Growing up, Dylan Cease at all times appeared ahead to watching a Justin Verlander begin.
“Just the fact that, especially back in the day, he would start out at 92 (mph) and finish at 101,” Cease stated Monday. “I remember watching him a lot as a kid and seeing that. The fact that I’m here now and he’s still doing it, it’s pretty rare.”
Cease and Verlander, candidates for the American League Cy Young Award, are the scheduled starters Tuesday when the Chicago White Sox proceed their four-game collection with the Houston Astros at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“You got Cease for us has been killing it, and Verlander has been doing it for so long,” Sox outfielder AJ Pollock stated. “I’m sure people will be tuned in. Yeah, it’s quite a matchup for fans.”
The 39-year-old Verlander, in his seventeenth season, leads the majors in wins (15), ERA (1.85) and WHIP (0.86).
Cease stated one factor that stands out about Verlander is “he’s consistently in the strike zone.”
Verlander advised reporters Monday that whereas he hasn’t seen Cease a lot, he’s impressed with the Sox right-hander’s repertoire.
“I know his stuff is tremendous,” Verlander stated. “It seems like he’s put it all together this year.”
Verlander has greater than bounced again after lacking final season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. He made one begin in 2020 earlier than happening the injured checklist three days later with a proper forearm pressure.
“Missing the amount of time he did and to come back and essentially be a horse and a guy a team can rely on, it’s unbelievably impressive,” Cease stated earlier this month.
Cease, 26, hasn’t considered trying to match Verlander’s longevity.
“It’s hard to fathom, but I guess he and (New York Mets starter Max) Scherzer are showing that if you take care of yourself, there’s no reason why your (velocity) or anything has to dip,” Cease stated. “Guys like that are making it easier to picture for sure.”
Cease is second within the AL in ERA (1.96) and strikeouts (174). His 12.17 strikeouts per 9 innings is the highest fee in baseball.
He has allowed one earned run or none in a major-league-record 14 consecutive begins.
“I’ve just tried to focus on what I think I need to focus on to execute, and these are the results,” Cease stated of the streak. “It’s a less stressful way to do it, just focusing on what needs to be done and letting whatever happens happen and adjusting from there.”
Verlander will look to regulate after having his shortest outing of the season June 18 towards the Sox at Minute Maid Park. He allowed seven runs (4 earned) on 9 hits in 3⅔ innings in a 7-0 loss.
Cease didn’t pitch within the three-game collection in Houston. He final noticed the Astros in Game 3 of the AL Division Series in October at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox received 12-6, however Cease lasted simply 1⅔ innings and allowed three runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
“I was disappointed,” Cease stated of his feeling strolling off the mound. “I was very excited and I felt for the most part I was pretty calm. It didn’t go my way. I was disappointed, but at the end of the day I wasn’t going to let it be something that was going to keep me from getting back out there.”
That strategy has paid off this season in a serious method, resulting in Tuesday’s buzz-worthy matchup.
“It’s exciting and I’d much rather it be this way than just having it viewed as an average game,” Cease stated. “It’s exciting that it’s viewed as a big matchup.”
Vince Velasquez reinstated from IL
The Sox reinstated pitcher Vince Velasquez from the injured checklist earlier than Monday’s sport and optioned reliever Matt Foster to Triple-A Charlotte.
Velasquez went on the IL on July 6 with a blister on his proper index finger. He made 4 reduction appearances for Charlotte throughout a rehab task, permitting three runs in 5⅔ innings.
Velasquez is 3-3 with a 5.21 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 14 video games (eight begins) this season.
“My job is to stay ready,” Velasquez stated. “It’s a great clubhouse and we have a lot of potential to try to do some damage here. I definitely want to be a part of it.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com