Keynan Middleton was one of numerous Chicago White Sox pitchers to be dealt at the MLB trade deadline, and he’s not holding back in new comments about the state of the team’s clubhouse.
Middleton, who was traded to the New York Yankees on Aug. 1, will be back on the South Side this week, but says his time with the club was marked by an absence of rules and structure within the clubhouse, which he says contributed to the team’s poor performance on the field.
In an interview with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, Middleton described players falling asleep in the bullpen during games, and said that the lack of structure was harmful to the team’s overall psyche.
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“We came in with no rules,” he said. “I don’t know how you police the culture if there are no rules or guidelines to follow because everyone is doing their own thing. Like, how do you say anything about it because there are no rules?”
Rogers reported that multiple sources have corroborated Middleton’s comments about the White Sox clubhouse and about actions that were going on behind the scenes.
“You have rookies sleeping in the bullpen during the game,” Middleton added. “You have guys missing meetings. You have guys missing PFPs (pitcher fielding practices), and there is no consequences for any of this stuff.”
MLB
This was Middleton’s first season with the White Sox after stops in Anaheim, Seattle and Arizona. He posted a 3.96 ERA in 39 appearances, with two saves and 47 strikeouts in 36.1 innings of work.
Middleton and the Yankees will visit the South Side this week for a three-game set beginning on Monday night.