Former White Sox All-Star weighs in on troubling team culture
May 8, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol (5) returns to the dugout against the Kansas City Royals after a pitcher change in the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Keynan Middleton made some rather controversial comments about his former club. Middleton’s comments drew support from at least one ex-teammate.
Middleton made eye-opening allegations about the state of the White Sox clubhouse on Sunday. He claimed the team’s culture was in a bad spot and that the White Sox lacked leadership. Middleton was traded to the New York Yankees before the 2023 deadline after 39 appearances for the White Sox.
In a recent interview on the “Foul Territory” podcast, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Lance Lynn was asked about Middleton’s scathing remarks. Lynn got creative in how he answered the question posed by host and fellow former White Sox All-Star AJ Pierzynski.
“I did see what popped up yesterday. I could say this. I could tell you what [Middleton] was wrong about …” Lynn said, before declining to say anything further.
Lance Lynn seemingly confirms Keynan Middleton's comments on the White Sox culture…
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The subtext of Lynn’s silence could be interpreted as him not seeing anything wrong with Middleton’s critique of the White Sox’s team culture. Like Middleton, Lynn was dealt before the trade deadline.
Lynn enjoyed a stellar first year in Chicago back in 2021, leading the White Sox in Wins Above Replacement (5.5 WAR) for the season. He was named an All-Star and sported a 2.69 ERA in 28 starts. The team won the AL Central comfortably, finishing with a 93-69 record — their best since 2005.
This season has seen a complete reversal for both Lynn and the White Sox compared to two seasons ago. Lynn saw his ERA balloon to 6.47 across 21 starts before his move to the Dodgers. As for his former club, they sit 21 games out of first place in the AL Central through Monday’s games.