Royals blow out White Sox in Grifol's return to Kansas City
This is a pretty big homecoming week for Chicago's major-league baseball clubs.
On Monday night at Wrigley Field, Willson Contreras was certainly a presence as he returned to face the Cubs in his new Cardinals uniform.
Jose Abreu, a feared slugger for nearly a decade with the White Sox, is coming back to Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday in his new Astros uniform.
There was a reverse return Monday, with Pedro Grifol going back to Kansas City for the first time as the Sox's manager.
When he looks back on the game, there won't be any happy memories.
A day after scoring 11 runs in the second inning and blowing out the Reds 17-4 in Cincinnati, the Sox gave up 8 runs the sixth and lost to the Royals 12-5 at Kauffman Stadium.
Still trying to find the form that guided him to a second-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting last year, Dylan Cease will have to keep on looking.
After giving up 7 runs on 9 hits and a walk, Cease is 2-2 with a 5.58 ERA. Last year, the right-hander was 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA.
In the sixth inning, Cease was lifted with the bases loaded and no outs after giving up a leadoff single, hitting a batter and issuing a walk.
"I actually thought Cease had really good stuff," Grifol told reporters. "His velocity was high, he felt good, he felt strong. He left some balls out over the plate that they hit."
Aaron Bummer came on in relief and gave up an RBI single, a 2-run double and a 2-run single as the Royals broke the game open.
It was a rough welcome back for Grifol, but he still has fond memories after spending the past 10 years in Kansas City filling a variety of coaching roles.
"This is a special place for me," Grifol said. "We had some great runs and magical moments here. Just to come back to this place, look at the field and see some of the people that I have great relationships with, it's a special moment."
Grifol also had an update on designated hitter/right fielder Eloy Jimenez, who had an appendectomy Saturday night in Cincinnati and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Apparently, Jimenez was also dealing with another "leg issue." The White Sox hope he is completely healthy when he returns and is able to play more in right field.
If Jimenez can get on the field, Jake Burger would conceivably stay on the roster and DH.
Burger, a natural third baseman, is out with an oblique strain. He was replacing Yoan Moncada, who has missed over a month with a back injury but is on a rehab assignment with Class AAA Charlotte.