Cease gives Sox 'All-Star-worthy performance'

CLEVELAND -- Dylan Cease doesn’t need an American League All-Star selection to validate him as one of Major League Baseball’s top starters during the first half of the 2022 season.

The White Sox right-hander just needs more starts similar to the one he turned in during a 7-0 victory over the Guardians during the night portion of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Progressive Field.

Cease threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out nine and walking three. It was an especially important effort after Shane Bieber hurled a complete game work of mound art in Game 1 during a 4-1 victory, giving the Guardians (43-43) the first two wins of this four-game set.

Over his last nine starts, dating back to May 29, Cease has allowed a paltry three earned runs on 33 hits over 51 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts and 27 walks. And if the players didn’t necessarily notice Cease in the overall All-Star voting, people certainly are noticing No. 84 for the White Sox each time he gets the ball.

“For a lineup that didn't score, I actually thought our guys battled pretty damn well,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “That was as filthy of stuff as we've seen in a while. He's got velocity, but the slider is just electric."

“Yeah, the biggest thing is just beating a Central opponent,” Cease said. “But I definitely want to keep adding to what I’ve been doing.”

This nightcap victory for the White Sox (42-45) moved them to 4-4 in doubleheaders this season, with all the twin bills played on the road. It also gave them a chance to actually pick up a half game on the American League Central-leading Twins, while staying 1 1/2 games behind the Guardians.

It was definitely a different vibe from the Game 1 setback, when rookie Davis Martin (1-3) allowed four runs over six innings, but didn’t get any offensive support against Bieber. And if it’s a tough loss, especially within the division where the White Sox have a 14-18 record, there’s sure to be focus on what manager Tony La Russa did or didn’t do.

There absolutely should be focus on the man in charge, as La Russa has talked about on a number of occasions when addressing the idea of accountability for the team underachieving. Game 1, though, was more about Bieber’s excellence.

“Long day, but I tip my cap to Bieber, he pitched very well,” La Russa said. “So the pressure was on us in the second game and we came through.”

“Most games are must-wins, really,” Cease said. “It is what it is. Show up and do the best that I possibly can every time.”

While Cease was getting help from Reynaldo López, who struck out Luke Maile on three pitches in the sixth to escape a bases-loaded jam, the offense also broke out behind home runs from José Abreu, Luis Robert and Josh Harrison. Robert’s three-run drive down the right-field line in the ninth allowed the White Sox to rest closer Liam Hendriks with a seven-run advantage.

“We always go out with the mindset of winning,” Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo. “It may be we lose one game, or two games in a row, three games in a row.

“Our mindset is always go out there and try to win. That was what we did today. Things didn’t go our way the first game, but the second game we were able to come out on top.”

Abreu’s first-inning home run would have been enough for Cease, who picked up 19 swings and misses on 57 sliders, per Statcast. When asked why he threw so many sliders among his 106 pitches, Cease smiled and said, “It’s just a good pitch.”

Cease’s 142 strikeouts put him No. 1 in the Majors, with a one-strikeout lead over Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan. The Rays’ southpaw is a deserved All-Star, and Cease certainly could have and should have been.

After talking about the All-Star snub prior to Monday’s game, Cease quipped that it just means there are better things ahead for him. That prophecy might be fulfilled by a race for the AL Cy Young or, more important, the White Sox fighting their way into the postseason behind their ace.

“My comment is that’s an All-Star-worthy performance,” La Russa said with a wry smile. “Come in here and picks us up like that. Shuts the guys out. That’s All-Star-worthy.”

“You can only just pitch better, play better,” Cease said. “I think I can make a good case with some of my numbers, but it’s out of my hands so I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. But it’s a little bit disappointing.”