TORONTO — Jimmy Lambert led the White Sox bullpen with 12 appearances entering Monday, which is saying something for a team that hasn’t had enough lengthy outings from its starters.
Lambert has not only made himself available, but he had pitched effectively with a 3.27 ERA and 16 strikeouts and six walks in 11 innings entering Monday’s series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
“The number one thing in the big leagues is availability,” Lambert told the Sun-Times. “If you’re available, you’re way more valuable than if you’re not available. So you do what you can to be available every day.”
Lambert has pitched on consecutive days three times since April 10 and has gone more than one inning twice. Lucas Giolito has pitched six innings three times, Dylan Cease twice and Clevinger, Michael Kopech and Lance Lynn – entering Monday’s start – one time, putting plenty on a bullpen that owned a 6.22 ERA, although 2.86 in its previous six games.
“You just have to have good communication with the manager, pitching coaches and trainers,” Lambert said. “Trainers have done a very good job keeping me as ready as possible.”
Being available for any reliever is knowing the arm’s limits, when to push it and knowing when to back off.
“There is definitely a fine line,” Lambert said. “But I also think that our mind is very strong. And sometimes we guard ourselves too much. Our bodies are capable of more than we think they are and sometimes testing our limits is a good thing. See how far we can go. You don’t want to get hurt. That’s in the back of everyone’s mind. But sometimes you have to test limits.”
Lambert missed most of the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery and he dealt with a right forearm strain in 2020. Having been through those has its benefits now, he said.
“For sure. But I think also with injuries, when you’re truly injured it allows you to learn your body and the experience of being injured helps you understand the difference between soreness and injury,” Lambert said. “It helps you know better when the right time to pull back is. All of those experiences have helped me.”
Anderson close to rehab assignment
Shortstop Tim Anderson worked out without a brace on his left knee and will likely head to Triple-A Charlotte for a rehab assignment any day now.
The Sox are 2-9 since Anderson went down with a sprained left knee in Minnesota. While saying there is much more to the Sox’ recent slide, Grifol said Anderson is “the heart and soul of the club. As he goes, we go. He’s the energy.”
Yoan Moncada (back), meanwhile, is further behind Anderson with no timetable for a return.
Kelly reinstated, Giolito on Bereavement
Reliever Joe Kelly (groin strain) was reinstated from the 15-day IL and Giolito was placed on the Bereavement List. Giolito will not miss a start, manager Pedro Grifol said.
Video gamer
Giolito said he uses a video game to prepare for his starts.
“I do my like video game thing with MLB: The Show, so I can really like kind of commit that stuff to memory and like practice like my sequences,” Giolito said on the Chris Rose Rotation podcast. “Oh, I’m in this situation, what are the pitches that I feel very confident to get this guy out, get out of this situation.”
Hendriks sighting?
Liam Hendriks, who is cancer free and working in Arizona toward a return, might make an appearance in Chicago on the upcoming homestand before returning to Arizona to pitch in games, Grifol said.
