Jake Burger makes presence felt early for White Sox

DETROIT — Jake Burger was with Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday when he got the phone call as it became apparent White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada was headed to the injured list with a strained oblique.

“It’s crazy,” Burger said before starting at third for the Sox against the Tigers on Opening Day. “We opened up in Norfolk [Tuesday], and how many guys can say they played Triple-A Opening Day and then MLB Opening Day in the same year? So that’s really exciting.”

Even more exciting was Burger, batting ninth, dropping a two-out double into the right-field corner to start a two-run second inning. He scored the first Sox run of 2022.

Burger, who made a nice backhand play to retire Miguel Cabrera in the fourth, also walked in the ninth. He might get two starts in this series with two Tigers left-handers starting, Sox manager Tony La Russa said.

Cease at peace

The Sox’ starter Saturday, Dylan Cease, enters the season in a good place. He said he found his feel for his pitches about 10 days into spring training, liked how his fastball worked and was hitting his spots with his curve. His changeup is “the best it’s ever been.”

All of which is saying a lot. Cease’s fastball-curve-slider arsenal is among baseball’s best. And his changeup has been a plus pitch, too.

Lance Lynn’s injury moved Cease up one spot in the rotation. While some are predicting he’ll be the Sox’ best starter this year, he said he’s putting no extra burden on himself with Lynn out and Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito now also hurt.

“I just try to be the best version of myself every time I pitch,” Cease said. “That is always what I try to live up to.”

Memorable openers

Left-handers Tanner Banks and Bennett Sousa both experienced their first major-league Opening Day and first time wearing a major-league uniform all at once. Banks had to wonder if it would ever happen. He is 30, after all.

“I’m still shocked,” he said Friday morning, standing at his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse at Comerica Park.

He said he FaceTimed his wife to share the news Tuesday and broke down crying as the call was going through. La Russa told him he’d made the team after the final Cactus League game.

“It was cool,” he said. “Tony came over and looked at Ethan [Katz], looked at myself and said, ‘Do you want to tell him or should I?’ ”

Sousa’s family made the trip to Detroit and watched him pitch a perfect fifth in relief of Lucas Giolito, who left with abdominal tightness. Sousa’s parents were his first call when he got the news.

“There was crying on the phone,” he said.

Lefty Garrett Crochet’s season-ending Tommy John surgery Tuesday and the expanded 28-man Opening Day rosters created room for Banks and Sousa.

This and that

The Sox’ one-year, $4.2 million minor-league deal for veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto is close to being official. Cueto just arrived in Arizona, where he’ll face hitters before going to Triple-A Charlotte. He’ll likely ramp up with four or five outings.

• Moncada and Joe Kelly will need rehab stints in Charlotte before they return. Kelly (nerve, biceps) has a simulated game slated for this weekend in Arizona, with a Charlotte target at the end of the month. Moncada’s expected return is in three weeks, and that includes getting at-bats in games at Charlotte.

• Josh Harrison was the 10th different second baseman in 10 years to start Opening Day for the Sox. Gordon Beckham (2010-13) is the last to start consecutive openers.