DETROIT — Gavin Sheets’ frustration reached a boiling point.
The White Sox were off to a lousy start and he wasn’t playing as much as felt he deserved.
“The frustration of not playing” is how the left-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman puts it.
“You want to be in the big leagues and it’s great to be in the big leagues but I wanted to play,” said Sheets, who didn’t play in four straight games in mid-April, three of them Sox losses. “It was tough watching things go on and not feeling like I could help the guys out in any way.”
A pinch home run in a loss to the Rays on April 22 started a stretch of regular playing time. He has hit five home runs in his last 15 games, including a solo blast against Tigers starter Alex Faedo in a 7-2 loss Thursday at Comerica Park.
“I wasn’t getting many reps and just trying to work my way into a starting spot,” Sheets said. “Just now trying to be a piece of the lineup that can do some damage and help this team win. I’ve learned a lot in my career and I’m at that stage now where I’m building off what I’ve learned.”
Sheets will have to keep producing to make decisions tough on manager Pedro Grifol when Eloy Jimenez returns from his rehab assignment with Double-A Birmingham soon. Grifol will have Jimenez and Sheets to choose from in right field and Jimenez, Jake Burger and Sheets at DH. Recent addition Clint Frazier is a better option than any of them defensively, but Sheets provides punch from the left side of the plate.
“I feel good,” Sheets aid. “And last week I was driving the ball well and that’s the best thing for me when I can drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark. Started driving ball to center field, hitting it to right center and working the gaps better. Pedro gave me stuff to help me incorporate my legs a little more. I feel like I’m putting a powerful swing on the ball.”
Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito did not feel good in a loss that dropped the Sox to 21-31 in the first game of an important four-game series against an AL Central opponent. Giolito had one of the worst starts of his career, walking seven in four-plus innings and feeling fortunate to get charged with only four runs.
After striking out Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez on three pitches to start the game and striking out the side in the first, Giolito lost his command, escaping trouble twice with double plays.
When Riley Green got doubled off second with the bases loaded to end a scoreless third, Giolito laughed at his good fortune as he walked off the mound.
When he returned to the mound for the fourth inning, Akil Baddoo homered to start a four-run inning that included a two-run single by Baez.
It was unexpected folly for Giolito, who had pitched to a 2.66 ERA in his previous eight starts, lasting six or more innings in each one. And it came after Sox starters had posted a 2.37 ERA in the previous 13 games.
The bullpen has also been good with a 1.99 ERA in the last 15 games but lefties Garrett Crochet and Aaron Bummer combined to give up three runs.
Sheets was the only Sox hitter to have success against Faedo, who struck out a career high 10 while walking no one in six innings.