Pedro Grifol has named his starting pitchers for the opening series of the 2024 season against the Detroit Tigers. Garrett Crochet will get the ball on opening day, and Daryl Van Schouwen of The Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier today that right-hander Michael Soroka would start the second game. Van Schouwen also noted that right-hander Erick Fedde will get the nod for the final game of the series.
Opening Day Starter
Following the trade of Dylan Cease, it was unclear who would get the ball for the White Sox on opening day. Very few expected Garrett Crochet to be the pick, but that is the route Pedro Grifol ultimately took. The decision to go with Crochet makes sense, as he has had a fantastic spring. He has not allowed a run while striking out 12 in nine innings pitched. Crochet is also a recognizable name for Sox fans, which was almost certainly a factor in the decision given how different the team looks now than it did at the end of last season. The optics of having an unfamiliar face start on opening day was likely a situation the organization wanted to avoid.
Rest Of Rotation
Following Crochet’s opening day assignment, Michael Soroka and Erick Fedde will pitch in the following two games of the series. Soroka has had an excellent spring, pitching to a 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 13 innings. On the other hand, Fedde has a 5.00 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 9 spring innings. While Fedde is making more money between the two in 2024, Soroka has outperformed him this spring. This likely resulted in him getting the nod for game two. The final two spots in the rotation are unclear, but they will probably go to right-handers Chris Flexen and Nick Nastrini.
Roster Cuts
The team made more roster cuts today, as catcher Korey Lee was optioned to AAA Charlotte while veteran relievers Joe Barlow and Corey Knebel got optioned to minor-league camp. The White Sox now have 45 players remaining in big league camp.
The most notable of today’s cuts, Lee was acquired in the Kendall Graveman trade from the Astros at the last trade deadline. While he struggled mightily with the White Sox last season, the 25-year-old catcher has been excellent this spring. Lee is hitting .333 with three home runs, 8 RBI, and a 1.280 OPS in 21 spring at-bats. Unfortunately for him, the team brought in veteran catchers Martín Maldonado and Max Stassi this offseason. They will get first dibs at being the catching tandem for the Sox. However, we will likely see Lee back in Chicago at some point this season.
While it seemed at least somewhat likely at the beginning of spring that both Barlow and Knebel would have a chance at making the team, it has not played out that way. Barlow only made one appearance this spring before being sidelined with a shoulder injury. Knebel has also dealt with a shoulder injury and has not seen game action this spring. It has been an unfortunate set of circumstances for both veteran relievers. Whether or not they will stay in the organization following the conclusion of the spring has yet to be determined. However, doing so might be in their best interests, as they will likely get opportunities in Chicago at some point this season.
Final Word
As we near the home stretch of spring, there will be many more roster cuts. We will soon have a better idea of what the opening day roster will look like.
