaining.
The Guardians and Astros play a three-game series at Progressive Field from Sept. 27-29 to wrap up the regular season. Cleveland could take a lot of the drama out of that series if it clinches a top-two seed before it begins.
White Sox's Jerry Reinsdorf Ripped in Report amid Woes: 'Thinks He Knows Everything'
Sep 19, 2024
SUN VALLEY, ID - JULY 07: Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and the MLB's Chicago White Sox, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 7, 2015 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Many of the world's wealthiest and most powerful business people from media, finance, and technology attend the annual week-long conference which is in its 33rd year. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
As the Chicago White Sox look to avoid setting a new modern-era MLB record for losses in a season, the knives have come out for owner Jerry Reinsdorf and his style of management that has put the franchise in this position.
In a report from The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal detailing the process that led the White Sox to this moment, several current and former team employees and people within MLB spoke candidly about Reinsdorf.
One former team employee described Reinsdorf as a "baseball fan owner who thinks he knows everything, and maybe he did in 1992, but the amount of info has skyrocketed in the last 30 years and he's put his middle finger up at that."
The most obvious indication of Reinsdorf being stuck in the past was his hiring of Tony La Russa as manager in October 2020.
When Reinsdorf originally purchased the White Sox in January 1981, La Russa had been the club's manager for two years at that point. He remained with the team for five more years before being fired midway through the 1986 season.
At the time La Russa was brought back to the organization, he hadn't managed since his final season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He did have various front-office roles during that 10-year period, including stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox.
There was speculation at the time that some within the White Sox wanted A.J. Hinch, who was fired by the Houston Astros in January 2020 for his role in the sign-stealing scandal. He was also suspended for the entire 2020 season by Major League Baseball.
When the White Sox announced La Russa's hiring in an email sent to fans, the original graphic with an image included an electronic signature with Hinch's name.
The team included the correct signature in its official announcement on social media.
Tony La Russa, a member of baseballâs Hall of Fame, the third-winningest manager in baseball history, a three-time World Series champion and a four-time winner of the Manager of the Year Award, has been named the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. pic.twitter.com/RKP24rleHP
According to Ghiroli and Rosenthal, the mishap was seen by people inside and outside the White Sox organization as an indication that Reinsdorf went with his preferred candidate instead of the person then-general manager Rick Hahn wanted to hire.
Ghiroli and Rosenthal noted their sources regard Reinsdorf as "stubborn" and "generally unwilling to adapt" to the modern style of play.
The White Sox had an opportunity to overhaul their philosophy within the front office last year when Hahn and executive vice president Ken Williams were fired in August 2023.
Rather than use the extra time to put together a comprehensive list of outside candidates to interview, the White Sox promoted Chris Getz to general manager. He started with the organization in 2017 as director of player development before being promoted to assistant GM in 2021.
Another key issue that Ghiroli and Rosenthal highlighted is the lack of knowledge and understanding about incorporating analytics into game planning.
One former member of the White Sox baseball operations department described their approach to analytics as "comical" because "one knew what was what" when they were given different sets of data.
The White Sox won the AL Central with a 93-69 record in 2021 and appeared to be on the ascent with a promising young core, but it's been a steep decline in the three years since.
Chicago finished 61-101 in 2023, marking the first time in 53 years the franchise had lost at least 100 games.
The White Sox enter Thursday having already lost a franchise-record 117 games with nine games remaining. They are four losses away from passing the 1962 New York Mets (40-120) for the most in a single season in the modern era (since 1901).
During Reinsdorf's tenure as owner, the White Sox have had 22 winning seasons and made the playoffs seven times. Their World Series victory in 2005 ended the franchise's 88-year championship drought, but they have yet to win a postseason series since then.
Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt Praises Team in Emotional Video: 'I Love These Guys'
Sep 17, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Kyle Manzardo #9 celebrates with manager Stephen Vogt #12 of the Cleveland Guardians after Manzardo hit a two-run homer during the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on September 16, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt allowed himself to get caught up in the emotion of his team's surprise success this season after Monday's 4-3 comeback win over the Minnesota Twins.
Vogt got teary-eyed while explaining how much he appreciates this year's team:
The Guardians trailed most of the game until rookie Kyle Manzardo hit a go-ahead two-run homer off Twins reliever Griffin Jax in the bottom of the eighth.
The victory dropped the Guardians' magic number to clinch a playoff spot to one. They have opened up a five-game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central with a magic number of seven to clinch the division title.
Vogt was hired as manager to replace Terry Francona, who stepped down after 11 seasons with the team due to health issues.
The Guardians finished 2023 with a 76-86 record. Their 124 homers were 27 fewer than any other team in MLB hit. Austin Hedges and Ben Lively were the only players who signed a big-league contract in free agency.
Former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber only made two starts before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen, who were in the opening-day rotation, have spent most of the last two months in the minors due to their struggles.
Cleveland's 87 wins are tied with the New York Yankees for most in the American League entering Wednesday.
