With likely American League all-star Lucas Giolito and the recovering Michael Kopech, visions of the future White Sox rotation are getting clearer.
Another part of the picture was finally filled in Sunday.
Manager Rick Renteria said Dylan Cease will make his debut Wednesday in the first game of the doubleheader against Detroit. Acquired from the Cubs with Eloy Jimenez for Jose Quintana in July 2017, the 23-year-old Cease has risen to become the organization’s No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, whetting the appetite of the Sox and their fans.
“We all are (excited),” Renteria said. “I think he’s done a really nice job of just gathering more knowledge down there and getting his innings in.”
Despite the call-up, Cease has not dominated Class AAA recently. In five June appearances, Cease has allowed 16 earned runs in 17 ⅓ innings while walking 12 batters.
But the Sox feel he’s ready and are confident he has the mindset to move past his struggles in Charlotte.
“He has had a few outings, a few hiccups over his last few outings,” Renteria said. “I think more than anything the way he’s dealing with them. We already know he has the stuff. He has a great mentality, a great mindset. Truthfully when you get guys like that, ultimately when everybody has decided it’s time to open the door to allow them an opportunity to be here, now it’s a new challenge.
“Guys will deal with it differently. We expect his talent and his mindset will allow him to grow and learn and become that guy we all expect him to be which is a quality major league starter.”
Renteria stressed the Sox aren’t bringing up Cease just to make a spot start in their rotation, and that this isn’t a one-appearance stint. It’s a coincidence he’s getting called up to help stabilize the rotation, Renteria said.
Moving forward, Cease is in Chicago.
“You can safely say that we anticipate him being around,” Renteria said.
That declaration will excite Sox fans, who have sat through poor starts from veteran journeymen like Ervin Santana and Odrisamer Despaigne while the kids develop. Cease’s arrival doesn’t answer all the questions about who will start games for the Sox, but he’ll be part of a staff with the vastly improved Giolito, and will be joined next spring by Kopech.
“Another young man who’s going to go through a process of continuing to learn at the major-league level,” Renteria said. “Hopefully, it’s a good one.”
