MINNESOTA — The subject of fans asking about accountability came up before the White Sox’ latest loss Monday — a 7-0 drubbing by the Twins, a team that’s also off to a lousy start.
That topic will be broached with 3-19 teams, which is what the Sox are after getting shut out for the eighth time — once every series.
“I really care about our fans,” manager Pedro Grifol said before the game. “I truly care about our fans. But I’m not going to throw out there anything that I speak to our players [about] as individuals or as a team. I’m just not going to do it. That’s how I choose to lead. That’s how I choose to run this club.”
Grifol just wants it known the Sox are taking steps to work on poor execution, fundamentals and the like.
“I can tell you this,” he said. “Rest assured, everything that happens on this ballclub, on the field, off the field, that affects us being able to win a baseball game or the integrity and character of this organization is being addressed. That’s the only thing I can say. As far as getting into the specifics of it, I’m never going to do this. We can continue to talk about it, and [reporters] can continue to ask those questions, and I’ll continue to answer this way. The only thing I can assure you is that everybody here, including myself, is being held accountable.”
Without mentioning names, Grifol did allude to second baseman Lenyn Sosa’s botched rundown and Andrew Benintendi’s overthrow of the cutoff man Sunday in Philadelphia, as well as center fielder Dominic Fletcher throwing to the wrong base Monday. Sosa was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday, and Benintendi — batting .158/.200/.171 through Sunday — wasn’t in the lineup against the Twins, although he was due for a day off anyway, Grifol said.
Fletcher, getting plenty of time against the Twins in the center-field spot vacated by injured Luis Robert Jr., gloved Ryan Jeffers’ single and threw toward third, where there was no play on Trevor Larnach. Jeffers took second on the throw, and both runners scored on Max Kepler’s double.
“We gave up 90 feet right there,” Grifol said. “It will be addressed [Tuesday].”
The rebuilding Sox were supposed to be constructed around defense and funda-mentals, and for the first two weeks, they followed the plan. But sloppier play has accompanied the hapless offense and inconsistent pitching as of late.
Jonathan Cannon, like Nick Nastrini on Sunday, followed a good debut with a bad encore. Facing a team struggling like the Sox but not to the same degree, Cannon (0-1) gave up six runs and nine hits in 3 ‰ innings. The Twins (8-13) entered batting .195.
The Sox, meanwhile, entered with a .188/.264/.288 hitting line and didn’t get a hit against Chris Paddack (1-1, 10 strikeouts) until the fourth inning. That wasn’t as bad as Friday and Saturday, when they went into the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, without a hit.
“Left too many good pitches out over the plate,” Cannon said.
Danny Mendick, who had eight homers at Triple-A Charlotte, had two of the Sox’ eight hits Monday.
“We’re going through it and bringing in guys who can add fresh energy and positivity, and [Mendick is] playing good baseball,” said right fielder Gavin Sheets, one of the few Sox with respectable numbers. “We’re hanging in there. It’s brutal, man. Have to keep going. It’s way too early to give up.”
Sheets got called out on strikes to end the eighth inning and was ejected along with Grifol for arguing.
“Our record sucks,” Grifol said after the game. “What are you going to do about it? We’ve got to come out here [Tuesday] and get ready to play. Today we got our ass kicked. You go home and you reflect, and tomorrow is a new day. This day is over.”
Said second baseman Nicky Lopez: “This game has a way of beating you down and slapping you in the face. But it’s a game of adjustments. Have to keep coming every day with a positive attitude.”
