White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada is day to day after he was scratched from Saturday's game with right shin splints.

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF AUGUST 20, 2017 Gonzalez seeks another quality start in finale By Sam Butler / MLB.com August 20, 2017 A.J. Griffin will make his fourth start since returning from the disabled list, and the Rangers look to cap off a 10-game homestand on a high note as they host the White Sox on Sunday for the series finale at Globe Life Park. Griffin is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA since being reinstated, sandwiching a pair of solid outings around a rough start in New York against the Mets. Opponents are batting.196 against him over those three starts, though. He's only eclipsed 90 pitches one time over that stretch, as the team is likely monitoring his pitch count as he works back to full strength. "I feel good. I think they're being a little bit more careful with me in the pitch count, but I just have to go out there and get deep in the game on a few less pitches and keep that in mind," Griffin said. "Just keep trying to execute, and when I do that, good things happen and I can go deeper in the game." Miguel Gonzalez starts for the White Sox. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last two starts, and the righty has thrown five quality starts in his last six outings. Gonzalez is 1-2 with a 3.97 ERA over four starts against the Rangers at Globe Life Park in his career, but he had a nodecision his last time there, on May 9, Things to know about this game The same is true for every pitcher, but when Griffin's offense gives him some backup, the team does well. In 36 career starts when he's received four-plus runs of support, Griffin is He also does well at home. The Rangers have won seven straight games that Griffin has started at Globe Life Park, and they've come out on top in 11 of 15. White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada is day to day after he was scratched from Saturday's game with right shin splints. White Sox overpowered after scoring 5 in first By Scott Merkin and T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com August 20, 2017 ARLINGTON -- The Rangers were rough on White Sox starter Derek Holland in his homecoming, even though they were kind enough to spot him a 5-0 lead before he took the mound. The Rangers pounded their former teammate with seven runs in 2 2/3 innings on their way to a 17-7 victory over the White Sox on Saturday night at Globe Life Park. The Rangers hit four home runs, including two by Rougned Odor, on their way to their 11th win in their last 16 games. They are 1 1/2 games behind the Twins and Angels for the second American League Wild Card spot. "It was fun, it was amazing," said Mike Napoli, who hit one of the four home runs. "We got down five runs early but kept battling, got timely hits and kept it going. We are playing good baseball and have a good feel going." The 17 runs were a season high for the Rangers and the most given up by the White Sox this year. The Rangers' 20 hits, eight extra-base hits and 36 total bases were also season highs. Every Rangers starter had at least two hits except Joey Gallo and he walked three times. Shin-Soo Choo had four hits, including a home run.

2 Martin Perez earned the victory for the Rangers even though he was almost knocked out in the first inning. Perez allowed five runs, including a two-run double to Kevan Smith, and the Rangers had Austin Bibens-Dirkx warming up in the bullpen. But Perez was able to get out of that inning and ended up going six for his third straight win. "He was one hitter from being out of that game," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We were going to turn it over to Bibens-Dirkx. But he got the last out, settled down, gathered himself mentally and really buckled down and started making pitches." This is the second straight start and the fourth time this season Holland has allowed seven runs in less than three innings. He is 1-7 with a 9.49 ERA in his last 11 starts. "It's very frustrating," Holland said. "[White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper] and I have been doing a great job of working every single bullpen, just working on pitches and location. I continue to keep repeating the same thing, and what makes it even more frustrating is we go out there and do that stuff and then I just don't do my job." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Gallo can't hold Smith double: The White Sox had bases loaded and one out in the first when Smith hit a fly ball down the left-field line. Gallo raced over and got his glove on the ball with a diving attempt, but couldn't hold it. Two runs scored on the double and another came across when Gallo overthrew home plate with nobody backing up. Kevan Smith laces a double into left field to score two, then Avasail Garcia scores from third after a throwing error by Joey Gallo Odor goes deep off lefty: Odor entered the game hitting.165 off left-handers with just two home runs in 115 at-bats. But he put the Rangers ahead for good with a three-run home run off Holland in the fourth inning. It was his first home run since Aug a stretch of 58 at-bats without going deep. It was also Odor's first RBI since Aug. 1. He added another in the fourth inning, the fifth time he has hit multiple home runs in a game this season. The second one measured 466 feet, Odor's longest over the past three years, according to Statcast. "He's a really good guy," Odor said of Holland, his former teammate with the Rangers. "When he was here, he was a great teammate. It's hard to face those guys, because they're good guys and he's my friend. It's a little hard when you're playing, but I just tried to do my best and he tried to do his best, and that's it." "Today I just couldn't get a rhythm," Holland said. "I just didn't have the tempo that I usually need. I was definitely excited to be back home and pitch in front of old fans and be back in front of Texas again, but to give a showing like I did, it didn't help the cause. I have to continue to get better each time." NAPOLI'S BIG NIGHT Napoli had a two-run double in the third and a three-run home run in the fourth. It's the sixth time in his career Napoli has had at least five RBIs in a game and the first since April 22, 2013, when he was with the Red Sox. "This is the lineup we envisioned having at the beginning of the year," Napoli said. "We haven't done it on a consistent basis, but this is one of the reasons why I signed here. I knew we were