Veteran Bryan Shaw sets an example for the Chicago White Sox bullpen with his availability to pitch – The Denver Post

The game was on the verge of possibly getting away from the Chicago White Sox.

The Colorado Rockies had a three-run lead with a runner on and two outs in the fifth inning on Sunday at Coors Field.

Bryan Shaw entered for Dylan Cease and struck out Michael Toglia to end the threat.

Shaw retired the side in the sixth, striking out Charlie Blackmon for the third out. He returned for the seventh and struck out Ezequiel Tovar before exiting.

Shaw, Aaron Bummer and Gregory Santos combined for 4 1/3 scoreless relief innings, and the Sox scored seven runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 10-5 victory.

Shaw, 35, pitched twice in the series against one of his former teams. The 13-year veteran spent 2018-19 with the Rockies.

“I’m trying to stay ready to help them the best I can,” Shaw recently told the Tribune. “Whether it’s one inning, two innings. Help the guys, it’s a young ’pen, guys have just made their debuts this year and just trying to do what I can to help them be ready.”

The right-hander led American League pitchers in appearances in a season four times (2014, 2016-17 and 2021, each with Cleveland).

That readiness stands out to Sox manager Pedro Grifol.

“Just the fact that he takes the ball every single day and he’s ready to pitch every single day has been a really good example for our bullpen,” Grifol said before Monday’s game against the Seattle Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“Obviously, we don’t want you to take the ball every day where you become reckless and we compromise your health. But his eagerness and willingness to pitch every single day, and his preparation that allows him to do that, it’s something that young players need to see and young pitchers need to see.”

Shaw said it takes more than just having a mindset of being ready to pitch.

“You’ve got to have the mindset, but you’ve got to have your body ready to be able to do it,” Shaw said. “It takes the training room, the weight room, recovery, all the different little aspects combine to — even if you have the mindset of, ‘Yes I want to pitch every day,’ — if your body is not there ready to go, you’re not going to be able to do it.

“That takes a step as well. You have to physically be able to do it with having that mentality.”

He’s had 15 relief outings during two stints this season with the Sox. Signed as a minor-league free agent during the offseason, Shaw did not make the team out of spring training, but returned to the organization in May and joined the big-league team on July 2.

Shaw has a 5.59 ERA, but has had scoreless outings in six of his last nine games. Shaw has 17 strikeouts and four walks in 19 1/3 innings.

“I feel good,” Shaw said. “I took roughly a month off after spring training and I think that maybe helped a little bit. My games pitched (count) right now isn’t where it normally is in August, based on the last few years. That probably helps a little bit.

“Generally when we get to August and September, I always kind of tick up (in velocity) a little bit later in the year. Arm feels good. Body feels good. Pitches are coming out good.”

And Shaw embraces mentoring younger relievers.

“Being able to help the young guys to essentially create the mindset to want to pitch every day, want to be available every day, help them with routines, to have the ability to do all that stuff,” he said. “Not just the mindset. Some guys were starters and got called up and went straight to the ’pen and had never been in the bullpen for a while.

“Being able to help those guys, talk to them, help them with their throwing programs — should I throw flat grounds every day, should I lift, should I do this or that — help them the best I can helps me in the long run.”

Eloy Jiménez returns from the paternity list

Before Monday’s game, the Sox reinstated outfielder Eloy Jiménez from the paternity list and optioned reliever Declan Cronin to Triple-A Charlotte.

Jiménez was placed on the paternity list Friday and missed the three-game series at Colorado. He didn’t play in Wednesday’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field because of groin tightness.

Jiménez went 1-for-3 with one RBI and one walk in Monday’s 14-2 loss to the Mariners in front of 15,275. He had an RBI double in the first and walked in the eighth.

The Mariners scored five runs in a first inning that included four walks by Sox starter Touki Toussaint. The Sox also made two errors in the inning.

“They just waited me out,” Toussaint said of the first. “They were patient. They weren’t swinging at anything. I need to do a better job of throwing strikes, especially with teams like that who are going to be patient.”

Toussaint allowed seven runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four-plus innings.

Cal Raleigh had two home runs and six RBIs for the Mariners, who have won seven straight. The Sox have allowed at least 11 runs in three of their last four games.

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