Gómez's strong return to Progressive provides full-circle moment

CLEVELAND -- On April 22, Progressive Field served as the staging ground of a flashpoint moment of Yoendrys Gómez’s career.

After spending the first seven years of his Major League career as a member of the Yankees, he was a roster casualty the day after he was called to cover three innings out of the bullpen against the Guardians.

A little less than five months later, he made his return to the Progressive Field mound as a member of the White Sox, where he tossed five strong innings in Chicago’s 3-2 loss to the Guardians.

After he allowed four runs in five innings against the Rays duing his last time out (which manager Will Venable said was the “first time he saw Gómez get hurt in the zone”), the 25-year-old allowed just two earned runs on two hits against the Guardians. He’s now posted a 4.14 ERA in 32 2/3 innings as a starter with the White Sox.

“He was great today,” Venable said. “I thought the fastball was really good. When he throws strikes, he’s really effective… Usuall,y there’s a ton of swing-and-miss, and he’s mixed it up really nicely. He’s been getting some good results.”

Gómez, who MLB Pipeline once ranked as a Top 10 prospect for the Yankees, bounced around after he was cut loose by New York. He was quickly claimed by the Dodgers, but was designated for assignment two weeks later after he allowed seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The White Sox scooped him up off waivers after that and gave him three relief appearances before they designated him for assignment after signing Adrian Houser in May.

“You never want to be in that position,” Gómez said through interpreter Billy Russo. “I kept working hard, and this team gave me the opportunity, and I’ve been able to take full advantage of it.”

He spent almost three months with Triple-A Charlotte before being called up in August, where he’s worked as a full-time starter since. He’s gone at least five innings in five of his seven starts and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of them.

“He’s somebody we were able to get off waivers and then get back again,” Venable said. “He’s gone to work and provided us with some really quality innings.”

In total, Chicago’s starters (Martín Pérez, Davis Martin and Gómez) combined for a 3.80 ERA across the weekend's three-game series. The rest of the talent in the White Sox pitching staff will be on full display in their next series against the Orioles, as Opening Day starter Sean Burke will work in some capacity Monday (likely in front of an opener) before All-Star Shane Smith will take the ball on Tuesday.

“We’ve asked a lot of our guys and tapped into our depth, and these guys have done a great job,” Venable said.

The Sox first run came on a fourth-inning double from Miguel Vargas before Chase Meidroth added on with a solo home run in the fifth inning. The homer extended Meidroth’s hit streak to 10 games -- a span during which he’s hitting .471.

“I put a good swing on a good pitch,” Meidroth said. “I’m just trying to keep my routine the same and do my work behind the scenes and trust myself when I get behind the plate.”

Chicago put together a valiant rally in the ninth inning against Guardians closer Cade Smith, when singles from Vargas and Lenyn Sosa put runners on the corners with two outs, and for a minute, it seemed like Cleveland would tie the game when Andrew Benintendi chopped a ball up the middle that seemed destined to find its way through.

“I started yelling because I thought it was through,” Meidroth said.

But Guardians second baseman Brayan Rocchio (who came up as a shortstop) ranged to his right to secure the ball at the end of the infield dirt before making an incredible sidearm throw to get Benintendi by a hair.

Benintendi’s sprint speed on the play was 29 ft./sec., the fastest he’s run on any play this season.

"I thought it might squeak through there, and even when he caught it, I thought [Benintendi] might beat it out,” Venable said. “That kind of symbolized what we saw today.”