DETROIT — The inevitable finally happened. After a brief winning streak delayed the inevitable, the struggling franchise succumbed to their 121st loss of the season, setting a new mark for futility in modern MLB history.
The record-breaking defeat came at the hands of the Detroit Tigers, who celebrated a 4-1 victory and a postseason berth for the first time since 2014. The Tigers have won 39 games since the All-Star break, matching the total number of wins for the struggling franchise this season.
“It’s been a tough year, and it’s not something we’re proud of,” said starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, who had a no-decision in the game. “We dug ourselves into a hole early on and couldn’t climb out. It’s a frustrating feeling.”
The franchise’s record-breaking season has been marked by a 21-game losing streak and two 14-game skid. They began the year 1-9 and were never able to recover. Outfielder Gavin Sheets summed up the season, saying, “It’s been mentally and physically draining. Seeing the Tigers celebrate is tough, especially since we were in their shoes just a few years ago.”
The franchise’s decline has been steep. They won 93 games in 2021, but have struggled to find consistency since then. They finished with a.500 record in 2022, followed by a 101-loss season last year. This year, they traded several key players, including starter Erick Fedde, closer Michael Kopech, and veteran hitter Tommy Pham, but things only got worse.
The franchise tied the 1962 Mets for the most losses in a season last weekend, but managed to win their final three home games before falling to the Tigers. Those wins provided a glimmer of hope that they might avoid setting the record, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“It’s not a good feeling, knowing we’re on the wrong side of history,” Sheets said. “But we have to use this as motivation to get better and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
The franchise finished the season with a 39-121 record, passing the 1962 Mets for the second-most losses all time and the most in the modern era. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the MLB record with 134 losses.
In the aftermath of the loss, the clubhouse was somber, but players and coaches alike are determined to learn from this season and come back stronger next year. As interim manager Grady Sizemore said, “We’re focused on getting better and improving. We know we have a lot of work to do, but we believe we have the right guys and staff in place to turn things around.”
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