going to be a good ballclub." QUOTABLE "If I was missing, I was missing too far over the plate or too far away and then I walked people. And the hardest thing in this game is defending a walk. You can do it. I have to be doing better than that." -- Holland SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Rangers scored six runs in the third and fourth innings. The last time they had two or more innings of six-plus runs was in their 30-3 victory over the Orioles on Aug. 22, The Rangers also had three three-run home runs in the game, their most in a game since hitting five home runs with either two on or the bases loaded in that game against the Orioles. REVIEW TAKES AWAY ANDRUS' HOMER Elvis Andrus seemed to hit an inside-the-park home run in the sixth when right fielder Avisail Garcia could not catch his deep drive into the right-field corner. The ball bounded away from Garcia and Andrus circled the bases for an apparent home run. But the White Sox challenged the call and it was overturned when replay showed the ball landed foul without

3 Garcia touching it. It was the second successful challenge in the inning for the White Sox. Gallo had an infield single overturned leading off. WHAT'S NEXT White Sox: Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez pitches against the Rangers in the finale of the four-game series at 2:05 p.m. CT Sunday at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Gonzalez is 2-1 with a 4.03 ERA in his last five starts and 2-3 with a 4.56 ER4 in six career starts against the Rangers. Rangers: Right-hander A.J. Griffin pitches against the White Sox. Griffin missed over two months with a left intercostal strain and is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in three starts since he returned. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. For Abreu, near-cycle dimmed by 'tough' loss By Scott Merkin / MLB.com August 19, 2017 ARLINGTON -- White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu wasn't thinking about the double needed to hit for the cycle when he stepped to the plate in the ninth inning of a 17-7 loss to the Rangers Saturday night at Globe Life Park. Derek Holland, who was long gone from his start by the time Abreu hit near 11 p.m. CT, couldn't stop thinking about a second straight miserable trip to the mound. Good or bad, these are the sorts of games the White Sox expect during the course of a now rebuilding season. But even with a big-picture view and hope for light at the end of the tunnel, the losses don't become any easier. "We are not here to lose games," said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo. "We came here every day with a purpose and that purpose is to win games. "It's tough. It's tough when you lose, even when you lose by one run or the manner which we lost today. But you have to learn from the losses. You have to find things to learn from them and to try to correct and to apply the next game." Ten hitters came to the plate during a five-run White Sox first inning off Texas starter Martin Perez. Abreu singled during that rally, tripled and scored in the fifth and homered in the seventh. In that leadoff at-bat in the ninth, Abreu pulled a broken-bat single into left to match his career high with a fourth hit. He has hit in eight straight games with five home runs, eight RBIs and six multi-hit efforts during the streak. Instead of thinking about making individual history, Abreu simply was trying to keep his hands inside the ball. "You know, unfortunately we are passing through a bad moment," Abreu said. "It doesn't matter what you perform on the field. If the team is not winning, you are not going to feel good or happy. "Fortunately for us, today's game is over. And now we have to think about tomorrow's game." Holland made his first start at Globe Life as a visitor, writing "thank you" on the back of the mound in tribute to the great memories he had pitching for the Rangers. He won't have many great memories from Saturday, allowing seven runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings. It was good for Holland to be back in Texas, but his theme was similar to Abreu's. His ultimate goal is to do better for his team. "That's really what means more to me right now is my team and being able to help them, do my part to stay in the game longer and pitch better than I have been," Holland said. "These guys have been working their [tails] off to be where they are right now, and for me to not do my job is just upsetting." White Sox put Lopez on DL with back strain Moncada day to day after being scratched with shin splints By Scott Merkin / MLB.com August 19, 2017 ARLINGTON -- The White Sox rebuild hit a painful pothole Saturday, when right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to Friday) with a strained back and second baseman Yoan Moncada was scratched from the starting lineup due to right shin splints.

4 Neither malady seems to have the team panicked; White Sox manager Rick Renteria termed the move with Lopez as more of a precautionary measure. "We feel really good about where he's at," said Renteria. "It wasn't his side, exactly. It was more toward his back, I guess. He's feeling good. For us, it's a good move to slow it down and make sure he's OK." Lopez, 23, exited in the fifth inning of a losing start to Texas on Thursday with what he described as soreness near his right rib cage. The White Sox staff noticed a drop in velocity from Lopez during that start, but Lopez confirmed there were no shoulder or arm problems when Renteria came to the mound to check. It was first baseman Jose Abreu who persuaded Lopez to take care of the pain and try not to pitch through it. With Lopez on the disabled list, Lucas Giolito (No. 59 prospect overall, per MLBPipeline, and No. 6 for the White Sox) will make his debut with the White Sox on Tuesday and take Lopez's rotation spot in the short term. Carson Fulmer (No. 11 White Sox prospect) will start Monday's doubleheader nightcap against the Twins as the 26th man for the DH. Moncada, the No. 1 prospect overall, per MLBPipeline, felt the shin splints for the past couple of days. But the soreness became a little bit more intense Saturday, and after talking with Renteria, Moncada was removed from the starting lineup. "Basically it's just ice and hot, the treatment," said Moncada through interpreter Billy Russo, adding it's the first time he has dealt with shin splints. "I think probably tomorrow or in the worst-case scenario Monday [for a return]. But it's not something that you have to be concerned [about]." "He's been playing with it