'That's my guy': Dunn's NBA rookie brother, Durant catch game
Top prospect duo reassigned to Minors camp
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinGLENDALE, Ariz. -- There was a special guest in attendance to watch Justin Dunn pitch at American Family Fields of Phoenix during Chicago's split-squad action on Wednesday.
Justin's younger brother, Ryan, a rookie forward for the Phoenix Suns, sat in the stands cheering on the right-hander alongside Kevin Durant, his All-Star teammate. Having one of the greatest players in NBA history in attendance was something special for Justin, but nothing beats those family bonds.
Justin, 29, is located close enough to return that support when the Suns play at home; he even knows exactly when his 22-year-old brother comes out for pregame shootaround.
¡°[Attend] a Suns game? Every game. That¡¯s my guy,¡± said Justin at Camelback Ranch on Thursday, prior to the White Sox 7-3 loss to the Giants in Scottsdale. ¡°For all he had to sacrifice for me to get to where I am today, any chance I get to support him, I¡¯m there.
¡°It helps when it¡¯s 30 minutes away, and the Suns are a super welcoming organization and they do a great job of welcoming the family and making it easy for us to be around. It feels like I¡¯m almost part of the team basically.¡±
Justin's two scoreless innings on Wednesday marked the first time Ryan had watched his brother in action in two years. Ryan, who went to college at Virginia, was on his own journey -- as Justin described it -- while Justin worked back from chronic right shoulder issues which had kept him off a Major League mound since 2022 with the Reds and required surgery at the end of the '23 season.
There are no health issues for Justin currently, and nothing holding him back while part of White Sox camp, as Ryan (and Durant) witnessed Wednesday.
¡°To have him out here is pretty special," Justin said. "That¡¯s my best friend in the world. Just to have him there was amazing. I also couldn¡¯t be thankful enough that Kevin came. If that¡¯s not a leader and a good person, I don¡¯t know what is.
¡°I¡¯m finally healthy. Still a little rusty in game situations but getting back into it, and I¡¯m only going to get better. The guy I am now is not the guy that¡¯s going to be at the end of camp. The guy that¡¯s at the end of camp is not going to be the guy at the end of the season. I¡¯m just excited and enjoying the process.¡±
It was Durant who reportedly asked Ryan when Justin was going to pitch so they could watch. Justin had his first long conversation with Durant a week or two ago, but he already knew the way Ryan spoke highly of the NBA star.
¡°I know he¡¯s a great person and a great leader," Justin said. "Again, the first thing I said to him was, ¡®Thank you for what you do for my brother, because I¡¯ve been in the locker room and you don¡¯t have to do that.' And just him saying he loves him and knows he¡¯s got his back is everything I could ask for.¡±
Durant loves baseball and loves the White Sox, according to Justin, who has already hooked up Durant with some South Side swag. But, down the line, the 14-time All-Star with a career 27.2 points per game average over his 17 seasons wants something special, something he can only get from Justin Dunn.
¡°Well, he wants my jersey -- he wants it when I get there,¡± Justin said. ¡°Trust me, that was a surreal moment when I asked him, ¡®35 or 7? Easy Money or Durant?¡¯ He said, ¡®I want Dunn with whatever number you have.¡¯ So we have to make that happen and, God willing, we can make it happen pretty soon.
¡°He wears a White Sox hat every day. I joke with my brother, ¡®Tell him I¡¯ll get him a fresh hat.¡¯ His hat is dusty. We got him a fresh hat and next, he wants a South Side jersey.¡±
The future, returned
Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith -- the top two left-handed pitching prospects in the game, per MLB Pipeline -- were reassigned to Minor League camp as part of five roster moves made Thursday. The duo, who could join the White Sox at some point in 2025, each had three impressive scoreless frames in their first Cactus League action, including two each Wednesday.
¡°The future is bright for those guys and obviously they had a really good showing,¡± manager Will Venable said. ¡°Excited for them to go do their thing and get built up for the year.
¡°We're all excited for them to be here as soon as possible. But I don't think it's that challenging just to stay on target, do our thing to help them develop.¡±