When Lance Lynn is on the mound, Chicago White Sox teammate Lucas Giolito always notices his “presence and attitude.”
Giolito told the Tribune at Comerica Park on Monday afternoon, “When it’s a big spot and he starts running that fastball out there and gets some big strikes to get out of an innings, it’s always to watch his reaction.” It’s good.”
“It excites everyone and puts the momentum in our favor.”
The Sox reinstated Lynn from the injured list for the start of their season against the Detroit Tigers. The right-handed batsman conceded three runs in 10 hits with four strikeouts and did not walk in his 4⅓ innings. He threw 88 pitches (52 strikes).
His return was one of three roster moves on Monday by the Sox, who placed catcher Yasmani Grendel on a 10-day injured list with a lower back cramp and a waiver on pitcher Ryan Burr aimed at granting his unconditional release. the requested.
Lynn, 35, had been out since running off the mound in an April 2 Cactus League game after throwing a pitch to Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Three days later, he had surgery on his right knee to repair the torn tendon.
“We’ve seen what he can do,” Grendel said before the game. “We need that mindset, we need that confidence. And he’s a big piece, especially when he’s on the mound.”
That mindset was on display on Monday when Lynn settled in after a tough pair of first innings. The Tigers scored twice in the first, including Willy Castro’s homer on Lynn’s first pitch. Lynn allowed another run in the second on a two-out bloop single to center by Harold Castro. Tigers had hit seven fours in the first two innings.
Before the start of the third, cameras caught a lively discussion between Lynn and Sox coach Joe McEwing in the team’s dugout. Lynn played a 1-2-3 third inning and allowed two hits, but took two hits in a scoreless fourth. He was out in the fifth, allowing a double each.
Lynn was originally slated to start on Tuesday, but was bumped a day after Michael Kopech left the game with a right knee trouble in the first inning against the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Monday’s scheduled starter Johnny Couto stepped in for five relief innings starting in third.
“Unbelievable,” said Giolito of Cueto. “Extended big time.”
Sox manager Tony La Russa said Kopech will throw a bullpen this weekend and the team will determine if he will be available against the Astros in Houston this weekend.
The rotation gets a boost from the return of Lynn.
He went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 28 starts last season – his first with the Sox – and finished third in Cy Young Award voting. He signed a two-year, $38 million extension last July.
During a rehab assignment for Triple-A Charlotte, Lynn made three starts, leading 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA and eight strikeouts. He conceded 10 runs for 15 hits in 10 innings.
“He came to us last year and became part of the team really immediately,” Giolito said. “Became a team leader, a staff leader. One person that all of us in the pitching staff, us young people, can look up to and turn to for advice in many different areas. When he’s out of this rehab work We’re definitely missing him big time. We’re excited to have him back and it’s not only going to be a huge force on the mound he brings, but a wonderful one at the clubhouse presence.
“He’s always there to help us work through things and he knows a lot about pitching when you’re out there, using your stuff, reading the swings, teaching the approach of the hitters. All those kinds of things that I feel like I need to keep improving. It’s always helpful.”
There may be more help on the way for the Sox pitching staff: reliever Joe Kelly is next in line to be active Tuesday, said La Russa. Kelly has been on the injured list since May 26 with a left hamstring strain.
La Russa also said that Vince Velasquez, who was retrospectively placed on the injured list on May 31 with a left groin strain, is a possible start on Wednesday.
But the Sox will be without their starting catcher for a period. Grendel’s IL tenure is retroactive to Sunday. He left Saturday’s game in the third innings with a tightness in his left hamstring.
“(Sunday) I was doing great,” Grendel said. “I definitely thought I wouldn’t be down for a day. I don’t know what happened, but all night long my leg started hurting and I couldn’t even walk (Monday). It was a lower back cramp. And that’s what’s making everything tight, which is probably why the hamstring is pulled.
“But we don’t think it’s something I haven’t gone through before. I think, 2020, I almost had the same thing. I think it was against Detroit at home as well. We just decided It’s best to go on 10-days to fix everything and that’s how it will be completely finished by the time I come back. We don’t know how long it’s going to take, but if it’s five It takes days so maybe I’ll be able to do Charlotte or something like that and start getting down there (at-bats).
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