As nice baseball stories go, the one about Tanner Banks making the White Sox Opening Day roster is as sweet as they come.

It goes like this: Lifetime minor leaguer, at age 30, comes out of nowhere in spring training to make the team, a team with World Series aspirations at that.

That was last week.

Banks made the story better by making his debut with a two-inning, four strikeout, no-run performance Sunday, finishing off the Tigers in a 10-1 victory that gave the Sox a series win over an AL Central division rival. It was a pleasant moment and a welcome closing act to an otherwise harrowing long weekend for a team with Yoan Moncada (oblique) and Ryan Burr (shoulder) joining a burgeoning injured list, Lucas Giolito (abdominal strain) getting hurt during his Opening Day start and the season opener ending with a misplayed fly ball by AJ Pollock.

All’s well that ended well, and Banks was there to cap the finish.

“I told myself, ‘you are only going to debut once,’ ” said Banks, an 18th-round Sox draft choice in 2014. “When? I was starting to question. But they said, ‘Hey you’ve got the next inning.’ ”

After the game, Banks was treated to privileged status in the handshake line and a beer shower from teammates in the visitors clubhouse at Comerica Park. As reporters waited to talk to him, the Utah native apologized for needing to find his wife and two young children before they departed the premises.

With the Sox starting rotation in disarray in the wake of injuries to Lance Lynn and Giolito, an all-hands-on deck, next-man-up climate offers opportunities for guys like Banks, who made the roster in large part because of lefty reliever Garrett Crochet’s season ending injury. Banks has started 115 games in his seven minor league seasons, and wasn’t ruled out by manager Tony La Russa to make a start if needed.

Who knows, after right-hander Vince Velasquez starts the home opener today against the Mariners and veteran lefty Dallas Keuchel starts Wednesday, Banks hasn’t been ruled out to start Thursday.

“Everybody’s an option,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said, including a bullpen day scenario.

After Banks was invited to major league camp, he opened eyes with stuff that “jumped,” as player development director Chris Getz said. He started a Cactus League game against the Dodgers and struck out five batters, including Trea Turner, Max Muncy and Austin Barnes in a perfect first inning and Cody Bellinger in the second. Banks posted a 4.98 ERA last season at Triple-A Charlotte.

“The Dodgers talked about his stuff, it spoke for itself,” Katz said. “It’s just a matter of he’s here now and now it’s about finding the best situation for him. He could be starting a game, he could come in and throw three, four innings [in relief]. It’s kind of what’s needed, especially with where we’re at. He could do a bunch of different things, we have a lot of options with him.”

Banks described making the team as “surreal” and said he was “shocked” when he got word.

On Sunday, he got his first chance to pitch in a major league game.

“When I came out of the bullpen gate, I just told myself, ‘Deep breathe. Breath it in. Enjoy this moment,’ ” he said. “And I started to get a little emotional. I was like ‘Keep it together. You’ve got to go perform.’ I wasn’t nervous per se, but I needed to collect myself a little bit. The first strikeout, [Spencer] Torkelson, gave me that confidence boost that I needed.

“After that, I was able to pitch my game and attack the way I wanted to. It was a matter of settling those little bit of nerves.”

What comes next is anybody’s guess. What’s know is the Sox have pitching needs and Banks will get more chances to show he can stay.

ON DECK

MARINERS AT SOX

Tuesday: Matt Brash (MLB Debut) vs. Vince Velasquez (3-9, 6.30 in 2021), 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Wednesday: Robbie Ray (1-0, 1.29) vs. Dallas Keuchel (9-9, 5.28 in 2021), 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Thursday: Logan Gilbert (0-0, 1.80) vs. TBA, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

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Zach LaVine wasn’t going to predict how the playoff series with Milwaukee would end, but he knows how it needs to begin.

Throw the first punch, and keep punching.

If not?

“I feel like they’ve been a championship-caliber team for a couple years now,” LaVine said of the Round 1 showdown. “They’re experienced. We have to come in and try and shake it up a little bit. We have to bring the fight to them, because if we’re back on our heels it’s not going to be good.”

