Keuchel looks great in final start before regular season
Dallas Keuchel didn't feel very good before taking the mound in Monday night's exhibition game against the Cubs.
"It was such a brutal bullpen session just because I wasn't used to all the adrenaline, the blood pumping like that," the White Sox's new starting pitcher said. "So I just cut it short."
While he's been pitching in intrasquad games during summer camp, Keuchel's start against the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field was his first against a different opponent in over four months.
The veteran left-hander wound up feeling - and pitching - great.
"It was nice," Keuchel said. "It's nice to get that extra adrenaline rush. It was just nice to that nervous little bubbly feeling in your stomach."
Keuchel was cool and calm while breezing through 5 innings of work against the Cubs in his final tuneup before the regular season starts. He's slotted in as the Sox's No. 2 starter and will face the Twins Saturday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Facing the minimum 15 batters against the Cubs, Keuchel gave up only one hit. Kyle Schwarber led off the second inning with a single but was erased when the next hitter, Steven Souza, grounded into a double play.
The Sox jumped on Cubs starter Yu Darvish for 5 runs in the first inning, highlighted by Eloy Jimenez's grand slam.
"Our lineup's just as good as anybody's in baseball," Keuchel said. "We just have a lot of young guys that need to prove some things in order to get some street cred. I think we're willing to do that but also, (run support) helps the pitching staff a whole lot because one crooked in one inning is all it takes for a lot of young guys, (Lucas) Giolito, it's going to help out. (Dylan) Cease, you name it. It helps me out and this isn't my first go-round."
New role:
Adam Engel was the White Sox's starting center fielder for much of the last three seasons, but that's going to change this year.
With Luis Robert on the roster, flanked by Eloy Jimenez in left field and Nomar Mazara in right, Engel is a reserve outfielder.
The standout defender is going to help out anyway he can.
"Everybody wants to be an everyday guy," said Engel, who hit a home run off Kyle Hendricks Monday night at Wrigley Field. "Everybody wants to be the main contributor. Everybody wants to be able to have that kind of responsibility, and that's what we all work for. One thing that I've learned is being that guy off the bench on and off the last few years, you prepare like you're a starter and you're always ready to start and you always get those reps in."
Must-see TV:
NBC Sports Chicago announced Sunday night's exhibition game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field drew the highest ratings for the White Sox since 2012.
Even though the game didn't count, drew a 3.93 rating and peaked at over 156 Chicago market homes.