Sox fifth-starter battle between Rodón, López gains clarity originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Carlos Rodón has seemed the most likely pitcher to earn the fifth spot in the White Sox starting rotation.
But two Cactus League appearances into his spring, it's not just roster-construction realities making that the case. Rodón is earning that spot right now.
Consistency has long been an issue for the lefty — mostly due to the terrible injury luck that has limited him to just 41 starts the last four seasons — so two brief outings in March should not spark declarations that he's finally unlocked what the White Sox envisioned he would when they took him with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 draft.
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But after being non-tendered, then brought back on a major league contract, it looked as if little more than the guaranteed $3 million the White Sox are paying him would give him first crack at holding down a rotation spot behind Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Lance Lynn and Dylan Cease.
After all, Reynaldo López has options remaining, allowing the White Sox to send him down to begin the regular season and call on him if needed. Michael Kopech is starting the season in the bullpen, but should things go haywire with the No. 5 spot, it's possible he could find his way back to a starting role. Additionally, the team has been high on Jonathan Stiever and Jimmy Lambert this spring, both potential depth pieces in the minor leagues.
But in a few spring innings, Rodón is painting a picture of a world in which none of that will be necessary.
"I guess it happens start by start, I build that confidence back," Rodón said after his outing against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. "It's kind of like riding a bike, but it seems like I haven't ridden that bike for a while. Today was a step in the right direction.
"It's only spring training right now. I'd like to see it happen in the regular season. But each start, even in spring training, it builds to that. They're stepping stones, so just see the next start and go from there. It's kind of the goal, don't look too far ahead."
The pressure's obviously off. Rodón was once looked at as a future ace of the staff. But the White Sox have three of those now, and Rodón is being asked to merely provide stability at the back end of the rotation. Another winter pupil of new pitching coach Ethan Katz, some of his offseason tweaks might help him do just that.
Certainly the results of that work have looked good in games. Tuesday, Rodón was excellent, allowing just one hit and striking out four over three scoreless innings. This following two scoreless innings in his Cactus League debut last week.
Meanwhile, López has fallen behind in this battle for a spot in the rotation. After a sterling debut in which he threw two scoreless innings, he's been touched up in his last two appearances, surrendering five runs against the Cincinnati Reds last week and two more against the Padres on Tuesday.
Despite giving up the two runs, the righty was pleased with how he pitched Tuesday and voiced pleasure with how the competition is going for him, overall.
"So far, everything has been OK," he said through team interpreter Billy Russo. "After my last outing, I had to adjust a few things, and I was able to do it. Today was a good day. I was able to make those adjustments from my last outing, and it was a good day. I’m on a good track."
While White Sox manager Tony La Russa continues to treat the starting-pitching competition as a battle for the fourth and fifth spots, it seems disaster would have to strike for Cease to miss out on being the team's fourth starter.
The fifth-starter job, too, is gaining clarity every fifth day.
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