The Guardians' five All-Stars were tied with the Baltimore Orioles for most in the AL. Their bullpen ranks first in MLB with a 2.65 ERA.
All of the pieces have added up to form a team that will likely have a chance to end Cleveland's 76-year World Series drought this postseason.
White Sox Won't Work 'Heavy' in MLB Free Agency After Historic Struggles, GM Says
Sep 16, 2024
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 13: General manager Chris Getz of the Chicago White Sox looks on during batting practice before a game between the Oakland Athletics and the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 13, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox will not be breaking the bank during 2025 free agency.
During an appearance on the team's Friday night broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago, general manager Chris Getz revealed that the team does not have plans to address its issues with splashy free agent signings and instead will focus on the talent in the organization.
"We're not going to be working heavy in free agency," Getz said on the White Sox broadcast (h/t R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports). "We've got guys out on the field right now that need to improve their game. A lot of these guys are young players and need to make the adjustments to be more productive.
The White Sox are currently 35-115 and on pace for the worst record since MLB began playing 162 games in a season.
The White Sox are just four losses away from the Detroit Tigers' 43-119 record from 2003, which is the worst of the 21st century. The 1962 New York Mets have the modern MLB record with 120 losses. Chicago would need to go 7-5 for the rest of the season to avoid exceeding that number.
Whether or not the team hits that unfortunate milestone, it has been a disastrous year on the South Side and major changes would appear to be inevitable. However, the first-year general manager's approach appears to be aligned with making responsible decisions that don't derail the team further.
The White Sox farm system ranks 11th in MLB, per MLB.com, and possesses four prospects ranked in the top 100 in the league. This places the system in the top half of MLB and a top-five pick in the 2025 MLB Draft should improve this.
Additionally, the team could move players like Luis Robert Jr. in the offseason and recoup further assets to improve the future. While adding some free agents could improve the play on the field in 2025, it may not be enough to push the team toward the postseason.
Chicago currently has the 18th-highest payroll in MLB, per Spotrac, so spending toward the league average did not pay off in 2024. Instead, it looks like the White Sox will look to the future and may embrace a few more difficult seasons.
CLEMSON, SC - JUNE 01: Coastal Carolina Chanticleer catcher Derek Bender (53) looks to make contach with the ball during the NCAA Division 1 Regional College Baseball game between the High Point Panthers and the Vanderbilt Commodores on June 1, 2024, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Minnesota Twins released former Coastal Carolina catcher and sixth-round draft pick Derek Bender after he reportedly told opposing batters which pitches would be thrown in Low-A competition, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan reported for ESPN.
The incident reportedly occurred during pitcher Ross Dunn's start in the latter half of a Sept. 6 double-header between the Twins' affiliate Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and Detroit Tigers' affiliate Lakeland Flying Tigers, per McDaniel and Passan.
Bender "told multiple hitters" for the Flying Tigers which "specific pitch" Dunn was throwing, sources told McDaniel and Passan. Coaches for the Flying Tigers informed the Mighty Mussels coaching staff about the tips after the game, the ESPN reporters wrote.
Dunn was pulled after allowing five hits, including a home run, along with four earned runs and a walk in 1.2 innings.
The Flying Tigers won the outing 6-0, qualifying for the Florida State League Playoffs while eliminating the Mighty Mussels from the playoff picture.
According to McDaniel and Passan, sources said that Bender "had told teammates he wanted the season to be over," and that he had spent the previous two games "in the team's bullpen instead of his typical place in the dugout."
The Twins selected Bender with the No. 188 pick of the 2024 draft after three years as a catcher and first baseman for Coastal Carolina. He hit .320/.422/.520 with 11 home runs in 60 games during his final college season.
Bender signed with the Twins in July for $297,500, slightly below the slot value for his pick of $320,800, per Carlos Collazo of Baseball America. McDaniel and Passan reported that he will retain his entire bonus despite being cut.
Bender split his first Low-A season between catcher and first base, playing eight games as catcher and 11 in the infield. He slashed .200/.273/.333 with two doubles, two home runs and a stolen base in 19 games for the Mighty Mussels.
White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf: Team Is 'Extremely Unhappy' with 33-114 Record
Sep 11, 2024
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 24: Jerry Reinsdorf on the field before a interleague game between the Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies on August 24, 2016 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has spoken out about the team's performance this season as they are on the verge of potentially setting a new modern-era MLB record for most losses.
In a statement released after the White Sox fell to 33-114 following Wednesday's loss to the Cleveland Guardians, Reinsdorf explained that everyone in the organization is "extremely unhappy" with how things have gone in 2024.
Expectations were low for the White Sox coming into this season, but no one was predicting what they have done to this point. They lost 101 games in 2023, most by the franchise in a season since 1970 (56-106).
Things have somehow managed to get worse for the South Siders than they did last year. Pedro Grifol was publicly calling out the team for playing "f--king flat" after a May 26 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Grifol had to deny a report that he said the blame would rest with the players if the White Sox set a new single-season record for most losses. He was fired, along with three coaches on his staff, on Aug. 8 after the White Sox snapped an AL-record 21-game losing streak.
