As has been the case a few times this season, the Knights made bigger news off the field than in an ugly 11-10 loss to the Gwinnett Stripers tonight. That’s because Eloy Jimenez met with the media today and declared himself healthy and pain free.
“I’m good,” he said. “Finally, I feel back to normal. The last three months were really tough. I feel like I’m back to the point I was in spring training.”
The update from Jimenez was by far the best news tonight, as the Knights blew an 8-3 lead when four relievers issued an astounding 10 walks and eight earned runs over the final three innings. It was some of the worst relief pitching by the pen in several weeks and comes on the heels of two very poorly played games.
There was a bit of good news: After just 18 hits and six runs in the past three games, the offense rebounded tonight with 13 hits, including six extra-base hits, and 10 runs.
Tonight’s foe, Gwinnett, the Braves’ affiliate, is under .500 on the season but plays like the 1927 Yankees against the Knights. They have now won eight of nine against Charlotte this year, with 21 more on the schedule.
“It is hard to explain,” manager Wes Helms said. “They just have our number. It is one of those things you really can’t explain. Like tonight, it is a game you think you are going to win and then they come back and beat us. I don’t really know the reason for it but they have our number for sure.”
More Eloy
Here are the other takeaways from Jimenez’ 20-minute pre-batting practice chat:
—He prefers playing the outfield to being a DH.
—He thinks Luis Robert is progressing well and will begin rehabbing in Charlotte sooner than later, but he not heard anything definitive. Both players began their rehabbing in Arizona at roughly the same time.
—No one from the White Sox has talked to him yet about what position he’ll play and how often he’ll play upon his return to Chicago.
—He has fond memories of Winston-Salem and Charlotte, and it was fun returning to both cities.
Jimenez started at DH and went 2-5 tonight with three strikeouts and two singles. Jimenez said his timing is improving but it still is nothing like it needs to be, judging from his at bats in Charlotte so far this week. He has missed badly on multiple breaking pitches and had trouble tonight catching up with fastballs from Gwinnett starter Kyle Wright. His first single was a weak ground ball that found a hole in the infield but his second hit — part of the Knights’ rally in the bottom of the ninth — was his best at bat in Charlotte so far this week, an opposite-field liner.
Will Lopez or Lambert Spot Start in Chicago Next Week?
Pitching coach Matt Zaleski confirmed that the White Sox instructed him to scratch Reynaldo Lopez Wednesday night. But he did not know the reason why, though it would most likely be a spot start in next Monday’s doubleheader with the Twins, though there is an outside chance that it could also be a trade.
Scanning Tonight’s Box Score
Jonathan Stiever started and turned in a five-inning, three-hit, three-earned-run outing. He also tied his season high of eight strikeouts.
“He commanded his pitches better,” Helms said. “He’s getting swings and misses that he wasn’t getting earlier in the season.”
Every Knights’ starter had a hit in tonight’s 13-hit attack. But the most electric hit of the night was struck in the bottom of the fifth by the newest Knight, catcher Deivy Grullon, who smashed a two-run homer an estimated 453 feet over the centerfield batter’s eye, the darkened billboard-like structure behind the centerfield wall that is probably at least 25-30 feet high and intended to help batters pick up the ball from the pitcher’s hand. Grullon’s blast had an exit velo of 109 mph. No one in the press box could recall another ball hit over the batter’s eye this season.
Grullon also had a clutch two-out, bases-loaded double in the bottom of the ninth with the Knights down by three. But Helms, coaching third, sent Mercedes, the runner on first, home, and he was out by a wide margin.
Grullon, 25, was obtained a few days ago in a trade with the Rays (for cash). Drafted originally by the Phillies, Grullon had a breakout season in 2018 with 21 home runs in Double-A. He followed that up in 2019 in Triple-A with another 21-homer season, but then was cut loose, only to be claimed on waivers five times by four different times — Red Sox, Reds, Rays, Mets and Rays again.
Other hitters of note tonight were Mercedes, who hit a two-run double in the first, and Luis Gonzalez, who banged a two-run homer, also in the first, and an RBI single in the third. Nick Williams and Johan Cruz also chipped in doubles, and Blake Rutherford added two singles.
And then there was the pitching — or lack thereof.
After Stiever, Tayron Guerrero pitched the sixth, with two strikeouts. Guerrero is known for one of the best fastballs on the team, and some of the worst control. But his control is much-improved of late, and so are the results.
The usually reliable Nik Turley came on in the seventh, and walked the bases loaded with one out. His undoing was the first batter he faced, Phillip Ervin, whom he walked. Turley thought he had Ervin struck out, was clearly frustrated with the home-plate umpire, and never seemed to regain his composure. He walked two more batters in the inning before striking out Jason Kipnis for the second out of the inning. It looked like he would be able to wriggle out of the inning when Alex Jackson socked a grand slam (110-mph exit velo), cutting the Knights’ lead to 8-7 and turning what looked like a laugher into a nail biter.
It wasn’t much better in the top of the eighth for Connor Sadzeck, who struggled with his control and walked a batter before giving up a two-run shot — and the lead. Kodi Medeiros followed with two more walks in the eighth before finally recording the third out of the inning.
Danny Dopico came out to pitch the ninth, hoping to keep the lead at just one, but proceeded to walk four more batters and give up two more runs.
Tomshaw Released
Pitcher Matt Tomshaw was released today. He appeared in 11 games this season, including five starts. It was a rough season for the 32-year-old righty. Oddly, he had one of the lower BB/9 rates on the staff, with just eight walks in 38.2 innings. But too many of his pitches found the plate — he gave up 35 hits, including 16 home runs, and 32 earned runs.
Photo credit: Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
Want to know right away when we publish a new article? Type your email address in the box on the right-side bar (or at the bottom on a mobile device) and click create subscription. Our list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time. Also, consider supporting FutureSox on Patreon! You can get early access to special articles and Patreon-only posts, in addition to more benefits.
Shop our exclusive merchandise! Show your support with FutureSox apparel.