WASHINGTON — It hasn’t been an easy season for White Sox right-hander Sean Burke, but it ended on a high note Saturday.
The Opening Day starter, who found himself in Triple-A Charlotte last month after a late-season slump, struck out a career-high 10 batters before the Sox’ bullpen imploded and a ninth-inning rally fell short during a rainy 6-5 loss to the Nationals.
Entering in the second inning behind opener Tyler Gilbert, Burke went 4⅓ innings and allowed a walk and three hits, including a two-run home run by Nats right fielder Daylen Lile.
Burke went 4-11 with a 4.31 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 133⅔ innings over 28 games in a season full of tough lessons for which he’s grateful.
“Hopefully in the next couple of years when we’re playing a lot better baseball, those lessons are out of the way, and I can just go and keep attacking and being consistent,” he said.
Colson Montgomery and Brooks Baldwin staked Burke to a 4-2 lead with two-run homers, but relievers Steve Wilson and Brandon Eisert gave up homers to cough it up en route to the Sox’ 102nd loss.
It was Gilbert’s second outing since umpires in New York confiscated his glove for being suspiciously sticky. He still hadn’t gotten any updates from the league — and he still wants the glove back.
High hopes at Low-A
Minor-league infielder Caleb Bonemer isn’t bragging about being named MVP of the Carolina League for his .281/.400/.458 season at Low-A Kannapolis, but it sure feels good for the Sox’ No. 4-ranked prospect.
“Not to say it doesn’t really matter, but nobody really remembers your Low-A MVP,” Bonemer, 19, said during a virtual news conference. “It feels good, but I’m looking forward to more to come.”
Bonemer, who was promoted to High-A Winston-Salem to close out the season, mostly played shortstop, but he also plays third base.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get called up as quick as possible,” he said.
Champ’s return
Nats fans have given standing ovations this weekend to Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor, who’s playing in Washington for only the second time since he won a World Series with the Nats in 2019.
“A lot of great memories here and a lot of great people,” said Taylor, a native of suburban Lake Forest who has hit .199/.256/.368 with nine homers in 133 games with the Sox.
Taylor has more than good vibrations riding on the Sox’ season finale Sunday. The veteran needs four more plate appearances to reach 325 on the year, which would trigger a $25,000 incentive on his one-year deal, according to Spotrac.
Cabinet connection
The Sox will leave the nation’s capital before U.S. military leaders are summoned to Virginia next week for an unprecedented summit called by Pete Hegseth, but Will Venable has crossed paths with the controversial defense secretary in the past. They were basketball teammates at Princeton in the early 2000s.
They weren’t particularly close and haven’t stayed in touch, but a conversation on Princeton’s team bus sticks out in Venable’s mind.
“I asked [Hegseth] what he wanted to do when he got out of there, and he said that he wanted to be the president of the United States,” recalled Venable, who played guard before embarking on his career as a major-league outfielder.
“I was like, is he serious? And then he laid out his plan. . . . It made me realize I’m in a place where people are not messing around.”