With an important piece of the White Sox future about to be unveiled, the buzz around Guaranteed Rate Field is real.
Especially in the clubhouse, hours before the game against the Tigers was rained out Tuesday night.
Right-hander Dylan Cease, the No. 18 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and easily the Sox’ best healthy pitching prospect — and healthy is noteworthy with so many young Sox pitchers, including Michael Kopech, Carlos Rodon, Dane Dunning and Jimmy Lambert, currently recovering from Tommy John surgery — will be called up from Class AAA Charlotte on Wednesday to face the Tigers in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
Fans enjoying Eloy Jimenez’s bat have clamored for Cease’s arm for weeks even though he has hasn’t pitched great this season — especially of late — after being named Minor League Baseball’s pitcher of the year last season.
But Cease’s time has come.
“There was a thought that maybe it was time for the challenge and see if he could raise his game up a bit,” Renteria said.
“We are excited to get our eyes on him here at the major-league level and allow him to do what he does. It’s going to be memorable no matter what.”
The Sox need to fill in their forgettable rotation behind Lucas Giolito, 24, and assuming they’re healthy, Kopech, 23, and Cease, 23.
Giolito has seen Cease throw.
“Easy high 90s,” Giolito said Tuesday. “Super, super easy. Power curveball with a ton of break. The stuff is out of this world.”
If the 4.2 walks per nine innings this season (against 9.6 strikeouts) and a 4.48 ERA are concerns, perhaps only four home runs allowed over 68⅓ innings in homer-happy Class AAA ballparks offer more reassurance. Perhaps a major-league environment with major-league baseballs, will lend themselves to Cease being Cease.
“He’s ready,” said Giolito, who has kept in touch. “Time to come up and help the team, contribute to victories.
“He’s a great dude. Similar to me, very cerebral, thinks a lot. So part of my job is to show him how to think in the right way a lot of the time, not get too analytical. But nasty, nasty stuff. I’m very excited for tomorrow, looking forward to what he’s going to bring.”
Big picture, it’s another needed component in the Sox rebuild. Jimenez, acquired in the same trade with the Cubs for Jose Quintana, has held his own. Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada have taken steps forward. Aaron Bummer has in the bullpen, too.
“Now is kind of like what [general manager] Rick [Hahn] said, the beginning of the end of the rebuild,” first-round catcher Zack Collins said, “and fans can expect younger guys to start getting called up here. I think we’re going to be a top team pretty soon.”
That’s the idea. Renteria said there is tangible impact just having Cease on board.
“The positivity that comes along with him getting to us and the idea and the expectation that he is a part of who we are going to be in the near future and a part of that big uprising we hope to have here on the South Side,” Renteria said.
After Tuesday’s game was called off, Renteria said Reynaldo Lopez, who warmed up before the rain delay started just before gametime, would be pushed back. Cease will pitch the opener of the doubleheader Wednesday afternoon and journeyman lefty Ross Detwiler will take the mound in the nightcap.
“We’ve been waiting for this one,” Giolito said. “Especially with [Kopech] coming up, doing well and then having to get Tommy John surgery. This is another step in the right direction for us as an organization. I’m super excited because it’s another starting pitcher, a guy a little bit younger than me that I might be able to have an impact on. I’m just looking forward to seeing it tomorrow.”
