Keynan Middleton Rips White Sox's Culture, Says Rookies Slept in Bullpen During Games

Chicago White Sox fans have searched for any number of explanations for why the team is all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs. New York Yankees pitcher Keynan Middleton might have some answers.

Middleton opened the year with the White Sox before getting shipped to the Yankees ahead of the MLB trade deadline last week. He told ESPN's Jesse Rogers the team "came in with no rules."

"I don't know how you police the culture if there are no rules or guidelines to follow because everyone is doing their own thing," he said. "Like, how do you say anything about it because there are no rules?

"You have rookies sleeping in the bullpen during the game. You have guys missing meetings. You have guys missing PFPs (pitcher fielding practices), and there are no consequences for any of this stuff."

Rogers cited "multiple" sources who "corroborated Middleton's account to ESPN."

During an appearance on ESPN Chicago's Kap & J. Hood, Rogers went on to cite some players who might be contributing to the poor culture:

The White Sox hired Pedro Grifol as their manager in the offseason. He succeeded Hall of Famer Tony La Russa, who always felt like an odd fit in the role due to his age—he was 76 when he was hired—and the decade that had passed since he was in an MLB dugout.

Middleton didn't put the blame entirely on Grifol for the White Sox's current situation.

"When I got to spring training, I heard a lot of the same stuff was happening last year," he said. "It's happening again this year, so not sure how I could change it. They don't tell you not to miss PFPs. They don't tell you not to miss meetings, and if it happens, it's just, 'OK.'"

One could argue the biggest problems within the organization predate La Russa and go well beyond the clubhouse.

This is a franchise that has made the postseason three times since winning the World Series in 2005, and team owner Jerry Reinsdorf seems perfectly content to prolong that run of mediocrity.

Whereas most owners would typically reshuffle the front office under similar circumstances, promoting Kenny Williams to executive vice president in 2012 is the biggest move Reinsdorf has executed since the World Series win. Rick Hahn took over for Williams as the general manager, a role he maintains.

Somewhat ironically, Reinsdorf's one clear gamble was firing manager Rick Renteria after the 2020 season right as the White Sox appeared to be turning a corner. Look how that worked out.

Increased accountability will go some way toward improving Chicago's fortunes in 2023 and laying the groundwork for 2024.

The fanbase might be a bit skeptical, however, as to whether it will matter much in the grand scheme of things as long as the present power structure remains in place.