‘All those moments mean everything’: Chicago White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton on his time with the Los Angeles Angels

The initial memory that popped in Keynan Middleton’s mind when asked to reflect on the first save of his major-league career wasn’t the last out — or any out recorded in that ninth inning while pitching for the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 8, 2017, against the Baltimore Orioles.

“I gave up a home run, that’s pretty much all I remember,” the Chicago White Sox reliever told the Tribune before Sunday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“I wouldn’t talk to the media after the game. Everyone was wondering why, because I just got my first save, but I was upset I gave up a home run. That’s honestly what I remember most, not even the save part, all the other stuff.”

Middleton, a key member of the White Sox bullpen, spent the first four seasons of his big-league career with the Angels (2017-2020). He was back at Angel Stadium on Monday as the Sox began a four-game series against the Angels.

Some of his career firsts came at the ballpark, like his major-league debut and first MLB strikeout — which were both on May 5, 2017, against the Houston Astros — and the first save.

“It was good times,” Middleton said. “For three of the years I was there, I got to see Shohei Ohtani, for four years I get to see Mike Trout. (And) the guys that I came up with in the organization, I ended up playing in the big leagues like David Fletcher, Taylor Ward, all those moments mean everything to you because of all the hours putting in with those guys in the minor leagues.

“And then being able to watch greatness in Mike and Shohei and even Albert (Pujols) was there when I was there and it seemed like every hit he got was a milestone, every home run he got was a milestone. Just to see stuff like that, there’s a lot of memorable moments I have. These people gave me the opportunity to be where I am at today and I owe that organization a lot. I have a lot of really good memories.”

Middleton, 29, has had a connection to the two most recent Sox trips. He spent 2021 with the Seattle Mariners, where the Sox visited June 16-18.

“Both of them were great places,” Middleton said. “Seattle, I’m from the Pacific Northwest and it seems like home to me a little bit more, even though I was in Anaheim for four years. But I love California, my family loved being there, going to Disneyland, going to the beach.

“A lot of things that happened in California were great for me and my family.”

The Angels selected Middleton in the third round of the 2013 draft. His first strikeout came against future Sox teammate Jake Marisnick. He also noted the home run surrendered in that first save came against Caleb Joseph, who signed a minor-league contract with the Seattle organization in 2021.

“It always comes full circle,” Middleton said.

Middleton spent last season with Arizona and signed as a minor-league free agent with the Sox this offseason. He joined the big-league team on April 10 and has been very effective when called on, including earning the save in Sunday’s 4-1 victory against the Red Sox.

He entered Monday with a 2.33 ERA, two saves and 36 strikeouts in 29 relief appearances.

“Middleton is a really good pitcher, he’s a leverage pitcher,” manager Pedro Grifol said before Monday’s game. “He’s got capabilities of being a closer. He’s extremely valuable. He pitches to both handedness. You can trust him to both handedness.”

Middleton has also been active off the field, such as visiting an Amateur City Elite (ACE) program practice in May.

“I try to stay involved in the community wherever I go,” Middleton said. “During my offseasons I coach basketball, I’ve been at my old high school (in Milwaukie, Ore.), helping coach basketball there. It seems normal to me. Playing baseball, you only get to do that seven months, but the rest of the year, I’m giving back to my community, helping out any way I can. If I can do that when I’m here playing baseball, I like to do that as much as I can.”

On the field, Middleton is ready for any role in a bullpen that entered Monday ranked first in majors in opponents average (. .197) and fifth in ERA (3.16) since May 1.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that know how to go about their business and do it the right way and hand the ball to the next guy who’s ready and try to hold the score and do our job every time, three outs,” Middleton said of the bullpen. “We have a really good group of guys who’ve bought into that and it doesn’t really matter to us who they’re calling for on the phone every night, we’re ready for that guy to go out and throw a zero because we know our guys are capable of doing it.”

Luis Robert Jr. earns AL honor

Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was named the American League Player of the Week for the period of June 19-25. It’s his first career weekly honor.

Robert slashed .444/.524/1.111 (8-for-18) with four home runs, five RBIs and six runs in six games last week. He homered twice in Sunday’s victory against the Red Sox and hit a game-tying solo home run in Saturday’s 5-4 win.