White Sox storm back, but end up blown out at Giants, 12-7

So, are you worried about our closer yet?

Alex Colomé had a shaky second half in 2019 and worrisome peripherals overall in his first season as White Sox closer. And while the 2020 White Sox have a fortified bullpen (particularly in signing closer-experienced Steve Cishek) in possible preparation for Colomé sputtering out as the late man, few felt he wouldn’t even make it out of Arizona with his job title intact.

Today’s 12-7 loss to the Giants featured another Colomé meltdown, his third in three spring games, surrendering the eventual winning run in the sixth inning and negating a six-run storm back for the lead by the White Sox. This afternoon, the closer clocked in with three hits, two earned, a homer and a K in one inning. His small but worrying sample size this spring? Three games, three innings, nine hits, seven earned, three homers, one walk and three Ks. In just 33 pitches, Colomé has tallied a 21.00 ERA, 3.33 WHIP and .474 average against. (And while Colomé has bloated spring stats over seven previous springs, nothing this worrisome ... e.g. a 3.86 ERA last year with the White Sox.)

But a possible closer conundrum was just one problem for the White Sox today. Bernardo Flores Jr. had a worse day than Colomé, taking the eighth with the White Sox still within RBDQ range (8-7) and getting yanked from the box without recording a single out (four batters, four hits, four earned, one homer).

And then there was Dallas Keuchel, who chased his ballsy four-inning debut earlier this week by failing to finish four, giving up four earned in 3 ⅔ innings, with eight hits and a walk against three Ks.

Other than that, Don Cooper, how was tonight’s play?

Keuchel chatted with the beats after his start, and it does sound like all is pretty much according to plan in the early going.

Offensively, in spite of the comeback, the White Sox reverted to full-on 2019-19 mode, with 10 strikeouts against just one walk. Down 6-1, the club strung together four straight singles to open the sixth, and a James McCann triple, Zack Collins double and Cheslor Cuthbert single nudged the White Sox ahead, 7-6.

But that was about it in terms of highlights, really. This was one we should be thankful was effectively blacked out for White Sox fans.

(Hamster has the coverage tomorrow, and will offer our first MVP update of the spring.)

Tomorrow is split-squad action, with the White Sox hosting the Royals and also traveling to face the Padres. Reynaldo López takes the bump in Peoria vs. the Padres at 3:10 CT; radio silence for that game. Aaron McRae pitches for the White Sox at Camelback, a 3:05 CT game that will be webcast on WhiteSox.com.

Confused about the new times? Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead tonight, pards (Arizona does not move its clocks, thus all games will be an hour later from here on .. quirky!)

Hamster has the split coverage here tomorrow, while Sean Williams and I take it over at SSHP. Sean will be featured on SSS Podcast 4, recording tomorrow and available for your consumption on Monday.