White Sox left-hander Derek Holland will square off against Twins ace Ervin Santana in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday at Target Field.

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JUNE 19, 2017 Holland looks to stay hot in opener with Twins Keegan Matheson, MLB.com White Sox place Gonzalez on 10-day DL Keegan Matheson, MLB.com White Sox 3-run frame doesn't slow Blue Jays Gregor Chisholm and Keegan Matheson, MLB.com No sweep, but Sox pleased with strong week Keegan Matheson, MLB.com In My Words: Cooper reveals Buehrle his fave Don Cooper, Special to MLB.com James Shields Activated, Miguel Gonzalez to DL as White Sox Gain One Starting Pitcher and Lose Another CSN Chicago Staff Bad Luck Keeps Plaguing the White Sox Starting Rotation as Miguel Gonzalez Hits Disabled List Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago What Carlos Rodon Still Needs to Accomplish Before He Returns to White Sox Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago Blue Jays Spoil James Shields' Return in White Sox Loss Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago Miguel Gonzalez latest White Sox starting pitcher to go on disabled list Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune 9 questions for White Sox's Zach Putnam: Childhood hero, favorite ballparks, more Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune James Shields' return takes sour turn in White Sox's 7-3 loss to Blue Jays Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune 'Worst schedule I've ever been a part of:' David Robertson on trade talk, dad duties Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune White Sox put Miguel Gonzalez on DL, activate James Shields Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Yolmer Sanchez thriving in full-time role with White Sox Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times Blue Jays end White Sox win streak Associated Press Olney: Packed All-Star field could mean some major snubs Buster Olney, ESPN.com Holland looks to stay hot in opener with Twins By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com June 18, 2017 White Sox left-hander Derek Holland will square off against Twins ace Ervin Santana in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday at Target Field. Holland has experienced some ups and downs of late, but he is coming off one of his stronger outings after limiting the Orioles to one run on eight hits over six innings on Tuesday, while walking two and striking out five. The start lowered Holland's ERA to 3.79, as he rebounded from two tough outings to open the month. Santana is enjoying one of the best starts of his 13-year Major League career, and he entered Sunday ranked third among qualified American League starting pitchers with a 2.56 ERA. This has largely been due to a scarcity of hits against Santana, as his 5.3 hits per nine innings is 3.3 below his career average. The 34-year-old has also been chewing through innings at a very high rate, logging seven or more in eight of his 14 starts. Things to know about this game The slider has been Santana's greatest weapon this season as he continues to play it off his fastball as a second primary pitch. He's already thrown 458 sliders this season, according to Statcast, but opponents have managed to hit just.128 against the pitch. When hitters do make contact against Santana's slider, the 14 hits he has allowed against that pitch have stayed on both ends of the spectrum with nine singles and five home runs. White Sox center fielder Leury Garcia remained out of the starting lineup for the three-game weekend series against the Blue Jays with a nagging left hand injury, but the club is hoping he will not need a DL stint after a second negative X-ray on Saturday. Despite Santana's success, he's been hit-or-miss at times over the last month and a half so it is unclear which version of him the White Sox will be facing. In four of Santana's last eight starts, he's allowed five earned runs or more. In the other half of those starts, he held the opponent scoreless three times and allowed two runs in the other game.

2 White Sox place Gonzalez on 10-day DL Shields activated to start on Sunday in corresponding move By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com June 18, 2017 TORONTO -- The White Sox placed starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez on the 10-day disabled list prior to Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays with A/C joint inflammation in his right shoulder. The move is retroactive to Thursday, the day after Gonzalez made his last start against the Orioles. In the expected corresponding move, starter James Shields was activated from the DL for his scheduled start in Chicago's 7-3 loss. Shields, who had been on the disabled list since mid-april with a right lat strain, went 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a no-decision. Gonzalez's DL trip comes after his poorest outing of the season, as he allowed eight earned runs on nine hits over five innings on Wednesday. "When you're not right, a ball doesn't do what you want it to do," Gonzalez said. "It's always good to take a little step back, get together, and get strong. I'll do it day by day, and we'll see what happens. It feels good already. I just went out there today and played catch at 60 feet, and it felt good, nice and loose." In three June starts against the Orioles, Indians, and Tigers, Gonzalez posted a ERA over 15 2/3 innings while registering six walks, six strikeouts, and five home runs allowed. His season ERA sits at 5.49, up from a career mark of Injury updates Left-hander Carlos Rodon made his third rehab start on Saturday as he continues to work back from left biceps bursitis. The 24-year-old threw 5 2/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte, allowing three runs on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout. He threw 89 total pitches, and Renteria indicated on Sunday it's a possibility that Rodon returns after one more rehab outing. "Physically, he felt good," manager Rick Renteria said. "Still a little elevated, he threw more strikes. He's really close, so hopefully he continues to work on attacking the zone and getting his pitch count up." Center fielder Leury Garcia remained out of the starting lineup for a third straight game on Sunday as he continues to deal with a sore left hand. The issue is bruising and inflammation, however, as results from a second X-ray on Saturday came back negative. White Sox 3-run frame doesn't slow Blue Jays By Gregor Chisholm and Keegan Matheson / MLB.com June 18, 2017 TORONTO -- J.A. Happ vowed in early June that his command would get a lot better. Turns out, he was right all along. Happ made his second consecutive quality start in the Blue Jays' 7-3 victory over the White Sox on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre. The veteran lefty allowed three runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in 6 2/3 innings as Toronto avoided a three-game sweep. "I feel like the last two have been a lot better," said Happ, who was making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list with a left elbow injury. "I feel like I'm staying in my lanes a little better on each side of the plate, more consistently. That's a good sign for me and there's been a little bit more life to my fastball as well." Russell Martin and Kendrys Morales each hit two-run homers, while Ryan Goins drove in the go-ahead run with a triple in the sixth. The recently activated Steve Pearce had three hits, including an RBI and two runs scored. The big offensive afternoon came in spite of the fact Toronto was held to one run through the first five innings. White Sox starter James Shields came away with a no-decision. He cruised through the early portion of his outing, but he allowed one run in the fifth and then a two-run homer to Martin in the sixth that ended Shields' day with the score tied at 3. But righty Anthony Swarzak and the bullpen could not keep the Blue Jays off the scoreboard. "He gave us a nice outing," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "You tip your cap to him because he did a very, very good job of keeping us there, trying to get us more extension on the front end of the game, and we obviously weren't able to come back from that, but I thought we still played a decent ballgame."

