CHICAGO -- When Ryan Burr last pitched for the White Sox on May 24, 2019, he was 25 years old and the team was four games under .500 as part of the ongoing rebuild.

Chicago sat atop the American League Central standings entering Thursday night’s series opener with Baltimore, and Burr was back with the team after having his contract purchased from Triple-A Charlotte with Michael Kopech placed on the bereavement list. Burr’s recovery from Tommy John surgery reached its final destination, coming one day before his 27th birthday.

“It means everything,” Burr said during Thursday’s pregame Zoom call. “There were a lot of sleepless nights. There was a lot of time spent in between surgery and where you question is this ever going to happen again. Will I ever get another opportunity?

“So, it definitely means a lot to me personally. It means a lot to my family that I’m here. Just a big group effort. A lot of people who care about me a lot helped me get back. It definitely is easy to kind of get lost in those doubts and thoughts when you are going through it. I just can’t wait to get back out there and play with these boys again.”

Burr pitched at the alternate training site in Schaumburg, Ill., in 2020 with no Minor League season and posted a 5.40 ERA with nine strikeouts and two saves over 6 2/3 innings covering eight appearances for Charlotte in '21. The right-hander has worked with Charlotte pitching coach Matt Zaleski on fastball efficiency, trying to throw a clean fastball, not fading or cutting.

But it really was another step in the recovery process, pushing Burr back into the bullpen of a championship contender.

“You play the game to get in these playoff races. You want to win a ring, that’s why you put the uniform on,” Burr said. “I’m ready to help in any way, shape or form that I can, whether it’s an inning here or there, or if it’s every other day. Whatever they need. I just want to be out there to help this team win.

“When you are going through the rehab process, it’s hard to not look at the end game and you can kind of get lost in the days where you are not feeling good. You don’t know if the team is going to want you back. You don’t know if your arm is going to be healthy enough to pitch in. But to be here today, it just means a lot to me. My family pushed me a lot through those tough times. The White Sox staff did a great job.”

La Russa understands the heat

In his 34th season as manager, Tony La Russa understands criticism inherently comes with the job.

“You're going to get some heat. If you don't like it, do something else for a living,” La Russa said. “Look in the mirror and just do the best you can. To me the most irritating part of it is not whatever’s being said about me in any shape or form. The team has for two months now, almost two months, competed well, overcome stuff that should be given credit.

“I'm not sure what the ratio is, it may be 80-20, 90-10, 75-25. The smaller percent is the coaching staff that just is taking on the challenge, but the other is the players. I think it's a disservice to our players and the way they've competed.”

La Russa added “it pains” him that he’s responsible for some of that heat in some way.

“I just wish the club gets credit for what they're doing,” La Russa said. “You listen to me whenever we talk, I'm just inspired by them. So impressed by what I see and what they want to do.

“That should be the story that takes most of the headlines and then whatever else is ... if they think I made a mistake or if I say I made a mistake, whatever it is, beat that up for a little bit, but it's the team. That's where the attention should be. Get the fans excited, have some fun out here watching these guys.”

Third to first

• Carlos Rodón is 1-2 with a 1.90 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings in May. He has limited the opposition to a .186 average (16-for-86), a .510 OPS (two home runs allowed) and a 0.80 WHIP in four May starts.

• Yoán Moncada celebrated his 26th birthday on Thursday.

They said it

“He's got a couple of sore spots, so we're going to get him unsore. Should be temporary.” -- La Russa, on shortstop Tim Anderson sitting for a second straight game