for a couple of days," said Renteria of Moncada, who is in a 3-for-27 funk with a double and a homer. "Today we got it worked on and wrapped to try to alleviate a little bit of the discomfort. He was feeling it enough to feel like it would impede him a little bit. We'll keep treating him day to day and see if we can find a way to minimize the discomfort he feels." Fulmer to make first big league start Monday Righty gets nightcap of DH; Farquhar called up to replace Lopez By Scott Merkin / MLB.com August 19, 2017 ARLINGTON -- After 54 career Minor League starts and eight big league relief appearances during the 2016 season, Carson Fulmer is scheduled to make his first Major League start Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Fulmer, the No. 11 White Sox prospect per MLBPipeline.com, gets the nightcap of a doubleheader with Minnesota and follows Game 1 starter Carlos Rodon. The 23-year-old has a 7-8 record, 5.61 ERA, 95 strikeouts and 63 walks over 122 innings for Triple-A Charlotte this season, covering 24 starts. "You know, the first two months of this season, Fulmer was the guy," White Sox assistant general manager Buddy Bell said. "If we would have called down there and said, 'Cat [Charlotte pitching coach Steve McCatty], who do you recommend,' it would have been Fulmer. "Over the last two months, Reynaldo Lopez and Gio (Lucas Giolito) have sort of straightened themselves out. But with the exception of the last month, month and a half, Fulmer has been pretty good." Being the 26th man allowed for Monday's doubleheader, Fulmer figures to return to Charlotte after the start. But he also should return to the White Sox as part of September callups. "Great kid, competitor," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria of Fulmer. "Obviously he has been starting for us down there and he's still finding his way. There's no doubt in my mind with his personality and his makeup, he's going to be able to find his niche and be able to be an effective Major League pitcher." Farquhar joins the White Sox Veteran right-handed reliever Danny Farquhar had his contract purchased from Charlotte by the White Sox on Saturday and was added to the bullpen, taking the roster spot of Lopez, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained back. Farquhar joined the White Sox organization via a Minor League deal on July 24 and went 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA over 12 innings for the Knights. But there's another interesting wrinkle to Farquhar's White Sox arrival. As a Florida native growing up a Marlins' fan, Farquhar's favorite player was none other than Renteria.

5 "You had Gary Sheffield, Jeff Conine, Robb Nen, all the players to choose from and I chose Rick Renteria, the secret weapon," Farquhar said. "They had a picture day where you walked around the warning track, and I got a picture somewhere of me hugging him. Big hug. Hopefully I can get my dad to send that. We can get that on the internet." Farquhar let Renteria know of the connection when he joined the White Sox in Texas. Davidson getting closer Third baseman/designated hitter Matt Davidson is making progress toward returning from a right wrist contusion placing him on the disabled list Aug. 8 (retroactive to Aug. 4). Davidson suffered the injury when he was hit by a Marcus Stroman pitch on Aug. 1. "Right now, our plan is to continue to have him taking batting practice, working in the field, get him through Tuesday," Renteria said. "At that point, we will make a decision about how we proceed, whether it's a rehab assignment, which is likely because he has been down an extended period of time. He's progressing well, feeling better." Pipeline Preview: Guerrero Jr. looks to continue power surge By Chad Thornburg / MLB.com August 20, 2017 Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action: Hitter to watch: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays No. 1), Dunedin Blue Jays vs. St. Lucie Mets (1 p.m. ET) Guerrero, the No. 6 overall prospect, has homered in three straight games and will try to make it four in a row Sunday against the St. Lucie Mets. Guerrero is hitting.328 through 35 games with Dunedin after hitting.316 through 71 games with Class A Lansing. Pitcher to watch: A.J. Puk (A's No. 2), Midland Rockhounds vs. Arkansas Travelers (3 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV) Puk will toe the rubber for the Rockhounds in Sunday's series finale. The former first-round Draft pick has held his opponent to three or fewer earned runs in six consecutive starts and tossed a season-high 100 pitches in his last outing. Duel of the Day: Dylan Cease (White Sox No. 7) vs. Brigham Hill (Nationals No. 20), Kannapolis vs. Hagerstown (2:05 p.m. ET) Sunday's matchup between the South Atlantic League's Kannapolis Intimidators and the Hagerstown Suns features a prime pitching matchup with two top prospects toeing the rubber. Cease, the No. 65 overall prospect, will start for the Intimidators. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any appearance this season, but is still seeking his first win (0-6) since he was traded from the Cubs to the White Sox. Hill will be looking to bounce back from a tough outing against Hickory that broke up a string of strong starts. He allowed a career-high six runs on seven hits and two walks in his last outing after having strung together six starts of three earned runs or fewer to begin his career. Strained back sends White Sox pitching prospect Reynaldo Lopez to DL By Scott Krinch / CSN Chicago August 19, 2017 After leaving Thursday's game with soreness, the White Sox are taking a cautious approach with pitching prospect Reynaldo Lopez. The White Sox announced on Saturday they have placed Lopez on the 10-day disabled list with a strained back and purchased the contract of pitcher Danny Farquhar from Triple-A Charlotte. White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper noticed Lopez losing both his velocity and command in the fourth inning of his start against the Texas Rangers on Thursday night which prompted a mound visit from manager Rick Renteria and head athletic trainer Herm Schneider. After initially walking back toward the dugout, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu signaled for Renteria and Schneider to return. Lopez was pulled from the game just moments later. Lopez is 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in two starts with the White Sox after getting promoted to the majors on Aug. 11. Farquhar, 30, signed with the White Sox in July after he was released by the Tampa Bay Rays.

