DETROIT — Jake Burger was with Triple-A Charlotte when he got a phone call Wednesday as it became apparent Yoan Moncada (oblique strain) was headed to the IL.
“It’s crazy,” Burger said Friday morning before starting at third base for the White 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 on a single to right by AJ Pollock, who scored on a double to left by Luis Robert, giving the Sox and right-hander Lucas Giolito a 3-0 lead.
Burger, who made a nice play to his back hand to retire Miguel Cabrera, also walked in the ninth inning. He might get two starts in the series with two Tigers lefties starting, La Russa said.
Cease in good place
Saturday starter Dylan Cease enters the 2022 season in a good place.
Cease said he found the feel for his pitches after about 10 days into spring training, liked how his fastball worked, was hitting his spots with his curve and said his changeup was “the best it’s ever been.”
Which is saying a lot. Cease’s fastball, curve, slider arsenal is among baseball’s best, stuff wise. And his changeup has been a plus pitch, too.
Lance Lynn’s injury moved Cease up one spot in the rotation, and as some predict he’ll be the Sox’ best starter this year, Cease said he’s putting no extra burden on himself to shoulder the burden of the team losing Lynn.
“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 wearing a major league uniform and Opening Day all at once for the first time. Banks had to wonder if it would ever happen. He is 30, after all.
“I’m still shocked,” he said, standing at his locker in the visitors clubhouse at Comerica Park Friday morning.
Banks said he FaceTimed his wife to share the news Tuesday broke down crying as the call was going through. Manager Tony La Russa gave him the news 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 having season ending Tommy John surgery Tuesday and the expanded 28-man Opening Day rosters opened windows for the pair of lefties.
This and that
The Sox’ one-year, $4.2 million minor league deal for veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto is close to being official. He just arrived in Arizona, where he’ll face hitters before going to Triple-A Charlotte and likely ramp up with four or five outings.
*Yoán Moncada and Joe Kelly will need rehab stints in Charlotte before they return. Kelly (biceps nerve) has a sim game slated this weekend in Arizona, with a Charlotte target at the end of the month. Moncada’s expected return from his oblique strain is three weeks the Sox say, and that includes getting at-bats in games at Charlotte.
