Chicago White Sox open final homestand with a win
The Chicago White Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field, but at 75-81 they're in serious danger of finishing a fourth straight season with a losing record.
What started as a collective push to the playoffs has spiraled into a pull for individual statistics, and manager Robin Ventura understands the change in attitude.
“You're disappointed with where your team's at, but you still individually have to go out and play and put up numbers,” Ventura said. “They're not quite hollow. We want to be better, we want to win more games. But guys do have to go out and put up numbers, and that's always been a part of the game.”
Todd Frazier needs to clear the fences just one more time to become only the seventh player in Sox history to hit 40 home runs in a season. The third baseman also needs 4 RBI to reach 100 for the first time in his career.
Jose Abreu is running out of time to join Albert Pujols as the only players in major-league history to hit 30 or more homers and drive in 100-plus runs in each of their first three seasons.
Abreu upped his RBI total to 98 on Monday, but he's still sitting on 25 home runs with six games to play.
“You are allowed to have that mindset if you want,” Abreu said of chasing numbers. “But I think if you are thinking about winning, your numbers are going to be there because you're playing to win games and help the team win games.”
Opening their final homestand of the season, Abreu's RBI single in the fifth inning against the Rays helped the White Sox win their third straight game.
Justin Morneau and Carlos Sanchez each hit 2-run homers to put the game away late.
Sox starter James Shields (6-18) pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 7 hits, winning for the first time since July 26.
Eaton update:
Adam Eaton missed his third straight game Monday, but the outfielder said he feels “much better” after crashing into the fence Friday night at Cleveland.
“I can't speak for Robin (Ventura), but I think the main reason I'm not playing today is because of (Tampa Bay starter Drew) Smyly, a good lefty,” Eaton said. “That's the main reason I'm not playing today, but I hope to be in there tomorrow. I'm going to test the body parts today. Individually, I want to play until the end and finish strong. That's kind of my outlook as of right now.”
Ventura said Eaton wasn't ready to go Monday.
“I haven't even seen him today,” Ventura said. “He's not playing because he's physically still banged up. He will be in there, but he's not going to play today. He's still recuperating and getting better. But in talking to (trainer) Herm (Schneider), it's just best that he doesn't play today.”
Final fling?
Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale (16-9, 3.19 ERA) starts against Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, and he would be on regular rest to return to the mound Sunday.
Will Sale pitch the final game of the season?
“He does have that option right now,” manager Robin Ventura said. “We'll get in and see how we go through it with this series and see where we are with those guys, see where they are physically, how they're doing.
“I don't plan on anything necessarily changing. It could change in a couple days, and we'll see how that goes and make adjustments as we go along. We've got enough guys (starting pitchers) here to make it through; that's not the issue.”