sudden change of sox

Suddenly, the local flavor of the Chicago White Sox has been seriously diluted. Craig Kimbrel, the former Mississippi Braves star, was traded; Ocean Springs native Garrett Crochet is lost for the season with Tommy John surgery; and Ole Miss alum Lance Lynn will be out four weeks and probably more with a knee injury. On top of that, ex-East Central Community College standout Tim Anderson will miss the first two games of the season while serving a suspension. (Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton, who was with the team last year, became a free agent and signed with Seattle.) The loss of Lynn, a Cy Young Award contender in 2021, is a big blow to the rotation of a team with postseason aspirations. Losing Kimbrel and Crochet from the bullpen likely means an enhanced role for Mississippi State product Kendall Graveman, who signed a 3-year, $24 million contract as a free agent after a standout 2021 with Seattle and Houston. The right-hander was 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA, 11 holds and 10 saves between those two clubs and helped the Astros reach the World Series. He has not allowed a run in four appearances this spring.