Flowers blossoming for White Sox

Tyler Flowers has already played himself on to the White Sox’ 2012 roster as the backup catcher.

If he continues his impressive two-way performance, Flowers might end up taking even more playing time away from A.J. Pierzynski.

With Pierzynski on the disabled list with a fractured left wrist, Flowers has been getting regular duty behind the plate.

Pierzynski is scheduled to come off the DL on Friday and join the Sox in Detroit. Is he still going to be the Sox’ No. 1 catcher?

“Ahh, ohh,” Guillen said. “Tyler has been great. Very good. When A.J. gets here, we’ll figure out how we play him. I don’t want to say A.J. is not playing but we really like — I really like — the way Tyler is behind the plate right now.”

Flowers was 0-for-4 in Wednesday afternoon’s loss to the Twins, but he batted .304 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 9 RBI in the previous 14 games.

Mark Buehrle is one of several Sox pitchers that has raved about Flowers’ pitch-calling ability, and the 25-year-old catcher has thrown out a respectable 5 of 22 base stealers.

Since arriving from Class AAA Charlotte on July 10 when Ramon Castro went down with a broken hand, Flowers has been learning as much as he can from Pierzynski.

Next spring, he’ll be trying to take Pierzynski’s job.

“Every year,” Flowers said. “I think I said it two years ago. I’m going for the starting job, but there are other things out of your control. I think they will have two good options next year. I’ve shown I can handle the situation if something does happen. If not, I can handle the backup job.”

In a pinch:

Brent Lillibridge homered in the third inning Wednesday, a 2-run shot to cut the Twins’ lead to 6-2.

With the game on the line in the ninth, Lillibridge was taken down for pinch hitter Adam Dunn even though he homered off Joe Nathan in his lone at-bat against the reliever.

“I always want to be in there to get the opportunity to win a game or at least give us a chance to win,” Lillibridge said. “But that matchup is whatever it is. I trust in Joey (Cora) and Ozzie (Guillen) and the decisions they make. Hopefully, further in my career I’ll be the guy that they want up there and just keep on doing what I can when I get to play.”

See you in September:

Rosters can expand from the 25-man limit beginning Thursday.

The White Sox aren’t expected to make significant additions, but they are likely to bring up relief pitchers Addison Reed and Shane Lindsay and infielder Eduardo Escobar from Class AAA Charlotte before Friday night’s game at Detroit.

Rotation plan:

Phil Humber is scheduled to come off the disabled list and start for the White Sox during Monday’s split doubleheader at Minnesota.

Humber was struggling (0-3, 6.00 ERA) in the second half before being hit above the right eye by a Kosuke Fukudome line drive during an Aug. 18 start against the Indians.

Humber is likely to replace the ineffective Zach Stewart in the rotation during the final month of the season.

“We’ll see how he feels and how he does,” manager Ozzie Guillen said of Humber. “I think he should. This kid has pitched well all year long. He helped us to be where we are. Why not put him back there to see how he does?”