The White Sox’ Korey Lee reacts after striking out to end the top of the third inning against the Twins on Monday, in Minneapolis.
Abbie Parr/AP
MINNESOTA — The subject of fans asking about accountability came up before the White Sox’ latest loss, a 7-0 drubbing from the Twins, a team having a lousy start to the season all their own.
That sort of thing will be broached with 3-19 teams, which is what the Sox are after getting shut out for the eighth time, including once every series.
“I really care about our fans, I truly care about our fans,” he said before the game.
“But I’m not going to throw out there anything that I speak to our players as individuals or as a team. I’m just not going to do it. That’s how I choose to lead. That’s how I choose to run this club.”
In other words, Grifol wants it known that poor execution, fundamentals and the like are being addressed.
“I can tell you this, rest assured, that everything that happens on this ballclub, on the field, off the field that affects us being able to win a baseball game or the integrity and character of this organization, is being addressed. That’s the only thing I can say. As far as getting into the specifics of it, I’m never going to do this. We can continue to talk about it and you guys can continue to ask those questions and I’ll continue to answer this way. The only thing I can assure you is that everybody here, including myself, is being held accountable.”
Without mentioning names, Grifol did call out second baseman Lenyn Sosa’s botched rundown and Andrew Benintendi overthrowing the cutoff man Sunday in Philadelphia. Sosa was optioned to Charlotte Monday, and Benintendi was not in the lineup against the Twins, although Benintendi, who was batting .158/.200/.171 through Sunday, was due for a day off anyway, Grifol said.
“There’s nothing that’s not going to be addressed,” Grifol said. “If we’re talking about rundowns, cutoffs, about whatever happens on or off the field, rest assured that it’s being addressed.”
A couple hours later, Dominic Fletcher, getting plenty of time the center field spot vacated by injured Luis Robert Jr., gloved Ryan Jeffers’ single and threw toward third, where there was no play on Trevor Larnach. Jeffers took second on the throw, and both runners scored on Max Kepler’s double.
The rebuilding Sox were supposed to be built around defense and fundamentals, and for the first two weeks, they followed the plan. But sloppier play has accompanied the hapless offense and inconsistent pitching of late.
Jonathan Cannon, like Nastrini on Sunday, followed a good debut with a bad encore. Facing a team struggling like the Sox but not the same degree, Cannon gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. The Twins (8-13) entered with a .195 batting average.
The Sox, meanwhile, entered with a .188/.264/.288 hitting line and didn’t get a hit against Chris Paddock (10 strikeouts) till the fourth inning, not as bad as Friday and Saturday when they went into the seventh and eighth innings without a hit.
Danny Mendick, who had eight homers at Triple-A Charlotte, had two of the Sox’ eight hits.
“We’re going through it and bringing in guys who can add fresh energy and positivity, and he’s playing good baseball,” right fielder Gavin Sheets, one of the few Sox with respectable numbers.
“We’re hanging in there. It’s brutal, man. Have to keep going. It’s way too early to give up.”
Sheets got called out on strikes to end the eighth inning, and Grifol had a heated exchange with plate umpire Mike Estabrook before getting thrown out for the sixth time in his two-year career. Sheets was also ejected.