3 MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Coming to life: The Blue Jays' offense seemed rather lethargic during the first two games of this series, but that changed in a big way during the sixth. With two out, Martin sent a soaring fly ball to right-center that bounced off the top of the wall for a home run. According to Statcast, Martin's seventh jack was projected to travel 391 feet and left his bat at 100 mph. "It felt pretty good off the bat," Martin said. "It wasn't a bad pitch. I think it was like a cutter/slider away. I definitely barreled it, but I wasn't sure. It wasn't a no-doubter by any means, and then I saw on the replay it hit the top of the wall. That might make up for all the times I've hit the ball hard at somebody this year." Breaking the deadlock: The White Sox finally got to Happ in the fifth by opening the frame with three consecutive singles, including an RBI shot up the middle by Yolmer Sanchez for the game's first run. Happ then retired the next two batters, but Abreu delivered a two-run single to cap an eight-pitch at-bat. Jose Abreu has driven in at least one run in five straight games. "I thought we were able to battle against Happ, who was throwing the ball pretty well, actually," Renteria said. "I thought that at-bat that Abreu had with two outs, second and third, driving in those two runs there was an excellent at-bat." QUOTABLE "You could feel it. The first two days, we didn't really play great. We played OK, but they kind of beat us up the first night and we haven't capitalized sometimes. It felt good to take a lead for one time in the series, and then the bullpen does what it does." -- Goins, on showing more emotion than normal following his go-ahead triple SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Blue Jays have come from behind to win 21 of 33 games this season. The downside is they have also allowed opponents to score first in five straight games and eight of the last 10. UPON REVIEW With two out and three runs in, Kevin Pillar hit a chopper up the middle in the seventh inning. White Sox second baseman Sanchez fielded the ball and threw a one-hopper to Abreu at first. Pillar was called out on the play, but Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wanted to take a closer look. Following a review, the call was confirmed. WHAT'S NEXT White Sox: After Monday's off-day, left-hander Derek Holland (5-6, 3.79 ERA) will get the ball on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. CT to open a three-game set against the Twins at Target Field. Holland opened June with two tough outings, but bounced back in his last start by holding the Orioles to one run over six innings. Blue Jays: Right-hander Marco Estrada (4-5, 4.54) will take the mound on Monday at 8:05 p.m. ET when the Blue Jays open a four-game series against the Rangers at Globe Life Park. Estrada will be looking to end a recent skid that has seen him allow 10 homers over his last 44 1/3 innings. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. No sweep, but Sox pleased with strong week Club set to face Twins coming off back-to-back series wins By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com June 18, 2017 TORONTO -- The White Sox couldn't pull off a sweep of the Blue Jays on Sunday, but by winning back-to-back series for the first time since late April, the resurgent Sox have pushed their season back in the right direction after a 2-7 start in June. Following a 7-3 loss, the White Sox head to Minnesota six games below.500, but coming off a 5-2 week against the Orioles and Blue Jays, their offensive surge has them back in a crowded American League Wild Card picture. "We're swinging the bat a little better right now," manager Rick Renteria said. "I think it's like anything, you get into little grooves, and obviously, we're in a groove here for the last seven or eight days. We've had some starts that have been pretty good for us, too, so we're able to manage and get through a situation where we can use some of our back-end guys."

