'Put it on me': Renteria takes blame for White Sox collapse against Indians
During his first three seasons as White Sox manager, the only pressure Rick Renteria faced was getting a roster loaded with young players ready to eventually play in meaningful games.
Renteria did his job to a level that was above and beyond satisfactory in the eyes of the Sox's front office, and general manager Rick Hahn is convinced his manager is equipped to handle the next phase of winning meaningful games.
He's undoubtedly in the minority after the last two games at Cleveland.
On Wednesday night, Renteria called on Gio Gonzalez to pitch the ninth inning in a 1-1 game. Gonzalez gave up a walk-off home run to Jordan Luplow.
Renteria is feeling a much more intense heat after the White Sox fell to the Indians 5-4 Thursday night.
“Everybody wants to put it on me? Put it on me,” Renteria said after the Sox lost their fifth straight game.
It sure was looking like a win after the White Sox scored 3 runs in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, struggling right-hander Jimmy Cordero came on in relief of starter Dallas Keuchel and got into immediate trouble.
Three straight singles loaded the bases, but Cordero got the next two outs and appeared to have the situation under relative control.
Renteria decided to make a pitching change that he'll be hearing about for quite some time.
Needing to rest more reliable relievers like Codi Heuer and Garrett Crochet, Renteria could have gone with Matt Foster, Jace Fry or Aaron Bummer, who was activated off the 45-day injured list earlier Thursday.
Instead, he called on Carlos Rodon, who also came off the IL before the game.
“He's a big-league starter,” Renteria said. “He's handled those types of situations before. Coming off all the preparation he's been doing, we weren't asking him to go through a full inning. It was just going to be trying to get the one out. Obviously, it didn't work.”
Pitching for the first time since Aug. 3, and for the first time out of the bullpen since May of 2015, Rodon gave up a 2-run single to Cesar Hernandez and a 2-run double to Jose Ramirez as the Indians took the lead for good and completed a four-game sweep.
“I think anybody on this pitching staff mindset-wise wants that situation, including myself of course,” Rodon said. “When the manager calls your name, and the bell rings, it's time to do your job. Unfortunately, today it just didn't happen.”
Rodon doesn't think Renteria is at fault for putting him into such a tough situation after a long layoff due to a shoulder injury.
“I'm the one who threw the pitch,” Rodon said. “I'm the one who gave up the hits. He had nothing to do with throwing any pitch, so it's not on him.”