Notes: Stiever, Lucroy, Grandal, Mr. 3,000

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jonathan Stiever won’t break camp with the White Sox.

But the right-hander showed over two innings Friday why manager Tony La Russa has talked up both him and Jimmy Lambert as players who definitely will contribute to the 2021 squad. La Russa wants to keep the duo stretched out as starters in the Minors after Spring Training.

During Friday’s 2-2 tie with the Mariners at Camelback Ranch, Stiever allowed one run in two innings while striking out three. The White Sox No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline made two starts during the team’s return to the playoffs in 2020.

• Box score

“It was good to get your feet wet,” Stiever said. “The biggest takeaway was stuff, kind of know what kind of pitcher you are that day especially and pitching to your strengths rather than what the hitter might be struggling at, might not be good at matching up to your stuff, per se. Just figuring out how to have your strengths every day, pitching off that and not worrying about the other side.”

• Robert the White Sox catch-all option in OF

Lambert, the team’s No. 14 prospect, made two scoreless relief appearances last season before he was sidelined for the final two months with a right forearm strain. But that issue is not a camp concern.

“My arm feels great,” Lambert said. “I've had no issues since the ramp-up started. I've been throwing since about the end of October, early November, and it's been smooth sailing.”

Lucroy ready to lend a helping hand
Jonathan Lucroy has a good chance to become the No. 2 catcher for the White Sox. But getting the nod won’t stop the veteran from helping younger White Sox backstops such as Zack Collins, Yermín Mercedes and Seby Zavala.

“I’m not out trying to root against people,” said Lucroy on Friday. “In 10, 15 years, I want Zack Collins to say that I helped him out, or Mercedes, or Zavala or one of those guys. It’s important to do that as an older player. It’s important that we try to pass along knowledge of the game and try to help the younger generation as much as we can. It betters the game.

“You just have to be really unselfish. I try to be in every way. But at the same time, if I’m going to win the job, I’m going to win it because I deserve it. I’m not going to win the job by being a jerk to the young catchers. I’m going to win it by earning it. That’s the way I look at it.”

Grandal remains out of action
Yasmani Grandal will not play this weekend due to a right knee issue sustained when the catcher twisted it Feb. 24 while running drills. La Russa said Grandal has been in the catchers’ meetings and taken swings in the batting cage but has not taken swings on the field or in batting practice.

“Every day he's a little better. We're being very careful with him,” La Russa said. “We're going day to day.

“He's one of the gung-ho, hero types. ... I'm going by what he's allowed to do, like take some swings, where for a while he wasn't. And he played catch. All those things can stretch your knee a little bit. So that's what I go on.”

Mr. 3,000
During a recent appearance on the White Sox Talk podcast for NBC Sports Chicago, Nick Madrigal stated a goal and an actual belief of reaching 3,000 hits for his career. The second baseman’s prediction did not go unnoticed by his teammates, who wore Mr. 3,000 T-shirts with Madrigal’s face and name during Friday morning workouts. Madrigal, who turned 24 on Friday, also wore one.

“We saw it this morning, thought it was actually great, the design,” La Russa said. “We saw it before Nick got there, and they disappeared quickly.

“There was a concern if he would take it personal or whether he would have a good time with it. And I think he understood it was all done with respect and a lot of team affection. It's really a cute shirt. It's very witty.”

La Russa planned to put the shirt in his camp diary as one of the highlights to date.

Third to first
? Dylan Cease got up and down three times during his simulated game Friday. Cease, who is lined up behind Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel and Lance Lynn, earned positive reviews for his work.

“He was excellent,” La Russa said.

“I knew he had good stuff, but his stuff is really good,” said Lucroy, who caught Cease Friday. “Really good, and very very devastating arsenal of weapons that that guy has. The secret with him is we just have to get him in the zone.”

? Saturday’s Cactus League game against Cleveland in Goodyear and Sunday’s home game against the Rockies will be seven innings.

He said it
“I think this is going to be a special year.”
-- Lucroy, on the 2021 White Sox, based on his discussion of the team’s pitching staff