4 White Sox bats have put up 46 runs over the past two series, averaging 6.6 per game, with Sunday representing the one time the offense scored fewer than five runs. One of the central figures in that change has been Jose Abreu, who delivered again on Sunday. Abreu logged a two-run single in the fifth that provided a short-lived 3-0 lead. After fouling off two pitches and working a full count, Abreu singled on the eighth pitch -- and eighth fastball -- that he saw from Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ. "I thought we were able to battle against Happ, who was throwing the ball pretty well, actually," Renteria said. "I thought that at-bat that Abreu had with two outs, second and third, driving in those two runs there was an excellent at-bat." Over the 5-2 week, Abreu went 12-for-29 (.414) with nine RBIs, two walks and three strikeouts. That has his season average at.293 and OPS at.832, putting him right in line with his numbers from 2015 and '16. The White Sox will have a chance to make up some ground in the AL Central this week in a three-game set with the Twins. They will also face the Rangers before the All-Star break who, like the Twins, sit above them in the AL Wild Card standings. "We're going to take every positive that we can out of every game that we play," Renteria said, "and I think that, to this point, we're very happy. This is the second series that we've won, and it's been a while since we've won two series in a row, so we're very happy with that." In My Words: Cooper reveals Buehrle his fave By Don Cooper / Special to MLB.com June 18, 2017 I carry a clicker to count pitches for every game. I don't really need it because the scoreboard has the pitch count. But maybe the scoreboard is wrong, or vice versa. Every time the clicker comes up to I've been keeping track -- nobody ever seems to get a hit. The thought always pops in my head. It's got to be Buehrle. Obviously, when I first saw Mark Buehrle in 1999, I had no idea the White Sox would be retiring his No. 56 nearly 20 years later this Saturday. He was a 38th-round pick in Class A, and I was the Sox Minor League pitching instructor. We're not smart enough to know who is going to have the career and who won't. We treat every player the same whether he is a first-round pick or 38th. What I remember is that the kid threw the ball over the plate all the time. He came through our system quickly because he threw strikes. Mark was a guy who didn't mesmerize you by radar gun readings. There's no "oohs and aahs" when he's throwing an 88- miles per hour fastball. But he was able to dominate other teams because he knew how to pitch. I remember Jon Garland saying, "He's striking out more guys than me." I said, "Well, it's because he gets two strikes on hitters a lot. You can't get strike three until you get strike two." I don't think he shook off a pitch more than 10 times he was here. What it meant was that he had the conviction and confidence in himself. He was like, "Put down whatever you like, I'll make the pitch." There were many times he wouldn't be throwing the ball well in the bullpen before the game. He'd look at me, and I'd look at him. I remember saying, "We've been here before." He had the confidence to get it done. He worked so quickly. He never gave the batters time to get settled, to collect themselves. I was surprised batters didn't step out on him more. When a sinkerball pitcher gets into a rhythm, you get those 2-hour, 10-minute games. He got quick outs. If he found the rhythm, he would have a good game. He found it a lot. Of course, there are two games everyone remembers: his no-hitter against Texas and the perfect game against Tampa Bay. During those games, I was pretty calm, and so was he. There is a cardinal rule that nobody is supposed to talk to a pitcher during a no-hitter, but Mark was constantly looking to have a conversation. After the perfect game, though, I got emotional when I saw him get emotional. It meant so much to him.

5 Asking a pitching coach who is your favorite pitcher is like asking a parent who is your favorite child. But I have to say it's Mark. He helped me keep my job. He made me a better pitching coach. I learned from him the equipment needed to be a good left-handed pitcher. When I became the Sox pitching coach, people said, "You can sit back when he pitches." It turned out his games were when I got the most intense. Son of a gun, I thought, we've got a chance to win the game with him out there. We've got to figure out a way to get it done here. Think about it, Mark gave us 200 innings year after year after year. Having an asset go out there once every five days was very valuable. I'm really looking forward to Saturday. I'm wondering who else is coming to be here with him. The cool thing has been getting to see his kids grow up. I've joked with him over the last two years since he retired that he should go out and play catch in the backyard with his son, Braden. I said, "If it feels good and you continue to progress, maybe we'll bring you back. We could use you." As told to Ed Sherman. Don Cooper is the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox and a former Major Leaguer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. James Shields Activated, Miguel Gonzalez to DL as White Sox Gain One Starting Pitcher and Lose Another By CSN Chicago Staff June 18, 2017 James Shields is finally back for the White Sox, but as one starting pitcher came off the disabled list, another went on it. Shields was activated after a lengthy injury recovery ahead of Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, in which he's scheduled to make his first start since April 16. In a corresponding move, the White Sox sent Miguel Gonzalez to the 10-day DL with A/C joint inflammation in his right shoulder. Shields has only made three starts this season, all of them quite good. He allowed just three runs one run in each start in 16.2 innings back in April, striking out 16 hitters in those three games. But Shields went on the disabled list on April 21 with a strained right lat and hit a few snags in his recovery, keeping him there for nearly two months. Gonzalez had a nice start to the campaign and boasted a 2.00 ERA after four starts, but things have gone poorly since. His ERA on the season ballooned to 5.49 after an ugly outing this past Wednesday, when he yielded eight runs in five innings in a loss to Baltimore Orioles. In his last nine starts, Gonzalez is 1-8 with a 7.36 ERA. Bad Luck Keeps Plaguing the White Sox Starting Rotation as Miguel Gonzalez Hits Disabled List By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 18, 2017 TORONTO Maybe someday soon the White Sox will have their entire original starting rotation at their disposal but today is not that day. The White Sox activated James Shields off the 10-day disabled list before Sunday s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays. But to make room for Shields, the White Sox placed starter Miguel Gonzalez on the DL with A/C joint inflammation in his right shoulder. Gonzalez who is 4-8 with a 5.49 ERA in 13 starts in 2017 is the fourth White Sox starting pitcher to be placed on the DL this season. Gonzalez said Sunday he played catch from 60 feet and has begun to feel better after he received a cortisone shot. It s been bothering me for a while, Gonzalez said. Thought it was going to get better with the time, but it just didn t. We decided to give it some rest and had a cortisone shot. Hopefully that helps. Feels better today. Went out and played some catch. No pain. Pain free so that s a plus. Gonzalez said he has felt the pain in the joint, which is on the top of the right shoulder, for at least a month. The righthander pitched very well through his first six starts but has struggled since. Over his last seven turns, Gonzalez has a 7.85 ERA with 51 hits allowed and 16 walks in 39 innings. The same injury previously sidelined Gonzalez for several starts in September 2015 with the Baltimore Orioles.