Or it will simply be like it has all season long when taking on the defending NBA champions. Two competitive games in the first two meetings, and then two laughers in which the Bucks looked like the hunter rather than the hunted.

That’s a trend that’s been going on in this series for a few seasons now. Thankfully, the Bulls have a little less than a week to try and change that, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday in Milwaukee. A week in which LaVine & Co. not only have to figure out how to slow Giannis Antetokounmpo down, but look in the mirror and do a self-examination of why they played so poorly against elite teams this season.

A lot of film watching, a lot of sweat, but also a ton of soul searching.

“We have a lot of guys that this is going to be new to them, including the group as well, so I think it’s a step in our next direction,” LaVine said. “We should be going at it full force and with confidence. Like I said at the end of [the Charlotte loss], we’re a good team. We just have to start playing like it and bring that confidence to it. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Easy for LaVine to say early week.

Milwaukee is a bad matchup for most opposing teams on any given night, but even more so against the Bulls.

They have a defensive stopper in Jrue Holiday that can give fits to either LaVine or DeMar DeRozan, and not need help. They have an underrated rim protector in Brook Lopez, who also has the ability to pull the Bulls defense out because of his three-point shooting. Khris Middleton is a clutch shot-maker, and then there’s Antetokounmpo: A two-way elite force that the Bulls haven’t been able to slow down in years.

Every team has flaws, but Milwaukee has very few.

“They’re a very vet-savvy team,” LaVine said. “Obviously, they play with a lot of confidence, physicality. They’ve got Brook at the rim, obviously Giannis coming weak-side and Jrue Holiday as well. They’ve got a really good team, a complete team. I think we do as well. We’ve just got to attack them and figure out ways to beat them.”

A process that will start on Tuesday, with the Bulls getting Monday off to rest up, both mentally and physically. The hope is LaVine (left knee) and Alex Caruso (back) will be full participants in all the practices, but that remained an unknown.

What was known? Milwaukee will not allow the Bulls to have in-game slippage without making them pay. If the underdog doesn’t come in with a punch-first mentality, a sweep is not only a reality, but very likely.

“I think it’s more about us and how we play,” second-year forward Patrick Williams said. “We can’t really worry about them. We have to lock in to our habits. I think it’s more making sure we’re connected offensively and defensively. We’ve shown when we are connected on both ends of the floor and all the guys are connected, we’re pretty good. At that point it just turns into, ‘Let’s play.’ ”

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A memorable season recently concluded, but it’s never too early to take a sneak peek at next year.

Individual players will step up and emerge as the spring and summer plays out, and we will get a better feel for teams in June. But here is a way-too-early top 10 (listed alphabetically) for a season that is still many months away.

Brother Rice

Everyone returns from a team that won 24 games this past season, headlined by all-area point guard Ahmad Henderson (15.2 ppg). He’s led the Crusaders in scoring in each of the past two seasons.

A plethora of returning juniors will be joining Henderson, including perimeter scorer Nick Niego (10.5 ppg), 6-3 Peter McShane (7.3 ppg) and some size and length with 6-6 Khalil Ross (10.5 ppg), 6-6 Ryan Kenney (4 ppg) and 6-6 Jayden Watson (6.5 ppg).

The sophomores won the Catholic League and finished 24-4 overall while sophomore guard Tre Dowdell averaged 5.3 points at the varsity level.

Curie

When you look at the record (26-7) and accomplishments of the past season, it could be argued coach Mike Oliver’s team overachieved a bit.

The Condors will have a lot back, including unheralded but impactful Jeremy Harrington. While the 6-5 junior was the backbone of this year’s team, sophomore guard Carlos Harris has the look of an emerging star in the city.

Big man Chikasi Ofoma, a physical presence inside at 6-7, and guard Shawn Brown are two other returning starters.

Hillcrest

Aside from a sectional upset loss to Lemont, everything went just about perfect for the Hawks this past season while winning 26 games, especially considering coach Don Houston didn’t return a single starter.

But next year there will be a wealth of experience returning.

