Santiago ready to be 'Swiss Army Knife' again
Starter takes loss, but looks forward to future in White Sox return
DETROIT – When Hector Santiago became a free agent on June 18 shortly after being designated for assignment by the Mets, he was told by his representation it could be a little while before he found work with another team.
Two days later, Santiago signed a Minor League deal with the White Sox. And on Tuesday night, during Chicago’s 10-6 Game 2 loss following a 5-3 win in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader at Comerica Park, he returned to the mound for the South Siders.
“I don't know if it was any other team if I would sign as quick as I did, but knowing the history here and how many times I've come back and I've been able to get back up here with these guys, I was looking forward to it,” said Santiago, who took the loss in his 2019 White Sox debut. “It took a little bit longer than I wanted it to, but in the end, it all worked out. I'm definitely happy to be back.”
Santiago originally was drafted by the White Sox in the 30th round of the 2006 Draft, and he has served as a starter, long reliever and even a closer during his stints with the organization. He made seven starts for Triple-A Charlotte before allowing five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking two against Detroit.
With Dylan Covey optioned to Charlotte after the loss, Santiago’s third run with the White Sox (following 2011-13 and '18) officially has begun. It most likely will feature work out of the bullpen.
“You guys have seen Hector,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “He’ll start for you, he’ll pick up innings, he’ll stay out there. He’ll save your 'pen. I think today with both he and Covey trying to split it between those guys to get us some distance, they gave us a little help with everybody else we’ve been throwing out there [in relief] for quite a bit.”
“When I came over here, they were like, 'You're a starter and be the same chameleon or Swiss Army Knife you've been the last couple of times,’” said Santiago, who was given that moniker by former manager Robin Ventura. “Coming back here, they knew what to expect and I knew what to expect.”
Tuesday night’s setback ended a three-game White Sox winning streak. They claimed a 5-3 victory in the afternoon opener behind Dylan Cease’s second career victory and Jose Abreu’s 170th career home run.
Detroit took a 7-2 lead into the eighth in the nightcap before Trevor Rosenthal entered for the Tigers and allowed three runs while retiring just one of the four batters he faced. The White Sox had the tying runs on base with two outs in the eighth, following Ryan Goins’ third hit, when Buck Farmer retired Abreu on a grounder to third on a 3-1 pitch.
Four White Sox players had multihit efforts, including Eloy Jimenez, who knocked out three hits in his last three at-bats after going 0-for-7 to that point in the doubleheader. Chicago's offense has picked up overall during the last four games, but it wasn’t strong enough Tuesday night to make a winner of Santiago in his return.
“Overall, the velocity was a lot more than it's been the last couple of weeks or earlier in the season,” said Santiago, who threw 99 pitches and departed shortly before a 61-minute rain delay. “High pitch count, that's normal, effectively wild. But overall, I thought I threw the ball pretty well and tried to give us a chance to stay in there and keep it close.”