Former MLB All-Star Grady Sizemore was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.
The White Sox will avoid the all-time professional baseball record for most losses in a season held by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134). They are six losses away from tying the 1962 New York Mets (40-120) for most losses by an MLB team in the modern era.
Chicago's .224 winning percentage is on pace to break the record for the worst mark by an MLB team that is currently held by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (.235).
The White Sox have 15 games remaining in the regular season. They will need to go 10-5 to avoid the 1962 Mets' record. They could go 6-9 to avoid the A's record for worst winning percentage in a season.
They did have an 8-6 run over 14 games from April 26 through May 11. Unfortunately, though, they have only won a total of nine games since July 1.
There's no doubt that changes have to be made in Chicago, but this season will make it very difficult for Reinsdorf and the front office to attract the type of talent needed to make a swift turnaround.
Noah Syndergaard Would 'Love' to Sign Mets Contract; Started MLB Career in NY
Sep 9, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 18: Noah Syndergaard #43 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws in the outfield before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Veteran starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard is interested in a potential reunion.
Syndergaard recently said on The Terry Collins Show that he would "love" to return to the New York Mets, the club he spent the first seven years of his MLB career with.
Syndergaard began the 2024 season unsigned after splitting the 2023 season between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians. He signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Dodgers ahead of the 2023 campaign before being traded to the Guardians last July in exchange for shortstop Amed Rosario.
Unfortunately, it was a forgettable season for Syndergaard. The veteran had a slow start to the year and was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his right index finger. In 12 starts for Los Angeles, he went 1-4 with a 7.16 ERA and 38 strikeouts.
Syndergaard called himself the "weakest link" of the Dodgers rotation in June. After being acquired by the Guardians the next month, he said he was hoping for a "fresh start." However, he wasn't much better in Cleveland, going 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 18 strikeouts in six starts. Overall, he finished the 2023 season with a 2-6 record, a 6.50 ERA and 56 strikeouts.
Syndergaard held a workout in January that was attended by "about 15 teams," per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. However, he has not signed with any team this year.
The 32-year-old right-hander previously played in New York from 2015 to 2021. He then signed a one-year deal worth $21 million with the Los Angeles Angels ahead of the 2022 season before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies later in the year.
Once one of the most intimidating starting pitchers in the majors, Syndergaard's career took a turn in 2020 when he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. It's been a long road to recovery, but he seemed to find a groove last year.
A 6'6" hurler nicknamed "Thor," Syndergaard was known for his devastating fastball that routinely reached 100 mph. He helped lead the Mets to a National League pennant in 2015 and then earned his lone trip to the All-Star Game the following year when he posted a 2.60 ERA with 218 strikeouts in 183.2 innings.
While it's not clear if the Mets would be open to Syndergaard returning, it appears as though the right-hander has interest.
Bobby Witt Jr. Calls Yankees' Aaron Judge 'The King of New York' amid MLB AL MVP Race
Sep 9, 2024
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 03: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees swings his bat during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on September 03, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
It appears to be a two-man race for American League MVP between New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., and the two of them expressed high praise for one another.
While speaking to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Witt said he admires Judge's demeanor in addition to his production at the plate and dubbed him with a distinctive nickname.
"He's just so consistent," Witt said. "That's the name of the game: Stay healthy, stay on the field and help the team. He does that in a good way, and he does it the right way. He's not out there showboating. He's a big dude. He can do whatever he wants. He's the king of New York."
Judge leads MLB with 51 home runs and 125 RBI while ranking third with a .321 batting average. Witt leads the majors with a .336 batting average while adding 30 homers and 98 RBI. The two of them will go head-to-head when the Yankees (82-61) host the Royals (79-65) in a three-game series starting on Monday.
There is a 181-point difference in OPS between Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr.
The same difference in OPS would land Witt Jr. in between Riley Greene (19th) and Elly De La Cruz (20th) đ€Ż pic.twitter.com/X8bxVcMHN8
Judge, who won AL MVP in 2022, told Passan that he's been impressed with Witt's development into Kansas City's franchise player.
"He's the complete player," Judge said. "Can hit, run, field, do everything. He was already a great player last year, but he continues to improve every single game I watch him."
Judge and the Yankees are competing for the AL East crown, while Witt has the Royals in a position to end their eight-year playoff drought, as they are currently in the second wild-card spot with the postseason quickly approaching.
The two of them were asked which tool they'd like to steal from the other, and they gave answers that displayed the different ways they established themselves as the frontrunners in the MVP race.
"The speed," Judge said of Witt. "He can stretch normal singles into doubles. Doubles into triples. And then every single, you're fearful he'll be on third base before you know it. When I'm at the plate, I love having one of those speed guys on in front of me. I'll get more fastballs and chances to drive in runs."
"The power," Witt said of Judge. "Balls I hit in the right-center field gap that are doubles, triples, he's hitting those out -- way out -- for homers."
