Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease ‘checked all the boxes’ in an outing that included a unique strikeout

It had to have been one of the most unusual strikeouts ever for Dylan Cease.

The Chicago White Sox right-hander was credited with a punchout when Oakland Athletics shortstop Kevin Smith got called for an automatic strike for batter violation tied to the clock to end his second-inning at-bat.

Cease pumped his fist as he walked back to the Sox dugout.

“It was a little bit of sarcasm, but a little bit of, ‘This is nice’ kind of mixed in together,” Cease said with a smile Tuesday.

He agreed it was one of his best pitches of the afternoon.

“Saved a bullet and got a strikeout?” Cease said. “You’re killing two birds with one stone there.”

The 2022 American League Cy Young runner-up was back to form Tuesday at Camelback Ranch, allowing one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts in 3⅓ innings in a 5-4 victory.

Cease rebounded from a rare off night in his last start when he allowed 11 earned runs in two-thirds of an inning on March 8 against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium.

“Any time you get beat down pretty good, I think the best thing is to get back out there and keep going until you have success,” Cease said.

Manager Pedro Grifol said Cease “checked all the boxes” against the A’s.

“He was 94-97 (mph), started throwing his offspeed stuff for strikes,” Grifol said Wednesday morning. “He found it there after the first inning with the four (strikeouts). (He) felt good. He looked good.”

Cease struck out the final two batters of the second, including Smith. He began the third inning with his third strikeout of the game before exiting in fourth after striking out Ryan Nola.

Control was an issue in Cease’s first two spring starts. He was just missing with pitches in allowing two walks March 3 against the Cincinnati Reds. He was off a little more with the slider — his bread-and-butter pitch — against the Royals and allowed four walks.

His slider was working effectively Tuesday, and overall Cease had better control, allowing two walks.

“Once I got locked in with (the slider in the second inning), I pretty much was able to do what I normally do with it,” he said. “I threw (the) curve and sliders really well for strikes.

“I started off slow and then got in rhythm when I needed to. Definitely very much a positive step in the right direction.”

Command has been a focal point this spring for Cease, who led the majors with 78 walks last season.

“If I’m falling behind 2-0 and throwing fastballs, it’s not going to be the same dominance as when I’m getting ahead 0-1, 0-2 with my offspeed,” he said. “It just makes everything play better.

“It’s about throwing strikes. It’s really that simple. Just getting my stuff in the zone. Easier said than done, but once I’m locked and ready to go, which I feel I am now, I think these last couple are going to be really sharp.”

Cease knows the sharper he is, the deeper he can go into games.

“When you fall behind, then they can just sit and take and take and take,” Cease said. “If you force them to put it in early and then there is weak contact, the pitch count definitely stays down. (It’s) being efficient, as efficient as we can.”

Cease likes the progression this spring, including where he’s currently at with his velocity.

“I have another gear or two to go with it, but we were mid-90s for most of the day,” he said. “For spring training, for still being relatively early, it’s definitely an improvement from my previous start.

“And I think I have two or three (more spring) starts, I still have even more time to build so we’re in a really good spot.”