A closer is born: How Santos secured key relief role with White Sox

It’s going to be a busy off-season for White Sox general manager Rick Hahn, assuming he is still on the job after another losing season.

If Hahn is back for a 12th year as GM, or if he’s replaced by Chris Getz or another candidate, shopping for a new closer might not be on the list.

Even if his $15 million club option for 2024 is picked up by the Sox, which is highly unlikely, all-star closer Liam Hendriks is recovering from Tommy John surgery and he won’t be available until September, if at all.

Kendall Graveman, Reynaldo Lopez and Joe Kelly all closed games for the White Sox this season, but they were traded before the Aug. 1 deadline.

Enter Gregory Santos.

Getting another shot with the White Sox after being suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance midway through the 2021 season while pitching in the Giants’ system, Santos is making the most of it.

The 23-year-old righty was on a roll heading into Wednesday game against Wrigley Field.

The night before, Santos saved the Sox’s 5-3 win over the Cubs with a perfect 1⅔ innings of work for his fourth save of the season.

Wednesday night, Santos could not hold a 3-1 lead in the ninth. But after giving up Christopher Morel’s game-winning homer, he used it as a learning experience.

“I was ahead in the count and threw a good pitch,” Santos said through a translator. “(Morel) didn’t swing at it. It’s like, ‘Well, let’s attack him again.’ It was a (1-2) sinker, and he hit it.”

Upon immediate review, Santos knew he should have thrown Morel his best pitch.

“The slider,” he said. “I have men on base and I was trying to be fancy and that’s what happened.”

Better days are undoubtedly ahead for Santos, who was acquired from San Francisco in a late December trade for minor-league starter Kade McClure, Santos was exceptional in spring training and he earned a spot on the White Sox’s Opening Day roster.

The 23-year-old righty has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen all season, and now he’s become the Sox’s reliever of choice in the ninth inning.

“Sometimes guys start developing in the big leagues and they (White Sox pitching coaches) have done a really good job with him,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “He started off not being a leverage guy. We’ve taken our time with him and this is his time to shine. That’s how closers are born. You have to pitch in leverage prior to that ninth inning.”

Santos has gone from low leverage to the highest leverage of all and he’s been successful throughout the journey.

“I like the adrenaline,” he said. “I like to pitch late in the game. About the efficiency, I’ve always said it’s just attacking the strike zone and try to be effective. That’s all I can control, throw strikes.”

Combining his slider and sinker that regularly hits 100 mph, Santos certainly has the stuff to be a closer.

“Early on in the year, he was just trying to survive in the big leagues and stay here,” Grifol said. “He didn’t have much (major-league) time prior to this year. So as he started pitching well and gaining confidence, we talked about it (closing) little by little. I would throw some things at him, kind of preparing him for this moment.

“But it wasn’t until three or four weeks ago I actually sat him down and said this can happen, are you ready for it and do you have what it takes for this and he gave all the right answers.”