White Sox: Four Reasons Why Will Dylan Cease Breakout 2021
Dylan Cease is going to have a breakout season for the Chicago White Sox.
Even before he was named the 2018 MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year, it was known Dylan Cease had some front end of rotation potential, it was only a matter of time until he tapped into it for the Chicago White Sox.
After a lackluster rookie season in 2019, many not only hoped but expected Cease to have a strong 2020. Following the breakout season of his teammate Lucas Giolito the year prior, the attention shifted away from him and onto Cease’s shoulders to be the next pitcher to take that next step. Especially with Michael Kopech opting out of 2020, Cease needed to be the ace Giolito already was for the White Sox to make a World Series run.
There was a slight improvement on the year before, but he was just not as good as the team would have liked, considering the role he was in at the time. Combined with ‘19 and ‘20, Cease has an ERA of 5.00 on 131.1 innings. He has given up 128 hits and 73 earned runs. He has also allowed 27 home runs and 69 walks while only striking out 125 batters. That’s not exactly rookie of the year stuff.
His major league numbers are almost opposite to his minor league numbers. In 2018, Cease posted a 2.40 ERA in 124 innings along with 160 strikeouts and only 50 walks. The Dylan Cease of the major leagues is not the same that pitched in the minors. As the calendar turns over and a new season is about to begin, a sort of optimism fills the air. Cease has struggled so far, but if you stop and look at some small, hidden details, it could give you similar optimism that will make you believe 2021 will be the year Dylan Cease breaks out.
New Chicago White Sox pitching coach, Ethan Katz, should really be able to help Cease.
After the 2020 season ended, the White Sox made some changes to the coaching staff. Letting go of one of the game’s legends in Don Cooper opened the door for Ethan Katz, someone more new-school and can keep up with the game’s evolving technology and training systems. The Sox get a couple of other little perks along with the signing of Katz.
When he struggled and was probably the worst eligible starting pitching in baseball, Lucas Giolito sought the help of Katz. The two, along with other trainers, helped form Giolito’s new delivery and fixed the mechanics he needed to take the next step. Dylan Cease has struggled so far in the majors and is making strides to get better. That will be easier with the mind of Katz coaching him.
In an interview with NBC’s Chuck Garfein on the White Sox Talk Podcast, Ethan Katz mentioned working on Cease’s delivery and command. From there, he said, he plans on adding another layer to his development. In a later podcast, Cease discussed his training routine this past offseason, saying Katz gives him drills to do. While working out, Cease records himself and the two discuss his progress.
Cease also mentioned his desire to be better and help contribute to this team. He recalled game three and how his dreadful September led Dane Dunning to start that game instead. He mentioned not being able to be mad at anyone other than himself. It is clear that he is motivated to take that next step in 2021. With some face-to-face work with Katz along with his work ethic and desire to be better, not to mention that motivation, lines it up perfectly for Cease to break out.
Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox might really be able to help Dylan Cease.
If there is one guy on the team Dylan Cease can depend on, it is Lucas Giolito. We see it every start on TV when Giolito is beside Cease in the dugout giving in-game adjustments between innings. Giolito is the guy Cease can look to when he is falling on some hard times like he is now. Why? Because Giolito was in his shoes just two years ago. The similarities in the path to a breakout season between the two are uncanny.
After a terrible season, Cease took the offseason to reevaluate his mechanics with Ethan Katz. The similarities do not stop there. When Giolito began his training with Katz, he started by using the core velocity belt. Cease revealed on that podcast that he is starting the exact same way, pointed out by Chuck Garfein.
Do you remember the first time you saw Giolito’s new delivery? Quick side note, I recall seeing every national telecast say the same thing and point out the same change in delivery using the same two clips. Anyway, Cease talked about working on his delivery mechanics. It is possible we see a difference in Cease’s 2021 wind-up.
Both were also traded for during the team’s first phase of the rebuild. Both are expected to be in the front of the rotation when it comes time for contending. One has taken that step…maybe the other will next season too. Giolito hit rock bottom but put in the work to get better and now he is the ace of this ballclub. Dylan Cease, in terms of development, has followed a similar path as Giolito which has led him to this offseason which is the offseason that is supposed to change the course of his career and finally be the player many predicted he could be. Let’s hope he is even better.
Dylan Cease was great for the Chicago White Sox in August of 2020.
If there is one good, positive thing to take away from Cease’s first two major league seasons, it is how dominant he was throughout August 2020. On August 2, Cease started his second game of the season with an ERA of 15.43. After allowing only two earned runs in six innings against the Royals, it dropped to 6.48. In that game against Kansas City, Cease struck out four and allowed a home run, but just five hits.
After five scoreless innings against Cleveland, along with four more strikeouts on just two hits in his next start, he brought his ERA down to 4.05. He did walk five, which displays his need to fix his command.
Despite losing, Cease recalled August 23 against the Cubs to be “his best start” on the White Sox Talk Podcast with Chuck Garfein. He went six innings allowing two earned runs on four hits. He struck out five but walked three. The two he gave up came with one out in the sixth after a Javier Baez double base hit and Kyle Schwarber’s home run, prior to striking Anthony Rizzo out.
Cease would give up six earned runs in his remaining four games in August. After his last start in the month, the 29th against the Royals where he allowed one earned through 4.1, Cease had brought his ERA down to 3.00.
However, things took a turn for the worse. After a less than ideal September, Cease finished with an ERA of 4.01. His cold stretch led to Dane Dunning getting the game 3 start in Oakland which would have been Cease’s job otherwise.
Looking forward, Cease is lucky to have a 7-10 game stretch where he was actually dominant. He has the potential and has the nasty stuff, he just needs some tweaking and guidance in the right direction to unlock it all. Cease has a frame of reference of a time when he was dominant so he can build off of it instead of starting from scratch as Giolito did.
Dylan Cease doesn’t have to be the best pitcher on the Chicago White Sox.
When Dylan Cease was traded for, it was expected that he would join Lucas Giolito and even Michael Kopech at the top of the rotation in three to five years. That is a lot of pressure to put on a 21-year-old.
He flew through the minor leagues and proved he was ready to start his big league career. Here he is, just getting his feet wet with less than 140 innings pitched, and he was expected to be that last piece to the three-headed monster that is needed to win a World Series. He just was not ready, and that is not his fault. He was catapulted into a role he was not ready for.
Now with the signing of Lance Lynn, he has less pressure to be that third punch and can focus on personal development before working into a role where he is depended on in high-stakes situations in the future.
Along with rumors of the White Sox wanting to add another rotation arm, he has even less pressure to be that Cy Young candidate and can focus on taking it one step at a time. We all know what happens when prospects are rushed and Cease’s potential is too high to squander. The same can be said for his teammate Michael Kopech. The two can now develop at their own pace with less pressure to be dominant right out of the gate.
Hot. The Francisco Lindor trade has improved the White Sox chances. light
Now, the goal is for him to break out within the next year or year and a half. That the correct pressure a player like Cease should be under. He is only 25 and, again, has only pitched 131 innings in the majors. With talent being added, he can develop at his own pace which would prove to be more effective in the long run. Then the 2018 MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year can turn into an MLB Cy Young winner.