The Hawks will have an abundance of size up front with a pair of returning 6-7 juniors, Matthew Moore and Darrion Baker, along with 6-4 sophomore Nyzir Duncan. All three either started or played major minutes this past season.

The backcourt is set with junior Bryce Tillery and up-and-coming sophomore Isaiah Green, who were both double-figure scorers this past season.

Kenwood

Fresh off winning the first sectional title in program history, coach Mike Irvin has a bonafide state title contender returning.

There is a surplus of overall talent and big-name prospects in the program, including two of the best juniors, dynamic scoring guard Darrin Ames and versatile 6-7 Davius Loury, in the state. Freshman Bryce Heard is on the verge of becoming a young star.

Lake Forest

Quietly, coach Phil LaScala’s team won 27 games this season, including a 13-1 mark in the North Suburban Conference. Lake Forest’s season ended with a sectional championship game loss to St. Patrick.

The Scouts return arguably the best returning shooter in the state in 6-6 Asa Thomas, one of the top players in the state with high-major offers. The supporting cast will be strong with the return of sophomores Tommie Aberle and Bolurin Taiwo and junior Anthony Mordini.

Lemont

This team arrived a bit early, winning regional and sectional titles without a senior contributing in a significant way.

There is pivotal backcourt experience with Rokas Castillo and Matas Castillo and a budding star in sophomore Nojus Indrusaitis. Surround those three with valuable role players who gained a ton of big-game experience late in the season and Lemont enters next year with some lofty expectations.

Rolling Meadows

Even with the departure of last year’s Player of the Year, Max Christie, the Mustangs still rolled to 28 wins and a regional title behind junior Cameron Christie.

It stung to have the season end in a blowout loss to New Trier in the sectional, but next year could be the best team coach Kevin Katovich will have during this six-year run of Christie brother basketball in Rolling Meadows.

While the loss of senior Orlando Thomas will be felt, Cameron Christie returns as one of the elite players in the state. Plus, 6-4 big man Foster Ogbonna will be a seasoned veteran next year and there is a ton of upside in the return of 6-6 freshman Ian Miletic, 6-7 junior Mark Nikolich-Wilson and 6-7 junior Tsvet Sotirov.

Simeon

The progress and growth of big men Miles Rubin and Wesley Rubin over the past year has been quite measurable. If the 6-8 juniors make a similar jump over the next year the Wolverines will boast a game-altering frontline.

Jalen Griffith will take on more responsibility and a bigger role in the backcourt with the departure of Jaylen Drane and Aviyon Morris. And keep an eye on a pair of youngsters, freshman Ameer Morrow and sophomore Kenric Mosby coming up from the lower levels.

St. Rita

After finally getting a full season of development and continuity under its belt, coach Roshawn Russell’s team is set to take a significant step.

When you bring back the top two prospects in the Class of 2023, a pair of future high-major players, it’s a heck of a start. Yes, it all begins with the talented tandem of 6-9 James Brown and 6-8 Morez Johnson.

Kaiden Space will be a seasoned senior at point guard while promising freshman Melvin Bell will be a star sophomore.

Young

The loss of a pair of all-state 6-8 players in AJ Casey and Xavier Amos will certainly be felt for the Class 4A state runner-up. But the firepower is still there for the Dolphins to be one of the best teams in the state, starting with returning point guard Dalen Davis.

Both 6-6 Daniel Johnson and physical guard Marcus Pigram are Division I prospects and return, while talented freshman Antonio Munoz will add a new dimension next season.

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Zach LaVine wasn’t going to predict how the playoff series with Milwaukee would end, but he knows how it needs to begin.

Throw the first punch, and keep punching.

If not?

“I feel like they’ve been a championship-caliber team for a couple years now,” LaVine said of the Round 1 showdown. “They’re experienced. We have to come in and try and shake it up a little bit. We have to bring the fight to them, because if we’re back on our heels it’s not going to be good.”

Or it will simply be like it has all season long when taking on the defending NBA Champions. Two competitive games in the first two meetings, and then two laughers in which the Bucks looked like the hunter rather than the hunted.

