CEASE, BIG BATS POLISH OFF TWINS
Lynn and other starters having an effect on Cease, who stays cool vs. Twins
White Sox starting pitchers have fed off each other during the first five weeks of the season — encouraging, poking, pushing, motivating and evolving into the best rotation in the game.
They have a major-league-best 2.74 ERA after right-hander Dylan Cease allowed three runs over five innings Tuesday night in the host Sox’ 9-3 win over the defending American League Central champion Twins in a three-game series opener at Guaranteed Rate Field.
One behind-the-scenes thing at play is the newest member of the rotation, Lance Lynn, who turns 34 on Wednesday, pouring wisdom into the 25-year-old Cease.
Cease walked two, hit two batters and allowed five hits Tuesday, including a homer by Jorge Polanco in the Twins’ three-run second, but also struck out seven Twins and got 20 swings and misses, a career high. After a bumpy second inning, Cease responded with three scoreless innings.
“The first place the game was won was Dylan Cease because he held that game, got himself back together and competed his butt off,” manager Tony La Russa said. “He’s developing the kind of command that makes a starting pitcher special. And he’s showing some competitive toughness.”
Cease’s high ceiling was evident in two consecutive scoreless starts leading to Tuesday’s outing — a 13-inning block of work with 20 strikeouts, three walks and just four singles allowed.
Catcher Yasmani Grandal, who hit a tying three-run homer against Kenta Maeda in the second before Jose Abreu’s two-run go-ahead homer in the sixth, boldly said in February that Cease can be a Cy Young winner. Former All-Star Lynn sees the ability, too.
“He’s got such great stuff, and everyone wants to tell him, ‘Do this, this and this and throw strikes,’ right? And I think he’s got so much stuff going on in his head.”
Cease can get consumed by his delivery and mechanics. Lynn told him to think less and just throw the ball. Keep it simple.
“I talked to him: ‘Hey, what are you thinking? What’s your process? Where are you at?’ ” Lynn said. “And then the only thing that matters is the end product and end results, and then you backtrack from there.”
Release points and staying closed should be dealt with between starts, Lynn told Cease.
“But when you’re pitching, the only that matters is making the pitch and attacking hitters,” Lynn said. “Hit the spot, don’t think about anything else and say, ‘Here it is. Hit it.’ ”
Cease (2-0, 2.80 ERA) said Tuesday’s outing, which ended in a no-decision for him, was “kind of a grind and it got away from me a little bit. A little erratic there, but finished strong and kept them at three.”
After Abreu’s homer, the Sox tacked on an RBI single by Tim Anderson and an RBI double by Adam Eaton in the seventh and RBI singles by Leury Garcia and Nick Madrigal in the eighth.
Garrett Crochet (1-2) pitched out of a jam for his first major-league win. He was one of five Sox pitchers to combine on four innings of scoreless relief.
The Sox (20-13) won their fourth straight, taking down the struggling Twins (12-21) in the teams’ first matchup of the season.
Meanwhile, the starters continue to be front and center.
“We are starting to get to know each other as the season goes on,” Lynn said. “So everybody is starting to shoot things off each other, starters or relievers. Anything I can do to help, especially help the team win, that’s what I’m all about and why I’m here. I enjoy it.”
The rotation has a 2.44 ERA over its last 26 games. Michael Kopech, who might get another spot start in a doubleheader Friday against the Royals, has a hand in that with two starts.
“This is what we envisioned,” starter Dallas Keuchel said. “Even last year, hoping Rodon and Cease taking that step forward. They have been nothing short of spectacular. You’re only as good as your next day’s starter.”