AL Central: A Tale of Two Closers

On a day that the White Sox desperately needed a win, they turned to their stud closer a little earlier than usual. 

In the end, it only took Bobby Jenks 10 pitches to record five outs and collect his first multi-inning save of the season. Jenks helped the White Sox finish a road trip in which they went 4-6, on a winning note, pushing away the brooms while being threatened to be swept away.

The White Sox have not been swept since their crosstown matchup at Wrigley Field way back in June.

Meanwhile, across the border in Canada, the Twins grabbed a late lead and called on their own All-Star closer to take home a win over the dangerous Blue Jays. Nathan came within one strike before yielding what should have been a relatively harmless single to right.

But September call-up Jason Pridle, playing in his major-league debut, was out in right field and booted the ball, allowing the run to score. The play was the third Twins error of the game, all of which came after the sixth inning.

Whether it was his fault or not, Joe Nathan blew his third save of the road trip, all in games that the Twins would go on to lose.

In a race this tight, every game matters, and no player’s failure is magnified more than a closer’s. For the last two weeks, Bobby Jenks has succeeded every time he has been given the ball. In fact, he hasn’t blown a game since June 4 against the Royals, a game that the White Sox would go on to win. 

For the first time in his career, Nathan looks hittable. Tonight, he had trouble getting his slider over and had to rely on his fastball, at least giving the Jays' hitters a chance. After blowing the save in the ninth, he nearly lost the game in the 10th when Vernon Wells crushed a ball high off the wall. Nathan escaped the inning, but the Twins lost in 11. 

It was a tale of two closers, and for now, Big Bobby Jenks has the Sox back on top in the AL Central. Nathan has been the one constant for a shaky Twins bullpen, until now. 

In this race between two evenly-matched teams, it may come down to which bullpen can get the big outs down the stretch. Bobby Jenks got those outs tonight.