The White Sox recalled rookie right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure from Triple-A Charlotte Monday. To make room on the 26-man roster, right-hander Steven Wilson was optioned to Charlotte.
Leasure, who made the Opening Day roster, was sent to Charlotte on June 14 after posting a 4.08 ERA in 30 relief appearances. He struck out 26 batters and walked 17 in 28 2/3 innings.
“That was good for him to get a little break,’' Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “He was pitching a lot and in leverage. Very rarely did he pitch in non-leverage situations and that’s tough for a rookie.”
At Charlotte, Leasure appeared in six games and allowed three runs, striking out six and walking two over 5 1/3 innings.
“Obviously wasn’t happy about [getting sent down], but in the long run it will work out for me for the best,’ Leasure said Monday. “Definitely excited to be back and build off of what I was doing down there.
“They didn’t really give me anything to work on. They told me, just for a little bit of a break, give me a breather since early in the season I was always in high leverage roles, in the first two months of a big league career it was kind of catching up to me maybe.”
Grifol said Leasure will continue pitching late in games.
“Those are the situations I want to be in,” Leasure said. “There’s a lot to learn from each situation.”
Wilson owns a 3.46 ERA in 30 games. He was acquired in the trade with the Padres for Dylan Cease during spring training. Wilson was on the injured list from May 20 till June 12 with a low back strain.
“It’s just roster options,” Grifol said, who likes have multi-innings options like Chad Kuhl and Justin Anderson from the right side and lefties Tanner Banks and Jared Shuster at his disposal. “A lot of guys here have pitched well, guys here with some length that can help us. We’ll see Willy again. He’s thrown the ball well, here, made some adjustments, we’ll see him again.”
The Sox (26-66) open a three-game series Monday night against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.
