CLEVELAND — It got dark in a hurry Monday afternoon at Progressive Field, where the White Sox were guests of the Guardians for their home opener.
As some players and staffs stood in and around the visitors and home dugouts a couple of hours before the Sox played the Guardians, a total eclipse in Cleveland made daytime look like night.
Fans wearing special glasses watched in awe at this once in a lifetime spectacle. Players and coaches stood outside and watched as well.
“One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,” said Tanner Banks, the Sox’ opening pitcher who struck out five of the first batters he faced and finished with one run allowed over 2 1/3 innings. “Felt like something from a movie.”
Almost all of Northeast Ohio was watching first hand, too. After thousands emptied out of town following the Women’s national championship basketball game, more poured in, with an estimated 200,000 visitors here to see the eclipse.
Not everyone was stoked about it, however, including Sox manager Pedro Grifol and outfielder Robbie Grossman, who before the game said they would be focusing on baseball.
Grifol said he had limited interest, but said he saw it, after all.
Grossman said he didn’t want to stray from his normal pregame work routine.
“If it was the offseason I’d take a peek but we’re in season and this is my job,” he said. “I’m accountable for being the best I can every day. I’m going to stick with that.”
Batting practice was at noon, a couple hours early because players were not permitted on the field for two hours around the time of the eclipse.
“It’s okay,” said Grifol, whose team arrived from Kansas City Sunday night. “We got our guys here early and met and did all our pre-series stuff. We’ve got some time to meet with the players and the coaches so they can do their stuff. Adjust and move on.”
It got dark here in a hurry pic.twitter.com/PKeR5aCblf
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) April 8, 2024
Steven Wilson, equipped for the total eclipse. #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/LQycRPBps4
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) April 8, 2024
Kopech, Banks et al are ready pic.twitter.com/br2HxFIRXB
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) April 8, 2024
From left (above), Michael Kopech, Korey Lee, Tanner Banks, Steven Wilson and Andrew Benintendi get ready to watch the eclipse with special glasses.
Cleveland is abuzz. The women’s final four is departing, but hundreds of thousands expected from outside of town for the total eclipse this afternoon. And to see White Sox play the Guardians in Cleveland’s home opener. pic.twitter.com/nySwVXcZYq
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) April 8, 2024
Brebbia lands on IL
Right-handed reliever John Brebbia landed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 6) with a right calf strain and the club recalled left-hander Jared Shuster from Triple-A Charlotte.
The expectation is that Brebbia, who had a recurrence Friday in Kansas City of the injury during spring training, will return by April 22.
“It’s not as bad as the one in the spring,” Grifol said. “We just want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
The Shu fits
Shuster — a 2020 first-round draft pick of the Braves who is on the 40-man roster — had a rough spring and was tagged for seven runs and four home runs over four innings in his only start with Charlotte, but he contributed three innings of scoreless relief in his Sox debut.
“I’ve made good adjustments mechanically, and feel pretty in good synch,” he said. “There is a good group [of staff] around to make sure I’m dialed in.”
Shuster struck out two and allowed three hits and now walks. He joins Tuesday starter Michael Soroka and infielders Braden Shewmake and Nicky Lopez among the five players acquired in the Aaron Bummer trade with the Braves to play for the Sox this season.
Shuster split the 2023 season between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett, and posted a 5.81 ERA in 11 starts with the Braves.
