White Sox Quick Takes: Why Ross Detwiler's dominance could be for real

While it was unsettling to see Carlos Rodón leave Monday's game after just two innings because of left shoulder soreness, a potential replacement may have been reaffirmed later in the game.

The White Sox are now on a five-game winning streak after a 6-4 win over the Brewers in Milwaukee and Ross Detwiler has played a huge role in the team's early success. After starting his season by getting 16 straight outs, Detwiler came up big again Monday, striking out three Brewers in 1.1 innings of relief. That included picking off Ben Gamel to end the sixth inning and pitching over two defensive miscues in the seventh that nearly gave the Brewers the lead. With the go-ahead run at third base, Detwiler struck out Eric Sogard to end the threat.

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"Everybody has seen what he's been able to do for us," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said after the game. "He's eating up innings, big key innings, to keep us in ballgames."

With Rodón status suddenly uncertain (he'll be re-evaluated Tuesday), Detwiler could be the logical choice to take over as the team's fifth starter if needed. And while there's some understandable skepticism about using him in that role (he had a 6.59 ERA in 2019 with 12 starts), there's reason to believe Detwiler's recent success is for real.

And that reason is simple: he's healthy now.

"It's been a huge thing for me. I had surgery in October on my landing hip," Detwiler said. "Even (pitching coach Don Cooper) said I didn't have a sinker last year and that's been a huge pitch for me in the past."

He has it now and it's making a big difference. Whether Detwiler is needed to start games or continue his role in the bullpen, it's becoming clear the 34-year-old is going to be a big piece of the puzzle in 2020.

He did what?

It's not too often you walk the bases loaded to get to Christian Yelich, but Renteria did exactly that in the fifth inning. With Jace Fry pitching, Renteria opted to intentionally walk Keston Hiura to get to Yelich. The White Sox were hoping for a double play ball, but Fry struck out Yelich instead.

The move paid off, albeit briefly. Steve Cishek entered the game to face Avi García, who managed to squeeze a groundball through the left side of the infield for a two-RBI single, giving the Brewers a 4-2 lead.

Moncada OK?

Considering Yoán Moncada finished the game and even hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, there probably shouldn't be too much concern about his health. Still, it seemed noticeable that he walked gingerly to the dugout after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the first inning and was later seen shaking out his leg at third base in the third inning.

One might even argue Moncada's range appeared limited on García's go-ahead single in the fifth. Cishek certainly reacted like he thought he got out of the inning.

Perhaps it's nothing. Perhaps it's something to watch.

Abreu Burnes the Brewers

It was pretty surprising to see Brewers manager Craig Counsell allow Corbin Burnes to pitch to Jose Abreu in the seventh inning with Milwaukee holding onto a 4-2 lead. Burnes and Abreu battled through an intense 11-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning that eventually ended in a strikeout. But Abreu saw every pitch Burnes throws and by the seventh, the right-hander's velocity was down a tick. It was clear Burnes was tiring.

"Even though I struck out, I think that was the most important at-bat of the night for me," Abreu said.

That's because it gave him a huge advantage the next time around, especially after getting a 3-0 count. The next pitch was a 95.3 mile per hour fastball that Abreu deposited over the center field wall to tie the game 4-4. By comparison, in the fifth, Burnes' fastball touched 98 against Abreu.

Living on base

When Leury García grounded out in the ninth inning, it ended a streak of reaching base 10 times in a row. He finished the game with three hits, already his third three-hit game of the season. Not bad for a super utility man who has already played shortstop, second base and right field this season.

But García's biggest play of the night was beating out a double play in the eighth inning. That allowed him to score the go ahead run later in the inning on a wild pitch, giving the White Sox a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.

On Deck

If you thought Monday's game was good (and it felt like a playoff game at times), Tuesday's matchup in Milwaukee features two outstanding pitchers as Lucas Giolito (0-1, 6.52 ERA) faces Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.59 ERA). Both pitchers are coming off an extra day of rest. The White Sox will look to win their sixth straight game, a streak that started when Giolito pitched a gem in Cleveland to jumpstart the then 1-4 White Sox.

 

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White Sox Quick Takes: Why Ross Detwilers dominance could be for real originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

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