Looks like Jenks won't pitch again this season

Has Bobby Jenks pitched his last game in a White Sox uniform?

With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, the answer appears to be yes.

Sidelined since Sept. 4 with ulnar neuritis after saving both games of a doubleheader at Boston, Jenks stayed back in Chicago when the Sox made their final road trip of the season that opened Monday night in Oakland.

"Bobby's home," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters. "The six, seven days we're going to be here, he's not going to throw. I don't see why we have to bring him here. I hope when we get back to Chicago he can throw at least 1 inning, 2 innings to see if he can finish this year. But I don't have any idea yet."

Jenks has been sidelined with calf, back and elbow ailments this season, and the 29-year-old reliever has been erratic (1-3, 4.44 ERA, 4 blown saves) when he has been healthy enough to perform.

Eligible for arbitration at the end of the season, the Sox are likely to nontender Jenks, which would make him a free agent.

"I don't know," Guillen said. "There's no doubt when Bobby's available to pitch, the bullpen's better. I've been saying that all summer. But I don't know what direction we're going to go; I don't know what we have in mind.

"Bobby's been great for this organization since he's been here. He's been good. To bring him back or not, that's the front office people's job. We haven't talked about it yet."

Still sitting: Gordon Beckham took another seat on the bench Monday with a sore right hand, and the White Sox' second baseman doesn't figure to return until Wednesday at the earliest.

Beckham has 3 hits in his last 21 at-bats.

"As soon as he tells me he's ready to go, we'll give him another day," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's got to start hitting. I've seen this kid swing the bat for almost two years and the swing I saw wasn't the same."