6 When you re not right, the ball doesn t do what you want it to do, Gonzalez said. It s always good to... get it together and strong. I ll do it day by day and see what happens. It feels good already. The White Sox have been on the run from injuries since the season began. Carlos Rodon, who made his third rehab start on Saturday at Triple-A, was the first to fall. He started the season with bursitis in his left shoulder and is only now close to returning. Shields went on the DL after three April starts, which prompted Mike Pelfrey s addition to the rotation. Rule 5 draft pick Dylan Covey replaced Rodon and made eight starts before he suffered an oblique injury. Covey s injury resulted in David Holmberg moving into the rotation from the bullpen. Holmberg and Pelfrey, who delivered six sharp innings on Saturday, will stay in the rotation for now, though Rodon could return after one more rehab start. Coupled with underperformance by Jose Quintana, the White Sox rotation has struggled. The rotation has only five quality starts in the last 25 games. Overall, White Sox starters are with a 4.71 ERA. Every club goes through it, manager Rick Renteria said. We just happen to be dealing with it right now. If we continue to get outings like we just did from Pelfrey and Q and if Shieldsy jumps back in there to give us a nice outing, that helps us lessen the usage of our bullpen in certain situations, and that s very helpful. Everybody goes through it. You just deal with it. What Carlos Rodon Still Needs to Accomplish Before He Returns to White Sox By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 18, 2017 TORONTO -- Carlos Rodon is almost back with the White Sox save for a few items that still remain on his checklist. The White Sox received another good round of reports about Rodon after he made his third rehab start on Saturday night. Rodon pitched for Triple-A Charlotte and allowed three earned runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one batter and struck out one. Rodon is likely to make one more rehab start before the White Sox determine the next step, which would appear to be pitching in the majors barring a setback. After clearing a number of physical hurdles along the way, Rodon appears to have reached the fine-tuning point of his rehab assignment. The biggest thing for all of us right now that we re really happy with is he s healthy, manager Rick Renteria said. We want him to use his breaking ball a little more down there, mix in all of his pitches, so he when he does join us he s fully capable of doing what he did in the past. The White Sox hoped Rodon could provide them with 32 starts and 200 innings this season until he was slowed down late in spring training. He started the season on the disabled list with bursitis in his left shoulder and was transferred to the 60- day DL in early May around the same time that he finally moved back onto the mound. Rodon has since made steady progress, including throwing a simulated game in front of Renteria, Rick Hahn and Don Cooper when the club was in Arizona last month. He made his first rehab start on June 11. Rodon s return would be significant for a White Sox rotation that has seen four injuries this season. The group entered Sunday with quality starts in only five of its last 25 games. He felt good, Renteria said. He physically felt good. He s still a little elevated, threw more strikes. He is really close. Hopefully he continues to work on attacking the zone, getting his pitch count up and his innings up, and we ll see him here I m sure down the road after everybody is comfortable with where he s at. Blue Jays Spoil James Shields' Return in White Sox Loss By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago June 18, 2017 TORONTO James Shields and the White Sox appeared to have everything under control on Sunday afternoon. Then Toronto Blue Jays finally arrived. Shields pitched well into the sixth inning in his first start in two months, but an offensive explosion helped the Blue Jays avoid a series sweep. Russell Martin and Kendrys Morales both homered late as Toronto sent the White Sox to a 7-3 loss in front of 46,599 at the Rogers Centre.

