Pedro Grifol is not ready to name an Opening Day starter when the White Sox kick off the regular season on March 30th in Houston, but he did name a starter for the White Sox’s first Cactus League game. Lance Lynn will get the ball when the White Sox take on the San Diego Padres in the Cactus League Opener on Saturday afternoon at Camelback Ranch. 

Dylan Cease and Lynn are the front runners to receive the Opening Day honors. Assigning Lynn to the first Spring Training start has no bearing on the decision. Grifol wants to see how things unfold in the World Baseball Classic first. 

“We’ll know a little bit, maybe prior to that, kind of which direction we’re headed,” Grifol explained. “Right now, it’s just too early.

Lynn is slated to throw three innings (barring a high pitch count). Three innings are still slightly more than usually planned for a Cactus League Opener.

Lynn’s participation in the World Baseball Classic influenced manager Pedro Grifol’s decision. 

Lynn isn’t complaining about the workload. The 33-year-old likes throwing a high volume of innings to prepare for the season. During one of his first appearances in a White Sox uniform, he got upset when Tony La Russa pulled him from a Cactus League start in 2021. After recovering from a knee injury early last season, the big right-hander looks like his vintage self. 

“He’s been, Lance. He’s been good,” Grifol told reporters. “He’s pounding the strike zone. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s ahead of schedule. He’s right where he needs to be. He knows his body really well. And he knows what he needs to do to be ready for our first series.” 

On top of naming Lynn as the starting pitcher, Grifol dropped his first lineup. Grifol’s lineup for Saturday is as follows:

1. Tim Anderson SS
2. Luis Robert Jr CF
3. Yoan Moncada 3B
4. Eloy Jimenez RF
5. Andrew Vaughn 1B
6. Yasmani Grandal C
7. Gavin Sheets DH
8. Victor Reyes LF
9. Luis Garcia 2B 

Jimenez Trying To Win Right Field Job 

The biggest thing that stands out is Eloy Jimenez in right field. The fact that Jimenez is getting the start for the first live-action of 2023 should not carry a ton of weight. 

Grifol wants to get his players participating in the World Baseball Classic reps before they leave camp. The other players joining Lynn in the WBC are Tim Anderson (USA), Yoan Moncada (Cuba), Eloy Jimenez (Dominican Republic), Kendall Graveman (USA), and Jose Ruiz (Venezuela). All four position players are in Saturday’s lineup. Graveman and Ruiz are scheduled to throw in the game as well. 

“Four guys going to the WBC, so those guys have to get work in early, get them ready, and then when those guys depart, the other guys will be stepping in and carrying the load.” 

Jimenez will be representing the Dominican Republic. Grifol also told reporters that Elvis Andrus and Andrew Benintendi are getting an off day. 

Jimenez has made it clear that he wants to be an outfielder, not a designated hitter. He has been working on his defense all offseason and has cut weight to improve his speed and agility. 

Jimenez is serious. He wants to challenge Oscar Colas for the job this spring. The odds are stacked against him since the White Sox are doing everything they can to keep him healthy for an entire season. However, Grifol said back in January to expect Jimenez to get 1-2 games a week in right field.

Spring Training is the time of year for optimism. Players show up in the “best shape of their lives” with a clean slate for the upcoming season. Jimenez may have improved his outfield defense. But even if he has, the entire organization will be holding their breath watching him track down fly balls.