Dylan Cease was locked in on Sept. 3.
The Chicago White Sox right-hander walked Jake Cave within the third inning and Gilberto Celestino within the sixth however didn’t permit anything by eight innings in opposition to the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Cease retired the primary two batters within the ninth earlier than Luis Arraez spoiled the no-hit bid with a single to right-center.
It was a signature efficiency in a standout season for Cease, who was named a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award on Monday together with Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros and Alek Manoah of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Cease, 26, went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA in 32 begins. He completed second within the AL in ERA, strikeouts (227) and opponents common (.190) and third in strikeouts per 9 innings (11.10).
“It was a really great season,” Cease stated after his closing begin of the yr Oct. 1 in San Diego, giving credit score to pitching coach Ethan Katz and catchers Seby Zavala and Yasmani Grandal. “Definitely a lot of improvements.”
Cease’s slider was the most effective pitches in baseball and it was on show all through the season, together with a stretch of 14 consecutive begins from May 29 to Aug. 11 by which he allowed one earned run or none. He grew to become the primary major-league starter (not counting “openers”) since 1913 to perform the feat.
The Sox have had three Cy Young Award winners: Early Wynn (1959), LaMarr Hoyt (1983) and Jack McDowell (1993). They’ve had contenders as lately as final yr, when starter Lance Lynn completed third within the voting.
Verlander, 39, received the award in 2011 with the Detroit Tigers and 2019 with the Astros. He went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA in 28 begins this season.
“It’s cool,” Cease stated on Oct. 1 of being thought of with Verlander. “I’ve been watching him since I was young. To be competing against him in a way like that is really cool, and obviously he’s had an incredible year. It was fun to watch.”
The two began an Aug. 16 recreation at Guaranteed Rate Field. Neither factored within the choice in a 4-3 Sox victory. Cease allowed three runs on six hits with 4 strikeouts in 5 innings. Verlander allowed three runs on eight hits with 4 strikeouts in seven innings.
Verlander missed the 2021 season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. He made one begin in 2020 earlier than happening the injured record three days later with a proper forearm pressure.
He got here again in a giant approach in 2022, main the AL in wins, ERA, WHIP (0.83) and opponents common (.186).
Manoah, 24, went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 begins. He was third within the AL in wins and ERA and fourth in innings pitched (196⅔) and WHIP (0.99).
The award is voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and shall be introduced Nov. 16.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com