7 One through nine you can t take anything off, Shields said. They ve got a good lineup over there. Just trying to mix up my pitches, my location, trying to get first-pitch outs. For the most part I was doing that. The last inning I needed to bear down right there but pretty good overall. Ironic that after he allowed a fair amount of loud outs in the previous two innings that it was a dinker that sent Shields to a no decision. Shields was efficient and stayed out of trouble for much of his first start since April 16. He worked off the outside edge to many of Toronto s right-handed hitters, which allowed him to avoid trouble much of the way. Shields stranded a pair in the first inning and two more in the fourth after he allowed a pair of deep fly balls outs to Jose Bautista and Morales. Toronto nearly broke through in the fifth with a bunch of hard contact, including an RBI single by Kevin Pillar to cut the White Sox lead to 3-1. But Yolmer Sanchez made a nice stop up the middle to take a hit away from Bautista and end the inning. Shields then quickly retired the first two men in the sixth inning before Troy Tulowitzki reached base with a dribbler up the third-base line that somehow stayed fair long enough to hit the base. Shields worked away to Martin but he got enough of a 1-1 cut-fastball to sneak it over the center-field fence for a game-tying, two-run homer. I didn t think it was going to get out, White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. I thought Willy (Garcia) had a nice read on it. It looked like it hit the top of the wall. (Shields) gave us a nice outing. He did a very, very good job of keeping us there. Shields had hoped to go deeper into the game for a starting staff that is starved for length. White Sox pitchers have produced only five quality starts in the team s last 26 games. But aside from that, Shields said he felt good in taking the mound after the first disabled list-stint of his career. In between innings I was telling the umpire at second base I need to slow myself down a little bit, Shields said. Being in the league as long as I have, I still got excited out there. So I was trying to be real methodical with my rhythm. It felt good to be out there. I wanted to go deeper in the game. Obviously, 3-1 ballgame, you ve got to get that out. I got two outs quick in the sixth right there. I ve got to bear down and get the out. The White Sox bullpen struggled to record outs. Ryan Goins two-out RBI triple off Anthony Swarzak put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 in the sixth. They tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning, including a massive, 460-foot, two-run homer by Morales off Dan Jennings. The White Sox finally broke through against J.A. Happ in the fifth inning. Sanchez had the third of three consecutive singles to make it 1-0. Jose Abreu s two-out, two-run single past Tulowitzki gave them a three-run lead. But Happ avoided further damage with a strikeout of Avisail Garcia, one of nine K s on the day for the veteran left-hander. We kept trying to grind. Shieldsy was containing them good up to the homer, Renteria said. We were battling when Swarzy came in and we didn't get the result we wanted. I don't think you can put your head down, we won a series. Miguel Gonzalez latest White Sox starting pitcher to go on disabled list By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 18, 2017 White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez said he has been pitching through pain in his right shoulder for at least a month, and the issue began to show in his last few results. The Sox decided Sunday it was time to put Gonzalez on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday, as a precaution, manager Rick Renteria said. Gonzalez said he received a cortisone shot for inflammation in his AC joint and was able to play catch from 60 feet without pain Sunday, so everyone hopes the time off won't be prolonged. "When you're not right, the ball doesn't do what you want it to do," Gonzalez said. "You're changing your slot. You're not where you need to be, and it makes it that much harder to put the ball where you want it. Command is very important, especially for starters." Gonzalez had a ERA in three starts in June, allowing 25 hits, including five homers, with six walks and six strikeouts. That stretch came after a May 28 start against the Tigers in which he took a perfect game into the seventh.

8 Gonzalez said he dealt with a similar issue that required a DL stint at the end of the 2015 season with the Orioles. Left-hander David Holmberg will take Gonzalez's start Wednesday in Minnesota. Derek Holland will start Tuesday and Jose Quintana on Thursday. Rodon update: Gonzalez is the fourth Sox starting pitcher to go on the DL. Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) and Dylan Covey (left oblique strain) are working back from injuries, and James Shields returned Sunday to pitch against the Blue Jays after two months recovering from a strained right lat. "Every club goes through it," Renteria said. "We just happen to be dealing with it right now. If we continue to get outings like we just did from (Mike Pelfrey and Quintana), and if Shieldsy jumps back in there to give us a nice outing, that helps us lessen the usage of our bullpen in certain situations, and that's very helpful." Renteria said Rodon is "really close" to returning but expects him to make at least one more start at Triple-A Charlotte as he gets his pitch count up. He gave up three earned runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout in 52/3 innings Saturday. "We want him to use his breaking ball a little more down there, mix in all of his pitches, so he when he does join us he's fully capable of doing what he did in the past," Renteria said. Still out: Another X-ray on center fielder Leury Garcia's sore left hand came back clean, but the Sox held him out for a sixth game as he recovers. Willy Garcia started in center instead of Alen Hanson because Renteria thought the matchup was more favorable against left-hander J.A. Happ. Garcia was 1-for-3, and Hanson struck out in a ninth-inning pinch-hitting appearance. 9 questions for White Sox's Zach Putnam: Childhood hero, favorite ballparks, more By Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune June 18, 2017 White Sox pitcher Zach Putnam was game to answer some questions about the lighter side of life. Childhood hero? "Where do I start? I had a bunch. My dad, for sure. Baseball-wise, Nolan Ryan was a guy I was kind of was obsessed with. From the offensive side of things, Manny Ramirez was a guy I was always fascinated by and loved to watch. Derek Jeter, guys I grew up watching." Any superstitions? "Not really. If I'm in the midst of a good streak or something I won't cut my hair until it ends. I try not to shave but sometimes that gets a little sketchy with this beard." Why do you wear No. 57? "That was actually given to me in my third year in the big leagues by the Cubs. When I came over here in 2014, because it was the last number I wore, they gave me that number in camp. I had a great year in '14 and it just kind of stuck." What would you be doing if you weren't playing baseball? "I'm sure I'd be involved in the game in some way. I've loved the game since I was old enough to remember. I'd like to think I'd be involved as a coach or instructor." Funniest thing to ever happen to you on a baseball field? "I don't typically look at the field as a place where funny stuff happens. That's kind of a place for me where I'm strictly business. Although I'm having fun playing the game, you won't see me crack too many smiles out on the field." Favorite sports movie? "It's kind of a toss-up between 'Bull Durham' and 'Major League.' I think 'Bull Durham' really embodies the minor-league lifestyle about as well as any baseball movie I've ever seen. And 'Major League' is just a classic."

