NEW YORK — Joe Kelly saw left-hander Jake Diekman struggle with the White Sox, get DFA’d and be resuscitated with the Tampa Bay Rays. So he knows the “change of scenery” bump can be real.
“Diekman did it, went from worst to first,” Kelly said. “[The Rays] put in some work with him and said stop throwing your sinker and cutter, throw your four-seamer and breaker only, throw two pitches instead of four. Now he’s throwing more strikes.
“I talked to him and that’s all he’s done, throwing four seamers down the middle and breaking balls instead of sinkers and cutters. They simplified it.”
Kelly is one of several Sox pitchers who could be traded to contending teams before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Keynan Middleton are also possibilities because of their contract status.
An established veteran, left-hander, Diekman was the only addition of substance at last season’s trade deadline when the Sox were buyers, not sellers as they are now. He pitched to a 6.52 ERA with the Sox in 26 games in 2022 after coming from the Red Sox for catcher Reese McGuire and a player to be named [Taylor Broadway], and posted a 7.94 ERA in 13 games this season.
With the Rays this season, Diekman, 36, owns a 2.21 ERA in 25 games. He reeled off 16 straight consecutive appearances and 19 of his last 20.
Throwing more strikes helps, but “that’s a highly rated offensive and defensive WAR team,” Kelly said. “A really great team with a chance to win the World Series.”
“Good organization, that’s what Tampa is known for. Organizations and teams like the Dodgers [Kelly’s former team] have that in them. They save hits. They make the regular play and they take away hits.
“If you know baseball, you can see that you go to a team like that you’re going to do good and look good.”
Kelly could return this weekend
Kelly (elbow) was eligible to come off the injured list Thursday but there is “a good possibility” he is activated this weekend in Minnesota, Grifol said.
“He feels great,” Grifol said.
Middleton likes it here
While some Sox wouldn’t object to getting traded to a contender, Keynan Middleton, a high leverage reliever who came to the Sox on a minor-league deal in the offseason and has posted a 2.91 ERA in 36 games, said he wants to stay.
“Absolutely,” Middleton said. “I came over here because of the people who are here.”
Mainly pitching coach Ethan Katz, who was Middleton’s first coach after he was drafted by the Angels, and former Mariners teammate Kendall Graveman. Middleton said he’s appreciative of communication between him, Sox trainers and the pitching coaches.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said.
Vaughn gets an X-ray
Andrew Vaughn had his left foot X-rayed after missing his second straight game after fouling a pitch just below the pad he wears Tuesday.
“He wears that pad and there was a little crease and he got crushed right there,” Grifol said. “Hit him perfectly.”
Jake Burger started at first base.
