Clevinger shows rust in long-delayed '24 debut

ST. PETERSBURG -- White Sox right-hander Mike Clevinger, in his first Major League start of the season after finalizing his contract on April 4, didn’t last long on Monday night.

It was two innings and three batters, to be exact, before he was lifted after a 54-pitch outing in an 8-2 defeat against the Rays that quickly got out of hand at Tropicana Field.

As White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said, “There’s a reason there’s a Spring Training.’’

Clevinger was 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA last season with the White Sox, then became a free agent in a tight offseason market. The offers weren’t there, and Chicago welcomed him back -- too late for Spring Training and his normal workload.

He had just two starts with Triple-A Charlotte, so realistic expectations were minimal before Monday’s start. And the way it began made matters worse. He walked two in the first inning, then surrendered three runs in the second, when the Rays sent eight batters to the plate.

“The first inning took a lot out of him,’’ Grifol said. “We needed a clean inning somewhere, and we didn’t get it. He left some balls out over the plate, and his command was a little off. Once we got to the third inning, I was trying to buy some outs, but I wasn’t going to leave him out there. I just wanted to make sure he got his work, then build him from there.’’

Clevinger’s numbers: Two-plus innings, six hits, four runs (three earned), four walks and no strikeouts.

Clevinger said he wasn’t happy with the results, but he was grateful for a return to the White Sox.

“It was really cool to get in here and feel the energy in this clubhouse again,’’ Clevinger said. “You feel the rush, and you’re ready to get back to work and get back in the group.

"I just really appreciate Pedro’s belief in me and him wanting me back. That goes a long way with me.’’

Clevinger wouldn’t second-guess the slow offseason market, which ultimately led to his White Sox return. His father died on March 20. Had Clevinger been in Spring Training, he would not have been able to return to his native Jacksonville and spend the final hours with him.

“Everything happens for a reason,’’ Clevinger said.

In time, Grifol said he expects Clevinger to return to his perch as the White Sox most consistent pitcher.

“I’ve seen his stuff, and obviously it was crisper than today,’’ Grifol said. “You know what? It’s his first time out [this season]. We’ve got to build from there. He’s going to be OK. He’s going to be all right.’’

“We’re happy to have him back,’’ catcher Korey Lee said. “We know from last year what he’s capable of. So we’re not going to really think too much about this one. We’re going to learn from it, and he’s going to have a big role for us. He’s a healthy arm, and he’s very competitive every single day. He brings a lot of good things to this organization.’’

It was a mostly quiet offensive night for the White Sox, who came in with two consecutive road victories against the Cardinals and five wins in their past nine games. The only positive was Tommy Pham’s two-run homer in the third inning. The White Sox (8-27 for the worst 35-game start in club history) had only two runners in scoring position after that.

“We’ve got to get back after it, play a good fundamental game and see if we can bring that one home,’’ Grifol said. “We’ve got to prepare ourselves for tomorrow, compete, try to get a win and try to win this series.’’