Sale closing out season strong

If Tuesday night was Chris Sale's last start with the White Sox, it was a fitting exit.

In a 13-6 rout of the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field, Sale pitched 7 strong innings and matched his career high with 17 wins.

Sale would be on regular rest for Sunday, the final game of the regular season, but the Sox's ace left-hander has already pitched 221⅔ innings, a career high. Why risk an injury?

With the White Sox on track for their fourth straight losing season, speculation is already ramping up that Sale's going to be traded this winter.

If he is moved, the Sox should get a bounty of young talent in return. Sale doesn't know what's going to happen.

"That stuff is going to work itself out," he said. "I don't read too much into that stuff. So whether I'm here, there or anywhere - a little Dr. Seuss for you - I'll be there. I can't say this from experience, but I don't think there's probably a better feeling than winning with the team that drafted you and staying with the team that drafted you.

"But this is baseball, this is sports. You can't always choose and pick what you want to do or where you want to be."

Fond memories:

After playing shortstop for the White Sox from 2008-15, Alexei Ramirez is back at U.S. Cellular Field this week.

The Sox declined to offer Ramirez a contract last off-season, so the free agent signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Padres.

Released by San Diego on Sept. 4 after batting .240 in 128 games, Ramirez signed with Tampa Bay four days later.

In his first at-bat for the Rays in Monday night's game against the White Sox, Ramirez got big applause from the small crowd at U.S. Cellular Field. He stepped out of the batter's box and waved his batting helmet.

"It made me very happy to see that the fans still remember me," Ramirez said through an interpreter. "The least I could do was tip my cap to them for the support over the years I was here."

Ramirez played eight seasons with the Sox, so he's still adjusting to the visiting clubhouse.

"It's a strange thing," he said. "I played here a long time here in a White Sox uniform. The reality is I'm back here trying to help the Tampa Bay Rays win games."

Remembering Fernandez:

White Sox pitcher Jacob Turner started for the Miami Marlins' for three seasons, 2012-14.

Turner was Jose Fernandez's rotation mate the final two years, and he was stunned to hear the ace right-hander was killed in a boating accident early Sunday morning.

"One of my friends texted me," Turner said. "It's one of those things that you don't really think it's real. It still doesn't feel real. But obviously prayers for his family, first and foremost, above anything else. It's sad."

During his time with the Marlins, Turner remembers Fernandez always being happy.

"It was like he was playing Little League," Turner said. "Baseball is a game of a lot of clichés, but I think some of those things really apply to Jose. You talk about competing on the mound and having fun playing baseball, there wasn't anybody who had more fun and still competed at the level that he did. It's such a rare combination to have."