9 Favorite Chicago restaurant? "RPM Steak is my favorite go-to spot." Favorite ballparks? "I love going to Fenway just because of the history. When you walk out on the field at Fenway it just has a different feel than any other place. I won't say that I love pitching there, but I love the ballpark." Favorite baseball cities? "I love Toronto. Toronto is really awesome. I love going to Detroit because that's kind of my backyard and it has a lot of familiar stuff." James Shields' return takes sour turn in White Sox's 7-3 loss to Blue Jays By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 18, 2017 White Sox right-hander James Shields turned and watched, hunched over his knees, as Russell Martin's shot bounced on top of the center-field wall Sunday afternoon at the Rogers Centre. Shields' first start since April 16 had been going well until that tying two-run homer in the sixth, but the sudden twist sent Shields to the dugout, where he sat shaking his head as the Sox fell behind in a 7-3 loss to the Blue Jays. In his return from a right lat strain, Shields gave up three earned runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The Blue Jays jumped on the Sox bullpen after that, scoring the go-ahead run on Ryan Goins' triple off Anthony Swarzak in the sixth. The Sox lost for the first time in seven games at the Rogers Centre, missing a shot at their second straight series sweep in Toronto. "Obviously, a 3-1 ballgame, you've got to get that out," Shields said. "I got two outs quick in the sixth. I've got to bear down and get the out." This was Shields' first trip to the disabled list in a 12-year career, and the 35-year-old said he felt "a little weird" to be back on the mound. He had a 1.62 ERA and 16 strikeouts in three starts before he was injured, and he picked up where he left off, holding the Blue Jays scoreless through four innings. They broke through in the fifth on Kevin Pillar's single to left. "In between innings, I was telling the umpire at second base, 'I need to slow myself down a little bit,'" Shields said. "Being in the league as long as I have, I still got excited. So I was trying to be real methodical with my rhythm. It felt good to be out there." Shields recorded two outs in the sixth before Troy Tulowitzki singled on a ball that rolled up the line and hit third base, leaving Todd Frazier without a play. Martin's homer then went over jumping center fielder Willy Garcia's outstretched glove. "I left it up a little bit, but it was off the plate a little too," Shields said. "But he put a good swing on it, and unfortunately it hit the top of the wall. If Tulowitzki didn't hit that dribbler down the line, I think we'd have been out of that inning." Inheriting a runner from Swarzak with one out in the seventh, left-hander Dan Jennings gave up a two-run homer to Kendrys Morales that traveled 460 feet and hit a left-field scoreboard ribbon. Steve Pearce hit a ground-rule, RBI double off Michael Ynoa later in the inning for a 7-3 lead. The Sox offense failed to score at least five runs for the first time in a week. Nos. 7-9 hitters Garcia, Kevan Smith and Yolmer Sanchez hit three straight singles off left-hander J.A. Happ for the first run in the fifth. With two out, Jose Abreu worked the count full before hitting a two-run single to center for a 3-0 lead. The Sox have a day off before continuing their trip with three games in Minnesota.

