Chicago White Sox reliever Jake Diekman may be a guy that we don’t know much about. He came to the White Sox last season in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in August.
The White Sox gave up catcher Reese McGuire and a player that would be named later (who turned out to be Taylor Broadway) to get him.
Diekman didn’t get that many opportunities to shine but with a full spring training in the White Sox organization under his belt, it can be assured that Diekman will be able to help the Sox pitching staff out this year.
In his limited action with the Sox in 2022, Diekman appeared in 26 games, finishing two of those games.
He was credited with a win-loss record of 0-3. He pitched 19.1 innings giving up 25 hits, 18 runs, and 14 earned runs. Diekman allowed four home runs, 12 walks, and 28 strikeouts. His ERA was 6.52.
Jake Diekman needs to be a solid part of the 2023 White Sox bullpen.
This must be a better season for Diekman. The Sox are depending on him to perform better and come in to help them win games in 2023.
If you watched Diekman in action last year, you may have noticed a few interesting things about him. He is an experienced lefty that has a large frame that’s ideal for pitching.
Standing at six feet four inches, Diekman has the size that you would want. He’s got a decent arm, albeit not a spectacular one but he gets by. Diekman has been prone to injury in the past and this could affect him this year.
Diekman utilizes four pitches. His favorite, like that of near-Cy Young Award winner Dylan Cease, is the slider. The changeup sits at the bottom of his pitching arsenal while the sinker and the four-seam fastball are in the middle.
He gets great velocity out of his four-seam fastball and sinkers, averaging in the high 90s there but gets up in just the 80s with his slider and changeup.
Mechanically, Diekman is sound but as he gets older, he has lost a step or two. The 36-year-old still has something left in the tank and can still be an asset to the White Sox this year.
Diekman gives the White Sox an extra arm in the bullpen that can be utilized strategically. Depending on the situation, he will give them another option to close out and win games.
The White Sox bullpen is much better than people sometimes give them credit for. Granted, they may be down Liam Hendriks for a while but the rest of their bullpen has shown that it can be solid. And Diekman is someone that could be solid as well. We will have to see how he does to start the season.
I would look for Diekman to become an important part of the Sox bullpen in 2023. One would think that he will pick up and play well this year, giving the Sox another arm that they can trust.
I believe he will have a good season, not a stellar one but a good one. That will help the White Sox win some games.