The Chicago White Sox have emphasised protection with a few of their strikes this offseason.
They’ll look to Martín Maldonado and Max Stassi to help in that division behind the plate.
“(Improving defensively) starts with run prevention, and certainly the pitcher has the most control over it,” normal supervisor Chris Getz mentioned throughout a video convention this week. “I would say that the player on the field with the second-most control is the catcher.”
The Sox introduced a one-year, $4.25 million cope with Maldonado on Jan. 5. They acquired Stassi in a commerce from the Atlanta Braves in early December.
Getz highlighted the expertise each present — Maldonado has 13 seasons within the massive leagues and Stassi 10 — together with their recreation planning, receiving, throwing and constructing rapport with others.
“Both highly respected players within our game,” Getz mentioned. “They perceive what it takes to achieve success on the major-league degree. Maldonado is a current World Series winner (in 2022 with the Houston Astros), has been on plenty of profitable golf equipment.
“Most importantly, to have them come in together, work together with some of our arms and other teammates, we look forward to seeing their work within our clubhouse and I think we’re going to benefit from that.”
The two be a part of Korey Lee as catchers on the 40-man roster. Yasmani Grandal, the staff’s starter the final 4 seasons, is a free agent. Lee, who labored with Maldonado beforehand in Houston, displayed a powerful arm after the Sox known as him up in August however went 5-for-65 in 24 video games.
“We expect those two (Maldonado and Stassi) to be on our major-league club,” Getz mentioned. “Korey, we feel very strongly about what he’s capable of doing on the defensive side. We have seen stretches of offensive production and we are going to work on him getting as consistent as possible.”
Reports of Maldonado’s deal first surfaced Dec. 26, the identical week the Sox signed pitchers Tim Hill and Chris Flexen to one-year contracts.
“When we go through our assessment for arms that we feel can help our club,” Getz mentioned, “we attempt to establish some issues of their arsenal — or it could possibly be a mechanic — that we really feel like we are able to deliver these gamers in right here, enhance them and make them be productive major-league gamers.
“We identified some low-hanging fruit, so to speak, when it comes to Tim Hill and Chris Flexen to get those guys back on track.”
Hill went 1-4 with a 5.48 ERA, 9 holds and 26 strikeouts in 48 reduction appearances for the San Diego Padres in 2023. Flexen, who like Hill has spent six seasons within the majors, mixed to go 2-8 with a 6.86 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 29 video games (16 begins) for the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies in 2023.
“There was an injury with Tim Hill (a sprained left finger that required surgery Sept. 20) that he had taken care of this offseason, so he’ll be fully healthy come spring training,” Getz mentioned. “And Chris Flexen, his pitch attack, some mechanical adjustments needed to be made. We’re on the same page and look forward to watching that play out.”
Flexen and right-hander Erick Fedde are new members of the rotation. And after three seasons within the Sox bullpen, lefty Garrett Crochet is one other pitcher aiming to work his approach into the rotation.
“The feedback on Garrett has been very positive and he’s preparing this season to be a starter,” Getz mentioned. “It’s something he has done in the past. He has the weapons to do so. He has had some health hiccups along the way. Physically, he’s in a very good spot.”
Crochet, 24, was the staff’s first-round draft decide in 2020, which was additionally the final yr he made a begin whereas at Tennessee. All 72 of his major-league appearances have been in reduction.
He missed the 2022 season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure and appeared in 13 video games in 2023, spending time on the injured checklist with left shoulder irritation.
“At the end of the season and into the offseason, we continued to have conversations about what the expectations are and how do you see yourself and this is how we get there,” Getz mentioned. “He believes he can be a starter. We’ve seen him be a starter in the past. So we are going to go into spring prepared to stretch him out and we’ll make adjustments along the way if need be.”
The Sox nonetheless must work by means of the plan for proper discipline, the place Getz mentioned a starter is just not established. Gavin Sheets made essentially the most begins (61) there final season.
“There are internal options,” Getz mentioned. “We’ve signed some players to NRIs (non-roster invitations). We have some internal candidates but we aren’t ready to establish who is going to be in right field at this point.”
Whether it’s the subsequent steps in proper discipline or with commerce talks involving pitcher Dylan Cease, the Sox face some selections forward of spring coaching.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com