10 "We kept trying to grind," manager Rick Renteria said. "Shieldsy was containing them good up to the homer. We were battling when Swarzy came in, and we didn't get the result we wanted. "I don't think you can put your head down. We won a series." 'Worst schedule I've ever been a part of:' David Robertson on trade talk, dad duties By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune June 19, 2017 White Sox closer David Robertson has had to deal with trade rumors before, but the thought of making a move within the next month is not ideal. Robertson's wife, Erin, is due to deliver their second child at the end of June or early July, and a move to a new team would complicate their lives for at least a month or two. Robertson, like many Sox veterans who know they could be dealt as part of the rebuild over the next two months, is a pro at pushing such thoughts to the side until absolutely necessary, but he said his wife worries. "This division is too tight right now, and I don't know if anything is going to happen," Robertson said. "If it does, we'll figure it out. "The good thing is we're settled in in Chicago. There's a possibility we would have to spend a month apart from each other. After that month is up, she'll be able to travel again, so we can figure out something after that." Robertson, talking on Father's Day, said he already feels like he hasn't seen his family much because of the Sox's "Godawful schedule" the first three months. The Sox started their road schedule with four three-city trips. After the fourth, they went home for a four-game series and were back on the road for seven more days. They had played more road games 41 of their 68 than any other team through Sunday. And after a day off Monday, they begin a three-game series in Minnesota. "Worst schedule I've ever been a part of," Robertson said. "I can't remember ever doing four 10-day trips in a season, let alone right out of the gates. We finished a 10-day trip, go back for four. It's like we're continuously on the road. We haven't even had a chance to settle in at home." Robertson has gotten off to a solid start in spite of the schedule, going 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings and converting 11 of 12 save opportunities. He said early in the year he was focused on a better routine and maintaining a slightly lighter weight by eating healthier, and he said Sunday he thinks that continues to help him maintain more fluid movement. He has had his blips, including a walk-off loss in Detroit at the beginning of the month, but has done well enough to keep his name in trade whispers. The biggest hindrance to a move might be his salary $25 million for his final two seasons and how much the Sox are willing to eat. If Robertson isn't traded, the Sox have other marketable bullpen pieces, namely right-hander Tommy Kahnle. Kahnle and Robertson looked like a dominant late-inning duo Saturday, when they finished off the final 2 2/3 innings of a 5-2 victory over the Blue Jays. Kahnle has been one of the saving graces of a bullpen that has been dealt injuries to Jake Petricka, Zach Putnam and setup man Nate Jones. Kahnle owns a 1.27 ERA with six walks and 48 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings. "Kahnle today looked pretty special," Renteria said Saturday. "The fastball was explosive. It was down in the zone, hard to reach. You throw it 99, 97, 98 effectively and mix in a slider, it's a pretty good combination. He continues to grow and develop and execute, and we're getting some nice returns on him." Kahnle is under team control through 2020, so the Sox could decide to keep him around in the rebuild. Or they could move him if they get enough value in return. Robertson has been impressed with what he has seen.

11 "He's got a cannon for an arm, two pitches that are really good, and his slider is coming along," Robertson said. "If you throw strikes with what he's got, it's pretty tough to hit." Petricka's return: Petricka had pitched in just four major-league games over the last year, so it's understandable if he's shaking off a little rust in his return from a right lat strain. But he realizes there's no easing into the game nearly three months into the season. "With me, if I'm in a slump, it's kind of like, 'It's mid-june, why are you in a slump?'" Petricka said. "But no excuses. You just have to be better." Petricka has allowed five earned runs in five innings over three appearances since his return. "I had a couple of frustrating moments here and there, but I'm showing signs of returning to form," he said. "It's just a matter of doing it consistently every inning, no matter what the situation is. (My keys are to) play catch with a purpose, make sure my mechanics are right and keep a clear head." End of streak: Matt Davidson's six-game hitting streak ended Sunday, when he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Davidson hit.417 with two doubles, five homers and nine RBIs during the streak. White Sox put Miguel Gonzalez on DL, activate James Shields The White Sox put right-hander Miguel Gonzalez on the 10-day disabled list Sunday and reinstated James Shields from the disabled list By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times June 18, 2017 TORONTO The White Sox put right-hander Miguel Gonzalez on the 10-day disabled list Sunday and reinstated James Shields. Shields, who made three starts before going on the DL in April with a strained right lat, pitched 5 innings and allowed three runs in the Sox 7-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Gonzalez, 33, has inflammation in the AC joint in his right shoulder. His DL stint is retroactive to June 15. Manager Rick Renteria said he didn t expect Gonzalez, who took a cortisone shot and said he played light catch Sunday morning with no pain, to be on the DL for long. It s more a precautionary tale for us, Renteria said. We anticipate it s going to be a short-lived situation. Gonzalez, 4-8 with a 5.49 ERA in 13 starts, had a 3.18 ERA after his first six starts but has struggled since. He has allowed 18 earned runs in three starts in June. It s been bothering me for a little more than a month, Gonzalez said. Thought it was going to get better with time, but it just didn t. We decided to give it some rest. Shields, Dylan Covey, Carlos Rodon and now Gonzalez, all starters, have been on the DL this season. Shields returns Shields, who made three rehab starts with Class AAA Charlotte, was staked to a 3-0 lead in the fifth and was a pitch away from six innings of one-run ball but allowed a two-run homer to Russell Martin and left with the game tied at 3. A two-out roller by Troy Tulowitzki hit third base in front of Todd Frazier before the homer. I got two quick outs in the sixth right there, Shields said. I ve got to bear down and get the out. I ve got to do a better job than that. First outing back, though, not too bad. Shields struck out three and walked one. He had been on the DL, for the first time in his career, since April 21. Leury still out

