Jonathan Cannon believes fixes will be made before start of White Sox' season

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — White Sox right-hander Jonathan Cannon is confident the issues he has encountered this spring — 22 hits allowed in 11⅓ innings — can be cleared up with attention to better pitch sequencing.

“Last start I fell behind a lot just trying to get back in the zone and was falling into the same sequences over and over,” Cannon said. “Was leaning heavy on the sinker and sweeper to righties, but the other pitches [changeup and cutter] are too good to ignore them.”

“I’ve thrown like seven changeups all spring. Just have to get back to what I did last year.”

Cannon’s last spring outing will be Sunday in a minor-league game. He takes solace knowing that his mechanics, movement and velocity are where they should be and that the issues are being dealt with now.

“Glad we were able to catch it and make the adjustments now,” he said.

Senior adviser to pitching Brian Bannister said Cannon wouldn’t be the first pitcher to confront “an Arizona thing.”

“Some pitchers just have a bad spring or give up more hits because we’re a little more in elevation,” Bannister said, “and you get back to sea level, to cold weather and all of a sudden it starts playing again.”

The right moves

While he hasn’t homered yet and is batting .237/.293/.289 this spring, first baseman Andrew Vaughn likes how he feels after adopting a simplified, quieter move at the plate.

“In college, I had a really big move, I got away with it,” said Vaughn, the Golden Spikes Award winner and No. 3 overall draft pick from Cal in 2019. “But pitchers in the big leagues are pretty good. The biggest thing is simplify and get from A to B as quick and smooth as possible.

“I had the leg kick, arms moving, stuff like that. It feels good, I’m seeing the ball well and have to keep grinding with it.”

Aches and pains

Infielder Brandon Drury, who led the Cactus League with 10 extra-base hits while batting .410/.439/.821, was scratched from the lineup with a bruised left hand. “Just a hand contusion. It happened [Thursday] in practice,’’ manager Will -Venable said. “Just precautionary, thinking he’ll be back in there tomorrow.”

• Josh Rojas (hairline fracture in right big toe) took grounders and hit in the cage as he pushes to be ready for Opening Day. “Still think there’s some pain there, but he’s moving around and testing out more and more comfortable with it,” Venable said. Rojas can’t make it worse, so playing will be a matter of pain tolerance.

• Left fielder Andrew Benintendi, also pushing for Opening Day, was the DH again after not playing Thursday. He originally was going to play the outfield, but there’s “still a little discomfort with the glove on, so we’re going to expose him to as much volume of defense as we can without putting his hand at risk,” Venable said.

• No update came on right-hander Drew Thorpe, who left a minor-league game after one inning with elbow soreness. “More imaging and evaluating, and we’ll see where we’re at here in the next couple days,” -Venable said.

Sox 8, Reds 5

Sean Burke’s Cactus League tuneup for the White Sox’ opener Thursday against Angels was not good, with three walks, two wild pitches, two infield singles and a missed double-play opportunity in the first inning setting the tone. In 3⅓ innings, Burke allowed five runs, four walks and six hits, including a home run. A surprise choice for the opener, Thursday’s start will be the fourth of Burke’s career.

“I just have to be sharp. I wasn’t very sharp today overall, and that really can’t happen going forward,” said Burke, who was pulled before getting the third out in the first and reentered the game.

• Mike Clevinger gave up a sharp single, a stolen base and a walk but remained unscored upon in five Cactus League relief appearances by getting Jeimer Candelario to hit into a double play before striking out Michael Trautwein. Clevinger has -allowed two hits and one walk while striking out seven in five innings.

• Samuel Zavala, an outfield prospect acquired from the Padres in the Dylan Cease trade, batted twice and had two of the Sox’ seven hits in a six-run ninth.

• On deck (split squad): Mariners at Sox, 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Glendale, webcast, 1000-AM, Kyle Freeland vs. Noah Schultz. Sox at Rockies, 3:10 p.m., Scottsdale, Hagen Smith vs. Luis Castillo.