PHOENIX — Right-hander Mike Vasil did it all last season for the White Sox’ pitching staff, serving as a spot starter, long reliever, high-leverage man and closer.
But Vasil, a former Rule 5 Draft pick, has a new role this season and one he certainly didn’t ask for.
Clubhouse cheerleader.
With his second season in the big leagues lost to a catastrophic elbow injury and Tommy John surgery, Vasil has traveled with the Sox and embraced the little things he can contribute to help his teammates develop while he can’t — not on the field, at least.
‘‘I just try and bring positive vibes to the guys, some good energy,’’ Vasil, 26, said in an empty clubhouse this month in Kansas City after his teammates headed out for the pregame work he won’t be able to approach for months.
With his powerful right arm in a brace, it was a rare moment the gregarious Vasil expressed a little melancholy as he stares down his yearlong recovery.
But there’s no containing the outgoing personality of a player who famously brought two to the Sox, if you count the ‘‘Batman’’ persona he channeled last season on the mound. (Yes, his ‘‘Batman’’ mask is in tow this season.)
So while Vasil isn’t throwing, he’s assisting with scouting reports, tallying his teammates’ shutdown innings for in-house competition and looking for any other way to keep spirits high on a rebuilding team.
‘‘Any way I can contribute while I’m doing my rehab, that’s really what I’m here to do,’’ Vasil said. ‘‘It keeps my mind fresh. It makes it a lot more enjoyable. At the same time, I want to be a part of the team. Winning matters to me. This team matters to me a lot. I care about what we’re doing. It’s not like I’m just a guy rehabbing in the org. I want to be able to do everything I can to help this team win.’’
The Sox are missing Vasil as much as he misses them. He finished tied with Adrian Houser last season for the lead among Sox pitchers in WAR (2.9, according to Baseball Reference) and trailed only Colson Montgomery’s 3.3 for the whole team. He pitched 101 innings — a major-league high for relievers — across just about every conceivable scenario.
Vasil’s 2.50 ERA led all rookies. He also had a 5-3 record with four saves in six chances and struck out 82 in 47 appearances, including three starts.
Without their Swiss Army knife in the bullpen, Sox relievers have struggled to a 5.64 ERA this season, the third-worst in the majors entering play Monday.
General manager Chris Getz has said the Sox are looking to second-year flame-thrower Grant Taylor (3.97 ERA) to cover around 100 innings in a variety of roles — most notably as an opener — but Taylor has been knocked around a couple of times in between outings in which he has looked unhittable.
Meanwhile, closer Seranthony Dominguez (5.63) has blown two of his six save opportunities and made things more interesting than the Sox were hoping when they inked him to a two-year, $20 million deal.
And it has been a mixed bag for Jordan Hicks (4.91), Jordan Leasure (5.23) and Sean Newcomb (4.61), prompting well-worn paths among Chicago, Triple-A Charlotte and the waiver wire. The Sox already have cycled through 21 pitchers this season.
Manager Will Venable sure would love to be able to send up the ‘‘bat signal,’’ just like Vasil would.
‘‘There have definitely been some times throughout the year, which makes it hard, where I could see how I could plug myself in and save some innings for some other guys,’’ Vasil said. ‘‘What’s tough for me is I liked doing that, knowing I could come in and eat a chunk of innings when we needed it. But I think right now it’s still early, and everyone’s really falling into a role. We’re trying different things. Everyone’s flexible.’’