White Sox slam Keynan Middleton’s harsh culture comments: ‘Just wrong’

White Sox brass is pushing again on Keynan Middleton’s feedback concerning the franchise’s “no rules” culture.

Forward of Monday’s sequence opener in opposition to the Yankees, Chicago supervisor Pedro Grifol and GM Rick Hahn rejected the center reliever’s post-trade feedback ripping the workforce’s clubhouse environment. 

“I’ve been speaking about tradition right here since day one and introduced it up once more about three or 4 weeks in the past,” Grifol told reporters, according to the Associated Press. “I really feel like we’re not even near the place we have to be, however we’re on target.”

“I used to be stunned to see the report this morning,” Hahn added. “At no level through the course of the yr had there been a reliever sleeping within the bullpen throughout that recreation. That’s simply mistaken.”

Middleton, who was acquired from the White Sox at the Aug. 1 commerce deadline for prospect Juan Carela, described the workforce, which is 46-68 heading into play Tuesday, as a multitude from the get-go. 

“We got here in with no guidelines,” Middleton mentioned of his former workforce. “I don’t understand how you police the tradition if there aren’t any guidelines or pointers to comply with as a result of everyone seems to be doing their very own factor,” he mentioned.

“Like, how do you say something about it as a result of there aren’t any guidelines?

“You’ve rookies sleeping within the bullpen through the recreation. You’ve guys lacking conferences. You’ve guys lacking PFPs (pitcher fielding practices), and there aren’t any penalties for any of these things.”

However Middleton, according to Hahn, wasn’t immune from behavioral problems with his personal. 

“Fairly frankly, it’s somewhat bit ironic that Keynan’s the one saying this, as a result of my final dialog with him face-to-face was per week in the past within the clubhouse the place he sought me out to apologize for his unprofessional conduct Pedro had known as him out on,” Hahn mentioned.

“On the time I figured that was a one-off.”

Middleton, who has thrown three scoreless innings over two appearances for the Yankees, stood by his criticisms after he discovered of Grifol and Hahn’s feedback on Monday. 

“I mentioned what I mentioned and I stand on that,” Middleton mentioned. “I truthfully don’t wish to touch upon it anymore… Proper now my sole focus is being a Yankee, my future being a Yankee shifting ahead and making the playoffs and all these items.”

Middleton joined the White Sox on a minor league deal earlier than the 2023 season. 

The 29-year-old posted a 3.96 ERA over 36 ⅓ innings with Chicago earlier than being dealt to the Bronx.

The Yankees and White Sox will play the second recreation of their three-game sequence at 8:10 p.m. ET at Assured Charge Discipline on Tuesday evening.