6 In eight games with Triple-A Charlotte, Farquhar had a 3.00 ERA with a WHIP and 12 strikeouts. The veteran reliever has played in parts of six MLB seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2011), Seattle Mariners ( ) and Rays ( ). Farquhar has a career record of 7-14 with 18 saves and a 3.85 ERA in 230 games. The White Sox 40-man roster is now at 36 after Saturday's move. Lucas Giolito's White Sox debut will be pushed back as club makes rotation changes By Paul Roumeliotis / CSN Chicago August 19, 2017 Lucas Giolito's White Sox debut will be pushed back a day. Originally scheduled to start Monday, Giolito will make his team debut on Tuesday now, manager Rick Renteria said on Saturday. Giolito will take Reynaldo Lopez's place in the rotation as he recovers from a strained back. The White Sox also made some other pitching rotation changes. Carlos Rodon and Carson Fulmer will be the two starters for Monday's doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins. Renteria said that Fulmer who will be making his season debut will serve as the 26th man and then head back to Triple-A Charlotte. In 24 starts this season with the Knights, the 23-year-old prospect is 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA and 95 strikeouts. With Reynaldo Lopez on DL, Carson Fulmer to make first White Sox start of season By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune August 19, 2017 The White Sox lost one pitching prospect to the disabled list Saturday, but they'll give two more their first starts on the South Side this week. Before Saturday's game against the Rangers at Globe Life Park, the Sox placed right-hander Reynaldo Lopez on the 10- day disabled list with a strained back, which he suffered during Thursday's start in Texas. With Lopez out, right-hander Lucas Giolito will replace him in the rotation and start Tuesday. Giolito was set to join the Sox as the 26th man for a doubleheader against the Twins on Monday, but that role will now go to right-hander Carson Fulmer. Left-hander Carlos Rodon will start Game 1, with Fulmer following in Game 2. Manager Rick Renteria said Fulmer likely will be with the Sox for only one start, though he could return when rosters expand in September. It will be the first big-league start for Fulmer, whom the Sox projected as a starter when they drafted him eighth overall in He made eight relief appearances for the Sox last year, struggling with an 8.49 ERA before returning to Triple-A Charlotte. In 24 starts this season with Charlotte, Fulmer is 7-8 with a 5.64 ERA, 95 strikeouts and 63 walks in 122 innings. "He's still finding his way," Renteria said. "He will continue to develop. There's no doubt in my mind with his personality and his makeup (that) he's going to be able to find his niche and be an effective major-league pitcher." Lopez left Thursday's game in the fifth inning with what originally was described as right-side soreness on his rib cage. Lopez, who has a 6.97 ERA after two starts, said he didn't think his injury was serious or would affect his next start. Renteria said the DL trip is a precautionary measure. "It's a good move to slow it down and make sure he's OK," Renteria said. Right-handed reliever Danny Farquhar joined the Sox from Charlotte to take Lopez's roster spot. The Sox signed Farquhar, 30, as a minor-league free agent July 24 after the Rays released him. In nine innings at Charlotte, he had a 3.00 ERA, one save, two walks, 12 strikeouts and a.188 opponents average. Farquhar has pitched six seasons in the majors with the Blue Jays, Mariners and Rays.

7 "We narrowed it to three or four teams and from there it was looking at rosters, seeing where the best chance to go up was," Farquhar said of signing with the Sox "They had told us they were trading players away and would continue to trade guys away. Obviously you have to perform at Triple A. You just can't show up and get a job in the big leagues." Farquhar already has one connection with the Sox. He grew up in Florida, and Renteria, who played parts of five seasons in the majors, was his favorite player while Renteria was with the expansion Marlins in Farquhar has a photo of himself at 6 or 7 hugging Renteria. "All the players to choose from and I chose Rick Renteria the secret weapon," Farquhar said. He told Renteria of his fandom when he arrived Saturday at Globe Life Park. "I said, 'You just went to the top of the list,'" Renteria said. "It's neat to hear that. He said, 'I have a picture of you and I together, and I'm going to have my dad send it to me.' And I said, 'OK, now I really feel old.'" Derek Holland flops in Texas homecoming as Rangers rout White Sox 17-7 By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune August 20, 2017 White Sox left-hander Derek Holland scraped the words Thank you into the back of the mound Saturday night at Globe Life Park, a message to the team for which he played his first eight major-league seasons. The Rangers didn t make it a happy homecoming, totaling 17 runs and 20 hits, more than any Sox opponent this season, as the Sox lost It s good to be back in front of Texas, but I wish I would have done better for my teammates, Holland said. That s really what means more to me right now is my team and being able to help them, do my part to stay in the game longer and pitch better than I have been. These guys have been working their (butts) off to be where they are right now, and for me to not do my job is just upsetting. Holland gave up seven earned runs over 2 2/3 innings as the Rangers erased an early five-run deficit. Six of those runs came in the third inning, including Mike Napoli s two-run double and Rougned Odor s three-run homer. The homer ended Holland s night, which was his second straight outing of fewer than three innings. He gave up seven earned runs in two innings in his previous start against the Royals. The Rangers had scored five off Holland in their previous meeting at Guaranteed Rate Field in July. Sox manager Rick Renteria said Holland, who owns a 6.07 ERA, is scheduled for his next start Thursday against the Twins. He said nothing is out of the question when it comes to a possible move to the bullpen, but the Sox aren t ready to discuss that yet. I m just upset with myself, Holland said. The greatest thing about this whole year is being healthy. But I would rather trade in success than to stay healthy all year. Tomorrow is a new day. I have to be ready to bounce back, and if he needs me to go out to the bullpen, I know I m going to be ready for that. I m going to be ready for whatever they call on me to do. It was just the start of an ugly night for the Sox. Dylan Covey, activated from the disabled list earlier in the week, gave up another six runs in the fourth, including Napoli s three-run homer and Odor s solo shot. And Shin-Soo Choo hit a three-run homer off Chris Beck. The Sox committed two errors in the third and another in the fifth. One of the only highlights of the loss was Jose Abreu, who finished a double shy of the cycle. He singled in the first, tripled in the fifth, hit a solo homer in the seventh and singled to left field in the ninth. I was trying to keep my hands inside the ball, and thanks to God I got a hit, Abreu said through an interpreter of his final at-bat. Unfortunately we are passing through a bad moment. It doesn t matter how you perform on the field. If the team is not winning, you are not going to feel good or happy.

