Dylan Cease is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts against the Astros this season.
The White Sox’ playoff lives are on the line as they face a 2-0 deficit in the division series. After much deliberation, they’re giving the ball right-hander Dylan Cease against the Astros,
Manager Tony La Russa named Cease his Game 3 starter on Saturday and will entrust the team’s playoff hopes to the 25-year-old right-hander.
“There’s no doubt it’s gonna be electric,” Cease said on Saturday. “What to expect? It’s going to be intense, for sure. I think it’s going to be pretty rowdy and hopefully, we give them something to get even louder about.
“I’m still very excited. Obviously the stakes are high. I’m just grateful for the opportunity, honestly.”
La Russa explained that the Sox wanted length for their starter on Monday and with southpaw Carlos Rodon’s balky shoulder still not 100%, Cease became the obvious choice.
“It’s a short series and you have had all hands on deck the first two games,” manager Tony La Russa said. “You never know if it was one of those extra-inning games and got length. He was the longest guy there. So other than that, I’m looking forward to starting him.”
“Tony talked to me and pretty much just let me know that I had the ball in Game 3,” Cease said. “He let me know yesterday. Just give me a little bit of time to mentally prepare.”
La Russa said before Friday’s 9-4 loss that indicating the bullpens Rodon threw between Game 2 and 3 would dictate what the left-hander would be able to do in the series. The Sox have not yet announced a starter for Game 4, but if they’re able to keep the series alive with a win on Sunday, starting Rodon could still be in play.
“It does [play a role], because there’s more certainty [with Cease],” the Sox manager said. “But we have some optimism about getting him in tomorrow. Maybe he can go for Game 4.”
Cease was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts against the Astros this season. In the most recent start against Houston, he went just 3 1/3 innings and allowed six earned runs. The Astros have given White Sox’ pitchers trouble during the first two games of the series with their ability to spray the ball around the field and not strike out.
“I’m not gonna put any extra pressure on anything, just because it’s the playoffs,” he said. “I’m gonna follow the process and do what I’ve been doing.”
Sunday will easily be the biggest start of Cease’s young career and with the team looking to stave off elimination. But Cease isn’t one to get overly excited, even with everything on the line.
“If that doesn’t bring out the best in you, I don’t know what will,” he said. “We’re not sitting here mopping or anything. We have to do everything we can to perform and execute at a high level and obviously, the pressure is going to be high. But you know, that’s the playoffs and that’s everything we’ve been preparing for. So I think I think we’re more excited than anything else.
“I think for the most part, it’s just you have to let go of what’s happened. We can’t change what’s happened and now we’re just focused on doing everything we can to put ourselves in a position to execute at a high level and bring out our best these next couple games.”
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/2YyQ3BA
No comments:
Post a Comment