Shaw heads long list of candidates to fill roles in revamped 'pen

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- About all that is missing from the White Sox bullpen this spring are hard hats and a time clock.

The relief corps has undergone a major reconstruction since this time a year ago, and roles are there for the taking as the White Sox approach their Cactus League opener against the Cubs in Mesa on Friday.

Not that identifying a closer is front of mind, general manager Chris Getz said.

“The bullpen is still fluid,” Getz said. “We like the arms that we have in camp. We’ll get a better idea of usage along the way.”

The five White Sox relievers with most appearances in 2023 are no longer here, most having departed around the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline last season. The two leaders in saves, Kendall Graveman and Gregory Santos, are among them.

That leaves plenty of opportunity for a group that includes newcomers John Brebbia, Tim Hill and Prelander Berroa; holdovers Tanner Banks and Jesse Scholtens and non-roster invitees Bryan Shaw, Corey Knebel, Jesse Chavez and Dominic Leone. Shaw, Leone, Knebel and Chavez were added in the last two weeks.

“We have a lot of veteran guys who have 'been here, done that' that I respect and love,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said, “because there is something about handing the ball to somebody knowing that they are going to slow it down, and they are going to know how to handle a situation.”

Shaw had four saves in '23, which makes him the returning leader in the clubhouse. Brebbia spent the last three seasons with Giants, going 9-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 134 appearances since '21. He made 21 starts in the past two years, all as an opener.

Knebel has 72 career saves, 39 of which came during a National League-high 76 appearances with Milwaukee in '17, but he has not pitched since suffering a tear in his right shoulder capsule with the Phillies in '22.

“Of course, that’s what every bullpen guy wants to be, right?” Knebel said of the closer’s role. “That’s what you are shooting to be. There is no better feeling. You do whatever you can to get in that role, and if you are not, hey, do it in the seventh.”

Brebbia, too, embraced a whatever is needed mindset while adding that closing would present a welcome challenge.

“I don’t care what the inning is, I really like pitching,” Brebbia said. “I love challenges, and generally closing is seen as a higher leverage situation, a big challenge for relievers. So that is great. But I really just want to go and pitch and play in the big leagues."

Chavez, who has nine career saves while playing for nine different organizations in a 16-year career, enters camp after posting a 1.56 ERA in 36 appearances with Atlanta in '23. Berroa was obtained from Seattle along with outfielder Zach DeLoach and a MLB Draft pick in the Feb. 3 trade for Santos.

Shaw has 19 saves in a 13-year Major League career that includes stops in Arizona, Cleveland, Colorado and Seattle before the 36-year-old reliever decided to join the White Sox on a Minor League deal last season. He began the '23 campaign in the Minors but had a 4.14 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP in 38 appearances after a midseason promotion.

No White Sox pitcher worked more than Shaw did down the stretch last season, when he made 18 appearances in September/October and pitched on the final five days of the season -- all scoreless, all hitless.

“I asked for it,” Shaw said. “Pitching good, wanted to throw. Not being up all year, obviously, trying to get some innings back, some appearances back.”

Shaw is set to earn $1.5 million if he makes the team, and he has incentives worth $20,000 if he can hit 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 relief appearances.

“For me, it’s like every other camp,” Shaw said. “Just go in and do my stuff, work how I need to work, throw how I need to throw. The rest will take care of itself. I can’t make decisions on who's in there, but I can go out there and do what I know I can do.”

Shaw has 791 career appearances, the third-most among active Major Leaguers behind only Kenley Jansen (817) and David Robertson (793). Craig Kimbrel has 780. Shaw has his eye on more. Only 16 pitchers have hit 1,000.

“Most guys don’t really care about stuff, but I do,” Shaw said. “It would be an awesome little thing, but it means I have to go out there and perform this spring and this season like I know I can and know I should. Hopefully that continues and parlays into a couple more years.”