8 Moncada out: Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada sat out with shin splints in his right leg. Moncada said he hopes it won't keep him out more than a day or two. "It has been bothering me the last couple of days," Moncada said through a team interpreter. "Today was a little more intense, the soreness." Davidson healing: Third baseman Matt Davidson, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with a bruised right wrist, could be nearing a return. Davidson has been taking batting practice and fielding grounders, and manager Rick Renteria said he expected to make a decision Tuesday about a rehab assignment, which he said is likely. A pair of firsts: The Sox have had trouble shutting down games after trading away five relievers, but Gregory Infante and Juan Minaya teamed up for a rare set of firsts Friday. Infante earned his first career victory in relief and Minaya earned his first career save, the first set of Sox teammates to record such firsts in the same game since Mike Porzio (win) and Matt Ginter (save) in "(Minaya) has everything that he needs to be able to close out ballgames," Renteria said. "He has a good arm, approach and mentality. He's been chipping away since we had him here." White Sox put Lopez on DL, tab Giolito for Tuesday, Fulmer for Monday The Sox put right-hander Reynaldo Lopez on the 10-day DL and purchased the contract of righty Danny Farquhar. By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times August 20, 2017 ARLINGTON, Texas The White Sox put right-hander Reynaldo Lopez on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to August 18) with a strained back Saturday and purchased the contract of right-hander Danny Farquhar from Class AAA Charlotte. The move set off a couple changes in the Sox pitching plans for early next week, most notably moving right-hander Lucas Giolito s Sox debut to Tuesday against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field. Giolito was pegged to start in the doubleheader Monday, but will start in Lopez s place Tuesday. Carson Fulmer will be called up from Charlotte as the 26th man and start Game 2 of the twinbill, with Carlos Rodon pitching Game 1. For right now it s just going to be one start [for Fulmer], manager Rick Renteria said. Then he ll go back. Fulmer, drafted eighth overall by the Sox and in 2015, has dropped to No. 11 on the list of Sox prospects according to MLB.com. He is 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA with 95 strikeouts and 63 walks over 122 innings at Charlotte. This will be his first career start following eight relief appearances in 2016 when he was 0-2 with an 8.59 ERA. Lopez, 23, one of the Sox top pitching prospects, made only two starts after getting called up from Charlotte last week. He left his second outing against the Rangers during the fifth inning Thursday with what was called soreness on his right side. It s a precautionary measure, Renteria said. We feel really good about where he s at. It wasn t his side exactly. It was more toward his back, I guess. He s feeling good. It s a good move to slow it down and make sure he s OK. After pitching six innings of two-run ball against the Royals last Friday, Lopez gave up six runs on five hits and four walks over 4 innings Thursday. He said he woke up with soreness in his side. Moncada sidelined Second baseman Yoan Moncada was scratched from the lineup with shin splints on his right leg. He s been playing with it for a couple of days, Renteria said. He was feeling it enough like it would impede him a little bit. Moncada has not had shin splints before. He expected to be back Sunday or Monday. But it s not something that you have to be concerned about, he said through an interpreter. Renteria also said Matt Davidson, who is with the team while on the disabled list with a bruised right wrist, will continue to take batting practice and infield work into early next week before a determination is made on whether he will need a minor-league rehab assignment.

