If closer Alex Colome gets dealt before the trade deadline, left-hander Aaron Bummer could be the next man up to finish games for the White Sox.
“Would [closing] be awesome? Absolutely,” Bummer said. “That would be every reliever’s goal, to get the last three outs of the game. But for me right now, I’m happy being in the big leagues getting outs for my team.’’
Bummer has all of six minor league saves in his career, and none since 2017. At 25, he is pitching better than he ever has after posting a 4.36 ERA over parts of two major league seasons going into this one.
The Sox are high on his future in whatever relief role the future holds.
“The past two years I showed glimpses of what I can do, glimpses of consistency and the life of the stuff I have,” Bummer said. “This year, with all the work I did in the offseason and having immediate success, yeah, it propels you forward. And it is rewarding to go through all that, and then to finally hit that rhythm … not just for two outings or a month but for the sustained success we all dream of.”
Entering Thursday Bummer utilized a sinking two-seam fastball and cutter to the tune of a 1.69 ERA over 32 appearances, including 0.79 over his previous nine games that had helped the Sox bullpen put together a streak of 16 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. His .172 batting average against is fifth among American League relievers.
Bummer doesn’t care much about his role. He only cares about two things:
“Sustained success is goal number one. No. 2 is to get better every day. The sky is the limit if I’m doing those.”
In what part of the game that happens, it doesn’t matter.
“I don’t care if it’s the first three outs, last three outs or six outs in the middle,” he said.
Abreu at work
The Sox did not take batting practice before the game Thursday but one of their best hitters, three-time All-Star Jose Abreu, was out early with catcher Welington Castillo and hitting coach Todd Steverson hitting against a pitching machine.
“He works,” hitting coach Todd Steverson said. “He’s got a regimen that he likes to stay with. Sometimes it varies, depending on how he feels or who we’re facing that day. He goes about his business kind of blue collar-ish. He’s not a showman, but he’s steady and he gets it done.”
The trainer’s room
Tim Anderson (high ankle sprain) played shortstop after going 3-for-4 as the DH in his first minor league rehab game at Class AAA Charlotte. Renteria said Anderson felt good, although he was tentative taking secondary leads on the bases.
*Left fielder Eloy Jimenez (bruised right ulnar nerve) played catch and is hitting off a tee and taking flips. Renteria said Jimenez might not need to go to Charlotte like Anderson, who has been out longer with a more severe injury, did.
*Right-hander Kelvin Herrera (oblique) threw a bullpen. “We’ll monitor him and see how we proceed in terms of sending him out or doing some things here before he’s activated,” Renteria said.
