Cease 'getting closer' to joining Chicago White Sox's rotation
No offense to Odrisamer Despaigne, but the Chicago White Sox are looking forward to the day when they no longer have to plug rotation holes with pitchers like … Odrisamer Despaigne.
Injuries to Sox starters has been a perpetual problem this season. Carlos Rodon is done for the year after having Tommy John surgery, current ace Lucas Giolito missed 2 starts with a hamstring injury, Manny Banuelos was sidelined with a sore throwing shoulder, and Dylan Covey is down with a bad shoulder.
"Obviously, we've been hit fairly hard," said White Sox general manager Rick Hahn on Monday. "I think this is a little bit a byproduct, perhaps, of the schedule over the last five, six weeks. Having 37 games in 38 days certainly took a toll, and guys are fatigued."
At various points next season, the Sox should have Michael Kopech and Rodon up and running while promising prospect Dane Dunning also returns from elbow surgery.
At some point this season, they should have Dylan Cease in the rotation.
More than a few Sox fans wanted Cease to come up from Class AAA Charlotte instead of Despaigne, who replaced Covey.
Hahn is asking for more patience with Cease.
"He's getting closer," the White Sox's GM said. "And we've had pretty long conversations, (farm director) Chris Getz and his staff, (manager) Mark Grudzielanek and (pitching coach) Steve McCatty down in Charlotte, have obviously talked with Dylan a great deal about his progress and what we're looking for.
"All I'll say is, as I've said all along, he's not going to come here necessarily because there's a need in Chicago, he's going to come here because it's the next step in his development and we feel like he's put himself in the position to succeed, not just survive.
"He's not too far away. We're getting closer. But in terms of delineating 1, 2 and 3 that he needs to improve on, we're going to keep those things internal. I prefer not to have the other 29 teams in baseball know that for when he does make his debut."
In 11 starts at Charlotte, Cease is 5-2 with a 4.10 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 52⅔ innings.
The ERA took a big hit Sunday when the 23-year-old righty allowed 4 earned runs on 2 hits and 3 walks in just two-thirds of an inning.
"He was starting Game 2 of a doubleheader," Hahn said. "My understanding is his preparation was affected a little by that in between games. He came in and wasn't quite fully ready and didn't have his best stuff. They made the decision to pull him out when they saw the way the outing was trending.
"Frankly, it's actually a really good developmental day for Dylan Cease. He learned a lot about what he needs to do in those situations, and he's a smart enough kid that he's going to learn from it. These aren't finished products. You read a stat line, you see what they've been doing. A lot more goes into it than just that. "But he's a good one, and he's getting close."