That’s a trend that’s been going on in this series for a few seasons now. Thankfully, the Bulls have a little less than a week to try and change that, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday in Milwaukee. A week in which LaVine & Co. not only have to figure out how to slow Giannis Antetokounmpo down, but look in the mirror and do a self-examination of why they played so poorly against elite teams this season.

A lot of film watching, a lot of sweat, but also a ton of soul searching.

“We have a lot of guys that this is going to be new to them, including the group as well, so I think it’s a step in our next direction,” LaVine said. “We should be going at it full force and with confidence. Like I said at the end of [the Charlotte loss], we’re a good team. We just have to start playing like it and bring that confidence to it. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Easy for LaVine to say early week.

Milwaukee is a bad matchup for most opposing teams on any given night, but even more so against the Bulls.

They have a defensive stopper in Jrue Holiday that can give fits to either LaVine or DeMar DeRozan, and not need help. They have an underrated rim protector in Brook Lopez, who also has the ability to pull the Bulls defense out because of his three-point shooting. Khris Middleton is a clutch shot-maker, and then there’s Antetokounmpo: A two-way elite force that the Bulls haven’t been able to slow down in years.

Every team has flaws, but Milwaukee has very few.

“They’re a very vet-savvy team,” LaVine said. “Obviously, they play with a lot of confidence, physicality. They’ve got Brook at the rim, obviously Giannis coming weak-side and Jrue Holiday as well. They’ve got a really good team, a complete team. I think we do as well. We’ve just got to attack them and figure out ways to beat them.”

A process that will start on Tuesday, with the Bulls getting Monday off to rest up, both mentally and physically. The hope is LaVine (left knee) and Alex Caruso (back) will be full participants in all the practices, but that remained an unknown.

What was known? Milwaukee will not allow the Bulls to have in-game slippage without making them pay. If the underdog doesn’t come in with a punch-first mentality, a sweep is not only a reality, but very likely.

“I think it’s more about us and how we play,” second-year forward Patrick Williams said. “We can’t really worry about them. We have to lock in to our habits. I think it’s more making sure we’re connected offensively and defensively. We’ve shown when we are connected on both ends of the floor and all the guys are connected, we’re pretty good. At that point it just turns into, ‘Let’s play.’ ”

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It doesn’t take a lot of looking to realize the Chicago Blackhawks have a goaltending problem.

After trading Marc-Andre Fleury to the Minnesota Wild at the deadline the situation has only gotten worse, as Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia have left something to be desired in-between the pipes. The Blackhawks sit in the bottom ten in the NHL in both goals against average and save percentage, numbers which have only gotten worse since the departure of Fleury. With the two current netminders sitting at 26 and 27 years old respectively, it isn’t looking like they are going to be vastly improving anytime soon.

Despite this, the future of Blackhawks goaltending does look pretty bright. That future is Drew Commesso.

Drafted in the Second round of the 2020 draft, Commesso impressed early with his play in the US National Development Program. A few months later Commesso found himself starting as a freshman for Boston University, putting up a .914 save percentage in 11 games his freshman year. He followed that up with a .915 save percentage through 28 games this past season.

Those numbers are very respectable, especially for guy who hasn’t turned twenty yet, but even more impressive are his numbers from the Olympics. In two games played, Commesso registered a 1.00 GAA, .964 save percentage, and 2 wins. Though a small sample size, those are some ridiculous stat-lines on one of the world’s largest sporting-stages.

Did I mention this guy is only 19? Pretty unreal if you ask me.

Unfortunately, due to the cancellation of the most recent World Juniors, we were robbed of an opportunity to see Commesso perform against the best his age group has to offer, besides the single game he played taking a victory over Slovakia 3-2. Lucky for us, however, we will have another chance to see Commesso compete when the 2022 World Juniors begin again in August.

am very excited to see more of what this kid can bring to your Blackhawks in the hopefully not-so-distant future. You should be too.

Make sure to check out our Blackhawks forum for the latest on the team.

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