Pregame Notes: The post-Mike Clevinger era begins

At the end of a piece explaining why the White Sox will probably be quite patient with Miguel Vargas, I included the line: "It is April 16 after all, and abandoning any project at this stage would suggest there was never much confidence in it to begin with."

And in the wake of Mike Clevinger going from top leverage relief option to designated for assignment within a week's time, I am thinking about that line a lot. First off, if anyone was tasked with envisioning a level of statistical performance that could justify such a quick turn, it would probably look a lot like 5 2/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 8 BB, 3 K while allowing a 45 percent hard-hit rate. But moreover, pitching coach Ethan Katz already hinted this weekend at Clevinger not being where they expected, when he acknowledged he was still behind other relievers in terms of building up stamina.

That was the main criteria cited by Will Venable on Wednesday, who mostly erred on the side of not trashing a guy on his way out of town.

"It was just clear that we weren't maybe utilizing him the way that we maybe had intended or thought we could have earlier, just more about other guys developing and kind of shifting in other roles," Venable said. "Shortening him down and then asking him to go one-plus a couple times and I think you saw where he was maybe sharper in that first outing than coming back the next inning. I think he's still kind of trying to figure it out as a reliever. But he'll continue to have a chance somewhere and figure it out, for sure."

Somewhere indeed. White Sox camp next March? You truly never know.

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Steven Wilson has his contract selected to take Clevinger's place (Justin Anderson also cleared waivers, so he can take Wilson's place in Charlotte) and while maybe he's not ready to save the Dylan Cease trade singlehandedly, his 10 strikeouts and one run allowed in 5 1/3 innings certainly made him deserving of a look.

Wilson had worked to add a splitter at a private facility the previous offseason, and shortly after he was traded to the White Sox in late-spring, it was clear he was deeply disenchanted with what the process had done to his mechanics. His velocity was sapped, he was no longer throwing from his natural arm slot, and using nothing but sweepers is a hard way to throw strikes--his walk rate exploded to 16 percent in 2024.

"The frustrating part about last year was just searching for it all year and knowing I could do it," Wilson said. "But you've got to pitch everyday. You can't really take two weeks off and go figure it out. You're trying to do it while competing at the highest level and that's always difficult."

After focusing on getting back to normal mechanically this winter, Wilson now has some early results to cling to, and it's not like the White Sox couldn't use an experienced leverage arm.

"Getting back to the natural slot, getting the mechanics back right, less rotational, just getting down the mound quicker," Wilson said. "If you can put it where you want it, it helps. My velo was definitely down last year. I think this time last year I was like 91-92 mph and I've been sitting around 95 mph this year. So, 95 mph is a lot different than 90 mph. It gives you a little more leeway."

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Andrew Benintendi is eligible to return from the injured list on Thursday. He is not going on a rehab assignment, per Venable.

Austin Slater underwent surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee on Tuesday, the White Sox announced. He has a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks.

Korey Lee is "progressing" in his recovery from his left ankle sprain after playing catch for the first time on Tuesday, but there is no date set for his rehab assignment yet.

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Sox Machine can confirm Francys Romero's report that catching prospect Edgar Quero is en route to join the team in Chicago on Thursday. Feel free to speculate on whose place he's taking, especially if this game becomes uncompetitive.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Athletics

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN Chicago 1000 AM, WTRO 1200 AM (Spanish)

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