9 Farquhar idolized Renteria Farquhar, a Florida native and Marlins fan as a child, has a picture of him as a 7-year-old hugging Renteria when the Sox manager was a Marlins infielder in the early 1990s. He was my favorite player growing up; I don t know why, Farquhar said Saturday. You had [Marlins] Gary Sheffield, Jeff Conine, Robb Nen, all the players to choose from and I chose Rick Renteria, the secret weapon. Farquhar, 30, was signed as a minor-league free agent on July 24 after he was designated for assignment by the Rays. Sox rookie Nicky Delmonico has hit, it factors going for him Rangers pummel Holland, Covey in 20-hit barrrage in 17-7 victory over White Sox By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times August 20, 2017 ARLINGTON, Texas White Sox manager Rick Renteria has said it factor four or five times during Nicky Delmonico s torrid start to his major-league career, and you can kind of see why. Delmonico is tall, handsome and confident, with deep baseball roots having grown up in a baseball family. He s overcome his share of adversity, and now he s flourishing in his first break into the big leagues. A lot of this has to do with his personality, said third-base coach Nick Capra, the former Sox director of player development who helped Delmonico get his career back on track in the Sox farm system in 2015 and 16 after he essentially walked away from the game in the aftermath of a 50-day suspension for using Adderall. He enjoys playing the game and obviously he s a confident person. His fun-loving approach to this game, knowing where he s been and where he is now plays a big role in how he plays. Delmonico entered the Sox 17-7 loss on Saturday to the Texas Rangers having hit two go-ahead homers in a 4-3 victory here Friday. The second, an inside-the-park poke off the right-field wall, was his fourth in five games. Delmonico, batting.356, walked and lined out hard to right on Saturday in his 16th game since his call-up from Class AAA Charlotte where he batted.262 with 12 homers and 45 RBI in 99 games. He was the first Sox ever to open his career by reaching base safely in his first 13 games. His hot start is a sparkle in the dimness of the Sox record in July and August. Staked to a 5-0 lead against left-hander Martin Perez before he took the mound, former Ranger Derek Holland got tagged for seven runs in 2 innings in his unfortunate return to the place where he still rates as the second winningest lefty in Rangers history. He wrote thank you to the fans in the dirt on the back of the mound. I just don t even really know how to answer [what s going wrong], said Holland, whose ERA climbed to Renteria didn t rule out the possibility of Holland s moving to the bullpen. Nothing is out of the question but right now he s in our rotation, Renteria said. When we move forward we ll deal with that particular aspect and cross that bridge. Jose Abreu hit his 24th homer and tripled and Kevan Smith doubled in two runs. Aside from that, the Sox (46-74) were outclassed, committing three errors (two by shortstop Tim Anderson including one on a routine pop-up) and allowing two homers to Rougned Odor and one to Mike Napoli (five RBI) and Shin-Soo Choo. Adrian Beltre collected his 3,021st career hit, surpassing Rafael Palmiero for 27th on the all-time hit list. After Holland gave up seven, Dylan Covey gave up six more, Chris Beck allowed three and Brad Goldberg left with a blister. As the Sox rebuild and with a sparkling prospects list boasting hope for the future, Delmonico is playing as if he wants to be part of it. He s simply taking it all in stride. You have to keep going, Delmonico said. I have to do everything I can to keep learning and moving forward. Capra said things began to click for Delmonico at Birmingham last summer, when he realized he could use the whole field and become a good hitter. Renteria has used him in left field and at designated hitter, even though he is a corner infielder by trade. The hope is to groom him into a quality hitter with versatility.

10 Renteria sees intangibles as well. There are certain people that have a quality about them that you can t define or describe, he said. You just know they have it. And he s one of those people. There is a specialness to him. Is he here to stay? If he can keep repeating his approach at the plate, I see no reason he wouldn t, Capra said. Benetti: Underrated prospects give Sox some excitement By Jason Benetti / Special to Daily Herald August 19, 2017 I was walking through Midway Airport recently when a man stopped just ahead of me. He turned around and said, "Get the Sox to win!" I let that phrase roll around in my head for a while on the way to the gate. First of all, I love the guy's passion for the Sox and baseball. It takes fandom to stop a talking head in the airport and say anything let alone to tell said talking head what he needs to do as it pertains to the team. So, a tip of the hat to the gentleman for letting me know how he felt. I am disappointed to say that I have no control over the outcome of each night's game. I know some people like to blame me -- and Len on the north side -- for smashing up no-hitters and perfect games, for ending streaks and for yanking opponents out of slumps with simply our words, but we are sadly unable to do these things. Or are we? Maybe our feigned realism is a clever ruse designed to make you think we can't control outcomes. Hmmm... Then there's the whole "win" idea. Friday night, the Sox won in Texas. The final score was 4-3. It felt good, as winning always does. That win put the team at I know, I'm a wet blanket for saying the record. And, yes, it's the airport man's point. As written in this column a few weeks ago, the Sox and General Manager Rick Hahn have been very transparent about what the goal is in regards to winning. Lose some now, win a lot more later. That doesn't mean it's necessarily easy, fun, comfortable, calming or exciting to watch any team lose, although this team has been rather spirited. I get it. Remember, though, the team with the worst record gets the highest draft pick next year. To me, the greatest win for the Sox in a season like '17 happens when a team member who isn't one of the writ-large "TOP PROSPECTS" plays above where he's expected to. It's a good sign for the franchise, but it's also inspiring to anyone not on one of those lists. It's also purely added value. That's exactly what Nicky Delmonico is providing for the Sox. At age 25 and a rookie, Delmonico is on his third MLB franchise. This week alone, he's had a pair of two-homerun games. That includes Friday's second round-tripper which began with Delmonico playing matchmaker for Nomar Mazara and a Globe Life Park fence. Delmonico also holds a White Sox record for reaching base in the most consecutive games to start a career at 13. A series of players like Delmonico outdoing expectations can turn an already robust farm system into a nightmare for 29 other teams. Those sorts of wins will come as close to guaranteeing future actual wins as is possible. Yes, Delmonico as a bonus player requires that the prospects perform as expected over the long-run. Some will, some won't, generally. This is why someone like Nicky Delmonico can be a major positive, too. His unexpected performance (by the rankings and numbers -- I know he planned to do well) can negate another "prospect's" underperformance. Root for whatever you'd like at the end of this year -- wins, sunny weather, exceptional plays, the first draft pick, anything. I'm rooting for guys like Nicky Delmonico who surprise us in the best way. That, more than words from the TV guy, will "get the Sox to win." Jason Benetti is a play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox, as well as ESPN. Follow him on White Sox pitching prospects moving in right direction By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald August 19, 2017

