Dylan Cease most likely won’t ever know the explanation why he wasn’t chosen this season to the American League All-Star squad.
Maybe the Chicago White Sox starter doesn’t even wish to know at this level.
“Statistically, the first half I put up kind of speaks for itself,” Cease stated Sunday after incomes his tenth victory in a 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. “Unfortunately all the other stuff is out of my hands. I think I should have at least been highly, highly considered.”
Cease completed the primary half ranked first within the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (12.90) and third within the AL in ERA (2.15) whereas going 9-4. Even after AL starter Justin Verlander pulled out of the sport, the league selected nearer Liam Hendriks for a roster spot as a substitute of Cease, who deserved the nod greater than his teammate.
It by no means made a lot sense, however credit score Cease for declining to complain in regards to the injustice. All he can do now could be show they had been mistaken, and he continued on that trek Sunday with six shutout innings.
“The only time that bulletin board stuff works is if your butt’s dragging and maybe you’re distracted,” supervisor Tony La Russa stated of the snub. “He wished to go. You can’t doubt his credentials. But that course of is there. Every yr, anyone misses.
“But he handled it. He just kept pitching. He’s happy, he pitches. Disappointed, he pitches. He’s an old pro at a young age.”
Cease, 26, admitted he didn’t watch the Midsummer Classic, which turned out to be the least-watched All-Star Game in many years. And he doesn’t thoughts getting to make use of the snub as motivation, whether or not he wants it or not.
“Just trying to win is enough motivation for me,” he stated. “But I’ll take any chip on my shoulder I can get.”
The Sox ought to have a chip on their collective shoulders after being labeled the league’s largest flop of the primary half. But it was effectively deserved, and splitting with the Guardians this weekend didn’t assist issues a lot.
They slogged again to the .500 mark (48-48) for the fourth time since May 31, ending their 19-game stretch in opposition to AL Central opponents with a 10-9 report, gaining solely a half-game on the division-leading Minnesota Twins. The Sox will look to lastly have a successful report Tuesday in Coors Field, the place the Sox start a two-game sequence with the Colorado Rockies.
We’ve heard this earlier than, after all, however the upcoming stretch is one during which the Sox could make their transfer. They play 19 video games in opposition to sub-.500 groups earlier than a four-game showdown with the Houston Astros on Aug. 15-18 at Sox Park.
“Obviously there’s more ground to make up, but we’re staying in it,” Cease stated. “And we’re definitely coming.”
A five-run second inning off Guardians ace Shane Bieber, fueled by dwelling runs from Leury García and AJ Pollock, gave Cease all of the run help he wanted. He scattered seven hits whereas putting out 4 to seize the major-league lead in strikeouts with 154. He lowered his ERA to 2.03 and has allowed one or no earned runs in every of his final 11 begins, compiling a 0.42 ERA throughout that stretch.
With the Aug. 2 commerce deadline approaching, La Russa and normal supervisor Rick Hahn have been in fixed contact discussing the Sox’s urgent wants.
While Cubs supervisor David Ross stated group President Jed Hoyer and the entrance workplace “pretty much keep me out of the loop” relating to commerce talks, as Ross prefers, La Russa has all the time taken the alternative strategy.
“I think the attitude here is always to communicate with the guys in uniform about where we are, what we need,” La Russa stated. “That’s just the way it is throughout the organization. I never have understood how some teams don’t communicate with their guys down there.”
Hahn stated Friday his focus can be on bettering the bullpen, and that was earlier than twin implosions in opposition to the Guardians throughout Saturday’s doubleheader. Kendall Graveman served up a two-run dwelling run Sunday to Franmil Reyes within the eighth, and Hendriks, who gave up three runs in Saturday’s loss, allowed a house run to light-hitting Steven Kwan within the ninth.
But with Cease and Johnny Cueto main the rotation, the Sox want extra consistency out of their different three starters. Lucas Giolito struggled in a three-inning outing Friday. Michael Kopech has but to show he can throw six or extra innings regularly. Lance Lynn turned in a dominant efficiency Saturday however must comply with up with just a few extra earlier than we all know he’s again to the previous Lance Lynn.
La Russa was optimistic Sunday in regards to the probability of Luis Robert returning subsequent weekend in opposition to the Oakland A’s, after the middle fielder was positioned on the injured listing Friday with blurred imaginative and prescient. Josh Harrison sat out Sunday with a sore proper hamstring, and Andrew Vaughn was rested.
Eloy Jiménez homered for the second straight sport, and La Russa introduced up the 2019 season when Jiménez regarded like a budding famous person.
“You saw him in ’19,” La Russa stated. “I’ve seen him enough. I’ve seen him on TV. I’ve seen him enough in person. He’s a special producer. He’s going to drive in runs with base hits, and he’s always liable to hit the seats.”
When he’s scorching, Jiménez can carry a lineup by himself. Right, Eloy?
“Uh, well, I guess,” he stated.
No?
“Yeah, I guess,” he repeated.
Jiménez was inserted at DH Sunday after the Guardians challenged the left fielder on the basepaths on two events Saturday. Asked if that was anticipated given Jiménez’s restoration from hamstring surgical procedure, La Russa stated: “I was impressed with his home run. He ran fast. That’s going to be something we’ve just got to track.”
Jiménez was nonchalant in regards to the Guardians making an attempt to run on him.
“It’s OK,” he stated. “I will be there for that. They can eat right now. I’m going to eat later.”
The Sox needs to be bored with watching the Twins and Guardians eat all season. The report doesn’t compute with the expertise stage within the clubhouse.
“Obviously it hasn’t been our year so far,” Lynn stated Saturday. “But there’s still some games left, there’s still some things we’re capable of doing.”
With 19 video games in opposition to groups they need to beat, it’s time for the Sox to get to the desk and begin chowing down.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com