Bench, bullpen depth paying dividends for White Sox manager Will Venable

PHILADELPHIA — Last season, the White Sox showed the makings of an infield core that could serve the team well into the future with shortstop Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Miguel Vargas.

A few more everyday pieces falling into place early this season — hello, Munetaka Murakami, Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci — have boosted the Sox to their most promising start in five years. Davis Martin’s star turn as the ace of an improved pitching staff hasn’t hurt, either.

But a reliable cast of bench players and bullpen arms are cementing the Sox’ belief that their competitive window is finally cracking open, and it’s not just that manager Will Venable has more talent to work with. The second-year skipper is also learning how to use it.

“Will has done a good job of keeping his bench in games,” said veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk, who has hit a torrid .294/.321/.686 with six homers since signing with the Sox last month.

“There are opportunities to leave the guys out there, and there are opportunities to get the bench some reps, even if it’s one at-bat here and there to stay as fresh as you can,” he said. “It’s tough, and he’s done a great job.”

Grichuk knocked a pinch-hit, two-run single in Sunday’s rubber game against the Phillies, just his latest clutch showing after two pinch-hit home runs over the past month. Derek Hill, the Sox’ other reserve outfielder, has swatted two pinch-hit dingers in the same timeframe, combining for the Sox’ MLB-high four on the year.

Their contributions have come at an opportune moment with the Sox, who are trying to fill the offensive void left by Murakami’s hamstring injury that could sideline him till next month.

The Sox’ batting order has hardly skipped a beat since the slugging rookie went down, posting 39 runs in the first seven games he’s been out of the lineup, with a lift from rookie call-up Jacob Gonzalez (6-for-20 with a homer and 4 RBI).

“It’s huge,” Grichuk said. “There are some ballclubs out there that don’t use their bench, and there are some that do, and [Venable] does a great job of keeping us all as fresh as he can while trying to win ballgames, playing the matchups and understanding who’s hot and who needs more at-bats.”

Just as important has been Venable’s bullpen management, which he has acknowledged posed his steepest learning curve in his first season.

With undoubtedly stronger bullets in the pen this year, Sox relievers entered play Sunday with an MLB-high 280 ⅓ innings pitched while holding opponents to a fourth-lowest .232 batting average.

“We just talk about it on a daily basis, and he’s wide open to all input,” Sox bullpen coach Matt Wise said. “It’s probably the toughest thing for any manager in the first couple of years, but having flexible guys down there makes it a little easier.”

That was on display in Saturday’s victory, when the pen posted a season-high 13 strikeouts, seven from bulk thrower Sean Burke and three from veteran swing man Sean Newcomb (2.35 ERA in 38 ⅓ innings), who has proven himself one of Venable’s most reliable and versatile arms.

“He’s a leader down there,” said Wise, who coached Newcomb earlier in his career in the Angels’ farm system.

“I’m ready for the ball whenever, whether it’s the ninth or early right after the starter, or if something else happens,” Newcomb said. “I take a lot of pride in taking the ball whenever and for as long as I can.”

Add in the likes of fireballer Grant Taylor, big-money closer Seranthony Dominguez and lanky hurler Bryan Hudson, and “it’s the most fun I’ve ever had as a coach,” Wise said.

“It’s not even close. The guys, the energy after the game, the energy before the game, just the camaraderie that the guys have,” he said. “It’s easy to say that when you’re winning. But it truly is the most fun to be around.”