11 For the Chicago White Sox, Monday is moving day. Not in the standings, where the rebuilding Sox are buried in the AL Central basement with the second-worst record in the major leagues. There is going to be movement on the prospect front -- specifically on the pitching side. Lucas Giolito is joining the White Sox's rotation from Class AAA Charlotte, and the 23-year-old righty will start against the Twins on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Also on Monday, 21-year-old righty Michael Kopech is scheduled to make his first start for Charlotte after being promoted from AA Birmingham. Along with Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning, Giolito joined the Sox on Dec. 7 in the trade that sent veteran outfielder Adam Eaton to the Nationals. After getting off to a slow start at Charlotte, Giolito was 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his last 5 games with the Knights. Kopech dominated the Southern League at a very young age, going 8-7 with a 2.87 ERA while striking out 155 in 119⅓ innings. Like Giolito, Kopech got stronger as the season progressed, and the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder was 4-1 with a 0.66 ERA in his last 6 starts for the Barons. Lopez joined the White Sox on Aug. 11 and pitched well in his first start against the Royals. In Thursday's start against the Rangers at Texas, Lopez had to exit with one out in the fifth inning due to soreness in his right side. On Saturday, he landed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained back. It remains to be seen if Lopez takes the mound for the Sox again this season, but general manager Rick Hahn has added plenty of pitching depth to the system since the 2016 draft. In addition to Lopez, Giolito and Kopech, here are some other young arms to watch: Alec Hansen The White Sox's second-round draft pick in 2016 out of the University of Oklahoma, Hansen has been stellar at low Class A Kannapolis and high A Winston-Salem this season, going a combined 10-8 with a 2.64 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 126 innings. With the minor-league regular season wrapping up on Aug. 31, Hansen is an obvious candidate to play in the Arizona Fall League and open next year at Birmingham. Dylan Cease Acquired from the Cubs last month in the Jose Quintana trade, Cease has struggled in 6 starts with Kannapolis, going 0-6 with a 4.74 ERA. The 21-year-old righty has shown off his power arm with 33 strikeouts in 24⅔ innings, but 14 walks clearly show Cease needs to continue working on his mechanics. Dane Dunning The 22-year-old righty is doing very well at Winston-Salem, ranking fourth in the Carolina League with a 3.35 ERA. Dunning also has 111 strikeouts in 102 innings and ranks eighth in the league with a 1.31 ERA. Spencer Adams The Sox's second-round draft pick in 2014 out of White County (Ga.) High School, Adams is now 21 years old and more than holding his own with Birmingham.

12 The right-hander is 7-13 with a 4.37 ERA while ranking third in the Southern League with 138 innings pitched and ninth with 103 strikeouts. Sox give up 5-run lead in lopsided loss By Stephen Hawkins / Associated Press August 19, 2017 ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rougned Odor homered twice, Mike Napoli also went deep, and both had five RBIs as the Texas Rangers overcame an early 5-run deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox 17-7 on Saturday night. Odor's first homer, a three-run shot in the third, made it 7-5 and ended the night for White Sox starter Derek Holland (6-13), the former Ranger starting as an opponent in Texas for the first time. That came soon after Napoli's two-run double. Holland spent his first eight MLB seasons in Texas, where he still lives, but the Rangers last winter declined their $11 million option and bought out the lefty for $1.5 million. He was with a 4.35 ERA in 179 career games for Texas, but was plagued by injuries the past three seasons. "I just couldn't get rhythm. I just didn't have the tempo I usually need," Holland said. "I was definitely excited to be back home and pitch in front of the old fans and be back in front of Texas again. To give a showing like I did, it didn't help the cause.... I'm just upset with myself." Napoli added a 3-run homer in the fourth before Odor hit a solo shot into the second deck of seats in right field to cap the Rangers' second consecutive six-run inning. Napoli and Odor each have 26 homers. Martin Perez (8-10), needed 40 pitches in the first as Chicago went ahead 5-0, but made it through six innings to win his third straight start. Shin-Soo Choo had 4 hits with a 3-run homer for Texas (61-61), which has won eight of 10 and is only 1½ games behind the American League's second wild-card spot. Jose Abreu hit his 24th homer for the White Sox, who have lost six of seven. Reynaldo Lopez is headed to the disabled list, but it could be worse By James Fegan / The Athletic August 19, 2017 It's not his arm. That's the good news regarding Reynaldo Lopez's injury, which, had it been arm-related, would have been just about the only thing that could have made his White Sox debut and 2018 rotation audition a failure. The Sox are placing Lopez on the disabled list with a strained back after he left his start on Thursday night with pain in his right side. Speaking postgame, manager Rick Renteria said that he and pitching coach Don Cooper noticed Lopez losing velocity and command toward the end of his outing, which prompted him to lean heavily on his changeup. Given that the Sox have no reason to risk Lopez further aggravating the injury and that the soreness was still lingering the next day, the prudent approach is a disabled list stint for the 23-year-old right-hander. The Sox have no specific win/loss goals to play for this season, and with 131 1/3 innings under his belt, Lopez has already had a fairly long 2017 by the standards of his young career. With