What to watch for in September for the Chicago White Sox, including the continued development of young players – The Denver Post

The Chicago White Sox have their general manager in place in Chris Getz.

And during his introductory news conference Thursday, Getz said Pedro Grifol would return as manager.

With those questions answered ahead of the final month of the season, the Sox can continue their evaluations for 2024.

“Their challenge is to go out there and execute,” Grifol said Friday. “They’re getting evaluated by a new general manager. It’s a challenge for them to go out there and show us that they fit into the system that we want to put on the field next year and moving forward.”

The Sox fell to a season-worst 30 games under .500 at 53-83 with Saturday’s 10-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field. Starter Mike Clevinger allowed eight runs on 12 hits in four innings. The Tigers had 18 hits, with Miguel Cabrera collecting four hits to go with three RBIs.

“I’d really like to forget about this one,” Grifol said after the game.

As September got off to a sluggish start with the consecutive losses to the Tigers, here are three things to watch for from the Sox this month.

1. What adjustments will the young position players make?

Second baseman Lenyn Sosa, outfielder Oscar Colás and catcher Korey Lee were once again in the starting lineup Saturday against the Detroit Tigers, batting seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Sox order.

While there have been some lapses recently for Colás and Sosa — such as Colás missing a cutoff man Monday and Sosa getting doubled up off first on a flyball to center in the ninth while the team was down six Tuesday — both have had moments at the plate recently.

Sosa, 24, had hit safely in nine of his last 13 games entering Saturday, batting .295 with four homers and nine RBIs during the stretch. Colás, 23, had reached base safely in 19 of his last 23 games after singling in the third Saturday.

Lee, 25, came into Saturday hitless in his last 16 at-bats. But Grifol is not focused on his hitting.

“When I look at a catcher and a catcher’s development, I don’t even think about his hitting,” Grifol said Saturday afternoon. “Obviously there’s an offensive side where you have to do some things. But there’s so much I ask catchers to do that he has to work on and develop. Hitting has become secondary for me. I don’t even ask him how he’s doing with hitting. I don’t really care.

“I know he’s working on it because everybody works on hitting. The hardest thing to do is go back there and start working on your set up. Put your gear on and work on your set up. Go through the game. Recall the game. Those are the things I worry about.”

Lee was pulled from Saturday’s game after remaining in the box while popping out to first in the third inning.

“I didn’t run,” Lee said. “That’s what Pedro and I talked about. Hustle is always a thing. That’s not the type of player I am. I lost the ball. Couldn’t see where it was. Thought it was right behind me. It ended up being in fair territory.

“I’ve got to learn from it. You’re never going to see that again.”

2. What’s next for the rotation?

Grifol said this month is important “not just for the starting rotation, it’s important for our bullpen.”

There was plenty of shake-up to the staff as a whole at the trade deadline, including dealing starters Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn.

Touki Toussaint and Jesse Scholtens have had extended looks in the rotation since the deals. Toussaint went 1-3 with a 6.94 ERA in five August starts while Scholtens was 0-3 with a 4.73 ERA in six starts.

More changes to the rotation could be ahead, as Clevinger’s contract includes a mutual option for 2024.

“I still love it here,” Clevinger said Aug. 27 when asked about 2024. “I still love the guys in this clubhouse, working with all the staff. We still have the tools to do something special here. That’s still down the road, (I) want to focus on finishing the rest of the season.”

Grifol anticipates Michael Kopech, who is starting Sunday, to be back in a starter’s role next season.

“The potential’s there,” Grifol said Aug. 26. “It’s his responsibility and ours to come together to get that mental side right.”

As for Dylan Cease, Grifol said Wednesday that he’s looking for “consistency (and) attacking the strike zone” out of the right-hander in his last handful of starts this season.

“I just want to see him get better every time out,” Grifol said.

3. How will veterans such as Yoán Moncada and Tim Anderson wrap up seasons affected injuries?

Moncada summed up 2023 well.

“The biggest disappointment is nothing went our way,” the third baseman said through an interpreter Friday. “In my case, the injuries. I lost almost two months because my injury to the back and that also affected our team.”

Back issues led to two stints on the injured list for Moncada. He showed some strides with being on the field more consistently, going 15-for-42 (.357) with four doubles, one homer, eight RBIs, two walks and a .910 OPS in his last 11 games with an at-bat since Aug. 19, raising his average from .226 to .248.

A knee injury in April led to some issues with mechanics when Anderson returned. He hasn’t hit as he’s accustomed to, but he’s batting .277 in 34 games since the All-Star break, raising his average from .223 to .241.

All-Star center field Luis Robert Jr. was a late scratch Saturday because of a right quad cramp. He’ll be reassessed Sunday.

“It’s important for the guys that are a part of our core group to finish healthy, finish on the field, finish strong, so you can go into an offseason and have a really good offseason just focused on their health and just preparing themselves to come into spring training to not only get through a spring, but to give us the amount of games that we think they should be giving us for us to have success,” Grifol said Friday.

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