Chicago White Sox teammates jokingly gave Jordan Leasure some advice.
“Walking into the clubhouse, trying to find my way in here, and then going out to the stadium and seeing it for the first time, guys kept coming up to me and telling me, ‘Stop smiling,’” the rookie said Thursday morning at Guaranteed Rate Field. “It’s hard not to.”
After a terrific spring, the right-handed reliever earned a spot on the opening-day roster.
“This is what everyone works for and to finally make it here, it feels special,” Leasure said. “I’m still taking it all in. And the guys around me in the clubhouse are making it even better, congratulating me and welcoming me. It’s been really great.”
Leasure, 25, had a 1.93 ERA in 10 relief appearances during Cactus League games this spring. He stuck out 11 batters in 9 1/3 innings. Manager Pedro Grifol said Leasure displayed a number of positives during camp.
“Power stuff, strike thrower, weapons to strike people out,” Grifol said. “Composure, high character, good makeup.
“I haven’t seen a moment get too big for him. Obviously we haven’t been in this venue, but I haven’t seen a moment overtake his character and personality. I’ve seen him stay within himself, not too up, not too down.”
The Sox acquired Leasure as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He pitched for Triple-A Charlotte after the deal, where he had a 6.08 ERA in 15 appearances.
Leasure excelled during the Arizona Fall League, finishing with a 1.08 ERA in eight outings. He carried that performance over to the spring.
Photos: Opening day for Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field
General manager Chris Getz loved Leasure’s mindset and stuff.
“Even going back to when we acquired him at the (trade) deadline last year, impressive fastball and slider,” Getz said Wednesday. “What we really focused on was that third pitch to combat left-handed hitters. We played around with a curveball that he really took to. And took that into the Arizona Fall League and was productive with it. Fast forward to spring training and he had three really solid weapons for him to combat hitters.”
Leasure said the messages from Getz and Grifol when he made the team were meaningful.
“I felt like I threw pretty well, but to have that confirmation from them — I knew what they were looking for me to do — It felt great,” Leasure said.
He felt he was able to throw a good mix of all his pitches throughout the spring. He did not allow a run until his final spring outing.
“Throwing strikes, filling up the zone and trusting my stuff,” Leasure said. “Not trying to do too much. Just stay within myself.”
Related Articles
On opening day, White Sox fans out in full force: ‘This has always been Bridgeport tradition’
Garrett Crochet shines, but bats are cold for the Chicago White Sox in 1-0 opening-day loss to the Detroit Tigers
Photos: Opening day for Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field
Column: Will offseason plans pan out for the Cubs and White Sox? Check back in October.
Despite doom-and-gloom projections, the Chicago White Sox and manager Pedro Grifol have plenty of motivation for 2024
Leasure said his curveball has come a long way.
“I feel really confident right now,” he said. “It’s not going to be a pitch I use too much but whenever I need it, I feel I can go to it.
“I actually threw it against lefties in the spring and kind of saw what it can do and I got a lot of good feedback from the hitters in the spring using that kind of early in the count. I’m looking forward to taking that into the season.”
With many new arrivals — such as signing John Brebbia and Tim Hill, trading for Steven Wilson and moving Michael Kopech from the rotation to the bullpen — the Sox are still working through specific relief roles.
“Just kind of right now everyone in the bullpen will fit in somewhere,” Leasure said when asked of his duties. “They have different pockets they want us to go in and face different hitters kind of based on the matchups. At this point, we are just ready to go whenever the phone rings.”
Leasure said he received a lot of texts and DMs after the official announcement that he had made the team. He reached out to family beforehand to share the news, but told them to keep it off social media until he got the clearance.
“Mostly because I didn’t know if it might get out,” Leasure said with a smile. “I kind of told a lot more people than I was planning on. It was exciting and now that it’s official, I’ve been getting a lot more messages, so it’s been cool.”
While Leasure didn’t get in Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers, his focus — now that he’s made the big leagues — is to keep doing what he’s been doing.
“Stay within myself, don’t really change anything, not try to do too much,” Leasure said. “Just keep competing like I have been in the spring and all through the minor leagues and try to stay the same person and player on the field.”
