White Sox starter for Game 3? It'll be Cease or Rodon

HOUSTON - At the beginning of the week, the White Sox weren't even sure if Carlos Rodon would be healthy enough to make the playoff roster.

Now the left-hander might be the choice to start a win-or-else Game 3 when the American League Division Series moves to Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday night.

Dylan Cease was presumably lined up for the game, and he might wind up getting the ball against the Astros.

"I'll give you some news (Saturday)," Sox manager Tony La Russa said. "We're still seeking information from - it's going to be Cease or Rodon - so we're looking at it."

Cease is seemingly the safer bet, given the health risks and reduced fastball velocity with Rodon.

Like Rodon, Cease won 13 games during the season and his 226 strikeouts ranked third in the league.

If Rodon was healthy, he would have started one of the first two ALDS games at Houston. The White Sox are hoping he will contribute back in Chicago.

"The fact that we're still optimistic means that he's showing enough, but the throws that he's got to make between now and Sunday and Monday, they dictate," La Russa said. "He throws, you see how he reacts. Just don't know for sure, and he doesn't know for sure. We've had a lot of talks about it. But we know it's there if it's there. So we'll see."

Michael Kopech did not pitch in either of the first two ALDS games, so he's ready for Game 3 if the Sox need a long reliever early.

Did La Russa consider using Kopech in Game 2 after the Sox took a 4-2 lead?

"If we needed him to win the game, we would have pitched him," La Russa said. "But whatever happens on Sunday (Game 3), we've got his length there. That's another big asset for us. We didn't have to waste it. He could have pitched an inning today and still been available. He'll be even more available."

Lucky breaks:

Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada chased a foul popup off the bat of the Astros' Yordan Alvarez early in Game 2 on Friday, sliding into the wall while failing to make the catch.

Moncada was done for a while after banging his left knee, but he was able to stay in the Game.

On Thursday, center fielder Luis Robert gave the White Sox a scare when was hit by a Lance McCullers Jr. pitch on the right hand.

Robert shook it off and stayed in the game.

"Just above (the hand), so missed all these bones there," manager Tony La Russa said. "Just a little bruise on top of it. I think about it now, I get chills because we've played without him enough. We don't want to go through that again."

Robert tore his right hip flexor on May 2 and didn't return to the Sox until Aug. 9.

Astros name Game 3 starter:

Houston is going with right-hander Luis Garcia in Game 3 of the ALDS Sunday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

One of the league's top rookies this year, Garcia was 11-8 with a 3.30 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 155⅓ innings.