only 18 games remaining in the Triple-A season, a minor league rehab assignment becomes less feasible, and if it's an extended absence as backs can often be fickle the Sox might lose interest in bringing Lopez back at all. On the other hand, it's a rebuilding year and rosters will be expanded soon, so they could just tandem start Lopez with Dylan Covey until he's back to full speed and up to throwing 100 pitches per night again. The point is, the stakes are low, and the road ahead is uncertain. One thing this does is make Lucas Giolito's role pretty clear. Giolito will come up on Monday and there will be a spot in the rotation for him when he arrives, which is the preference of general manager Rick Hahn when it comes to the Sox's top starting pitching prospects. Hahn wants them on a regular schedule and pitching every fifth day, and it will be fun to watch the Sox try to make that happen as the upper levels get increasingly crowded over the next few years. Triple-A alone might get very crowded in 2018 if Carson Fulmer and Tyler Danish do not graduate but Double-A pitchers Jordan Guerrero, Spencer Adams and Jordan Stephens all do. Who pitches Monday, which was Lopez's scheduled slot, may still require some maneuvering, possibly with Covey or Mike Pelfrey getting involved there too. Also getting an opportunity out of all this, though with a less clear future, is veteran right-handed reliever Danny Farquhar, who will fill Lopez's roster spot for now. The diminutive 30-year-old misses bats with a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a

13 changeup that gets swings and misses from hitters on both sides of the plate. Farquhar has racked up a 35.3 percent strikeout rate in nine innings of work at Triple-A Charlotte since being DFA'd out of Tampa. He was an effective setup man for the Rays as recently as last season, but 22 walks in 35 innings undermined his efforts this season despite a 3.55 DRA that suggests he deserves a roster spot somewhere. His atypical right-handed arsenal and lack of command make him prone to allowing home runs, but given some of the struggles the White Sox bullpen as currently assembled has suffered, he probably touts more than enough potential and promise to earn a real shot. Maybe this is nothing more than an audition for his next job in another town, but they might as well let him do it here. It's painful to lose the opportunity to see Lopez prove and establish himself in the majors down the stretch, but Giolito and Farquhar will offer something to watch in his stead. White Sox believe in Blake Rutherford's swing, even if it's not producing results yet By James Fegan / The Athletic August 20, 2017 ANNAPOLIS, N.C. As new White Sox prospect Blake Rutherford strode into the box in the third inning on Aug. 6, the stadium PA for the Greensboro Grasshoppers announced that he had been christened the Biscuitville Strikeout Victim of the Game. This meant that if Rutherford struck out, the entire crowd would receive $5 coupons to Biscuitville, which, despite being a lifelong northerner, I was able to glean was probably a local restaurant. With a 2-1 count, Rutherford fouled away a pitch on the outside corner. With two strikes, what I had initially thought was an odd sound effect from the PA became a chant. Biscuits! Biscuits! Biscuits! blared from the PA, but in distorted, computerized voice that sounded like it should come out of an early 90 s Macintosh, or the radiator in Eraserhead. The chant picked up speed as the Greensboro pitcher looked in for the sign, and the crowd began shouting along, creating a harmony between the hungry crowd and its mechanical commander. Rutherford responded by spoiling another pitch on the outside corner, and the whole nightmare restarted itself again. After somehow maintaining the presence of mind to take a borderline pitch a couple inches below the previous two, Rutherford lined out to short on a full count, and the whole affair ended. He finished the day 0-for-3 with a walk, and did not strike out once. Many fans probably swung on over to Biscuitville after the game, but they paid full price. I managed to catch the Low-A Kannapolis Intimidators in the middle of a six-game losing streak, during a stretch in which a lineup led by the resurgent Micker Adolfo (and the top of the Sox's 2017 draft in Jake Burger, Gavin Sheets and Luis Gonzalez), managed to scratch across nine runs combined. A tiny slump, even a team-wide one among 20- and 21-yearolds, is nothing to judge players by, but there were only so many impressive things going on, and Rutherford sending this demonic voice back to hell was one of them. It hasn t been the perfect year for the 20-year-old Rutherford, which is belied by last year s 18th overall pick ascending as high as the No. 30 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He s spent the week on the seven-day disabled list, albeit with an apparently minor issue. But getting traded by the Yankees organization that drafted him certainly wasn t part of the plan, and between his time in Low-A Charleston and Kannapolis, he s put together a.703 OPS with just two home runs, and has been mostly missing the power production that the Sox believe will lift his profile. I know it s going to come, it s just going to take time, Rutherford said, before going into an explanation of why he s sitting at two home runs on the year. If you ask a lot of people this year, I ve hit a lot of balls hard that have the potential to leave the yard. When I was on Charleston, obviously that s a big field and the wind blows in. A lot of guys are able to hit home runs there but none of the balls I hit were able to get out. I m not really worried about the power numbers. I think if I were playing anywhere else I may have a couple more home runs. But I m just worried about the day-to-day approach and sticking to my routine and putting the bat on the ball. Putting the bat on the ball, and denying opposing fans biscuits, is the positive the White Sox are clinging to through a transitional year for the headliner of the Todd Frazier-David Robertson-Tommy Kahnle trade, and by some estimations, a top-five prospect in their system. Rutherford has struck out just 64 times in 394 trips to the plate (16.2 percent) this season and just nine times in 90 trips to the plate since being traded. Sox director of player development Chris Getz is perfectly fine seeing Rutherford's hit tool out in front of his power. Teaching contact is more challenging than flat-out trying to get a guy to hit for power. He s got the ability to make contact, over time he s going to learn how to drive the ball, Getz said. He can drive the ball right now. He s got kind of natural quickness, barrel through the ball. As you get older, as you get more professional at-bats under your belt. He s going to be in a position to where, Ok, that ball I can do a little bit more with, do a little bit more with that ball.