P¨¦rez takes another step toward earning Opening Day start

MESA, Ariz. -- The White Sox will use their fourth Opening Day starter in as many years in 2025, and the stuff, the resum¨¦ and the calendar all point toward left-hander Martín Pérez getting the ball.

P¨¦rez is satisfied to let it play out.

¡°Just want a chance to pitch every five days,¡± he said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what game I have when we start the season. What matters is going out there and making 32 starts. I¡¯m here to pitch. Take the ball every five days and help the team to win games.

¡°They have their plan ¡­ and I¡¯m going to respect any plan. I came here to help my teammates and do my job.¡±

P¨¦rez gave up one run and three hits over 36 pitches and three innings in the White Sox 10-3 victory over the Athletics on Monday.

He struck out one, walked one and was so efficient he threw another 12 pitches in the bullpen as he stretches out for the regular season.

If P¨¦rez remains in turn here, he would be pitching on regular rest in the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field on March 27, factoring in the Sox Cactus League off-day on March 18.

Lucas Giolito started the White Sox openers for three straight seasons in 2020-22, followed by Dylan Cease and Garrett Crochet in ¡®23 and ¡®24, respectively. Cease was traded during Spring Training last season, and Crochet was dealt to Boston this offseason. It would be P¨¦rez¡¯s first Opening Day start.

P¨¦rez, a six-time double-digit winner, signed a one-year, $5 million contract in January that will pay him $3.5 million this season with a $10 million mutual option for 2026 or a $1.5 million buyout.

P¨¦rez induced a lot of soft contact Monday, using a breaking ball and changeup effectively.

¡°Spring Training is to get ready for the season, and I¡¯m getting to the point where I want to be,¡± P¨¦rez said.

Drury returning to form
Brandon Drury is back to being himself, and it has shown in his Cactus League numbers.

A mechanical change designed to create more exit velocity did not produce the desired results in 2024, so Drury returned to the approach that he used in his best seasons -- 2022 (28 homers and 87 RBIs) and '23 (26 homers and 83 RBIs).

¡°Sometimes you play well and you always want more,¡± Drury said. ¡°I was trying to go for more -- I wanted more homers and more exit velo, and it took away my natural ability to hit. So I went back to what has worked. Focused on getting my swing back to giving myself the most margin for error. Just being as short as possible.¡±

Drury played through a left hamstring injury and a lingering illness that limited him to 97 games with the Angels last season, when he hit .169 with four homers and 15 RBIs.

A non-roster invitee, Drury has played primarily second and third base in his career, with a smattering of appearances at first base, DH and in the outfield.

¡°The bat has really come along,¡± manager Will Venable said. ¡°He looks more like the ¡¯22, ¡¯23 version. Another one of those guys who can play everywhere in the infield except for shortstop. We¡¯ll be considering among that group of guys who can do the same.¡±

Said Drury, ¡°I don¡¯t care where I play. I just want to be in the lineup and get back on track to being the hitter that I am.¡±

Berroa looks forward
Prelander Berroa has sought opinions about what to expect from his upcoming Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately, he has not had to search far.

Davis Martin underwent the procedure in 2023 and Jesse Scholtens is recovering from his surgery last year. Mike Clevinger had it in 2021. Like Berroa, Juan Carela is to have the operation shortly.

¡°It helps having guys here who have gone through that process before,¡± Berroa said through interpreter Billy Russo. ¡°I¡¯ve been asking questions about how the process is. They told me it¡¯s a little hard in the beginning, but then things start getting better and better.

¡°For the most part, they all say that it feels good once you are able to throw again because it feels like you have a new arm.¡±

Berroa said he expects the surgery to be scheduled in a week or two.

Clevinger recovers well
Mike Clevinger ¡°looked great,¡± Venable said, after Clevinger struck out two in an 11-pitch inning in his Cactus League debut Sunday. He also threw another 20 pitches in the bullpen.

¡°I¡¯m good. Could go again today,¡± said Clevinger, who is vying for a spot in the bullpen, perhaps in a high-leverage situation in the back end.

¡°I know he has a bunch of pitches, but the breaking ball looked really good and he was in the zone,¡± Venable said. ¡°We are still quite a ways away from figuring out the back-end pieces.¡±