12 Leury Garcia, who has not started since June 11 in Cleveland, still had swelling in his left hand beneath his index and middle fingers and was available only to pinch-run, he said. Another X-ray, which was negative, was taken to rule out a small fracture. Hopefully [he s back] sooner rather than later, said Renteria, who hasn t ruled out a stint on the DL. Rodon gets closer Rodon (bursitis in biceps) came out of his third rehab start for Charlotte feeling healthy, Renteria said, but he elevated his pitches somewhat in 5 innings. He allowed three runs and had a strikeout and a walk. We look at that as a possibility to have one more start there, Renteria said. The biggest thing for all of us right now that we re really happy with is he s healthy. We want him to use his breaking ball a little more down there, mix in all of his pitches, so when he does join us, he s fully capable of doing what he did in the past. Rodon has a 6.75 ERA for Charlotte. If he makes one more start, with four days of rest, he would be on track to pitch against the Yankees at home June 27. Lefties galore The Sox are off Monday. The probable starters Tuesday through Thursday against the Twins in Minneapolis are lefthanders Derek Holland, David Holmberg and Jose Quintana. Yolmer Sanchez thriving in full-time role with White Sox Yolmer Sanchez is providing a productive bat while playing strong defense at second base for the White Sox By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times June 18, 2017 TORONTO In this year of the rebuild, the arrow is pointing up for a handful of White Sox position players staking a claim in the team s future. Avisail Garcia, Leury Garcia, Matt Davidson and Yolmer Sanchez come immediately to mind to varying degrees. Avisail Garcia is breaking out with an All-Star-caliber season, Davidson is leading the team with 15 home runs despite not playing every day until recently and advanced metrics say Leury Garcia is the Sox most valuable player behind Avisail. Sanchez, meanwhile, is in the top five with a.283 average, three homers, 18 RBI and stout defense at second base. With Yoan Moncada penciled in as the second baseman of the future, Sanchez figures to get bumped off his spot, but he can play shortstop and third base, too, which sets him up, if he continues to play at the level he has shown in the Sox first 68 games, as a valuable switch-hitting utility infielder. Sanchez s production has been every-day-worthy, though. He drove in the Sox first run in their 7-3 loss Sunday to the Blue Jays with a single to center in the fifth inning, made two plays behind second base and made one ranging to the shortstop side to beat Kevin Pillar and a replay challenge. Yolmer Sanchez turns a double play to end the second inning Sunday at Rogers Centre. (Getty Images) I m just glad everybody is getting to see what he s capable of doing, bench coach Joe McEwing said. McEwing rates Sanchez as above-average defensively. He s a kid who is very talented with great hands, has a lot of range, and, given the opportunity to prove what he can do on a daily basis, you re seeing what we ve known for some time. It s nice to see everybody recognize how talented he is. Sanchez has been stout turning the double play, thanks to quick hands, footwork and no fear of contact at second base. Oh, no, I like it when he gets close, he said. I feel like it makes me quicker. I love playing defense, making plays, turning double plays. You get better with more experience. And playing every day just gives me more experience.

13 Second baseman Yolmer Sanchez gives third baseman Todd Frazier a playful hug after they turned a double play to end the second inning Sunday. (Getty Images) Sanchez s RBI single, followed two outs later by Jose Abreu s two-run single against left-hander J.A. Happ (2-4), gave the Sox (31-37) and James Shields a 3-0 lead. But the Jays got one in the fifth and three in the sixth on a tying homer by Russell Martin that ended Shields outing and a triple by Ryan Goins against Anthony Swarzak (3-2). The Jays (33-35), avoiding a three-game sweep, put it away against three Sox relievers in the seventh, the big blow a 460-foot homer by Kendrys Morales, his 15th, against left-hander Dan Jennings. Sanchez is fundamentally sound, but he doesn t complicate things in his mind. The key to turning the double play is, don t think too much and be on time, he said. If you re on time, that s the best thing. If you re late, your hands are going to be late and your feet are going to be late. Get on time to the base, and the rest comes easy. It does seem to come easy. At least it looks that way. It s God-given with him, said McEwing, who works with the Sox infielders. You can work and work and work and get better, and he does that with every aspect of his game, but I believe it s God-given. He has special hands and feet, but instinctively he s off the charts. Blue Jays end White Sox win streak By Associated Press June 18, 2017 TORONTO -- Though Russell Martin isn't among the home run leaders, he certainly makes them count. The veteran catcher hit a game-tying homer in the sixth inning to help rally the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-3 victory over the White Sox on Sunday. Of Martin's 7 home runs, 5 have either tied the game or given Toronto the lead. "Timing is everything," he said of his 2-run drive that bounced off the top of the center-field fence and chased Chicago starter James Shields from the game. Ryan Goins' first triple of the season two batters later drove in the winning run. The win snapped Chicago's 3-game winning streak and prevented the White Sox from tying a club record with a seventh consecutive win at Rogers Centre. The White Sox have won nine of the last 11 games and the last four series against the Blue Jays. Kendrys Morales added a monster home run in the bat-around seventh, a moon shot into the fourth deck of Rogers Centre to give the Blue Jays their 27th multi-home run game of the season. Toronto is 19-8 in those games. "That's kind of our DNA," Martin said. "We love the long ball. Kind of built that way." J.A. Happ (2-4) picked up his first home win of the season. In his second-longest start, the left-hander giving up 8 hits over 6⅔ innings while striking out nine. Roberto Osuna worked the ninth. "The White Sox were playing a great series, played really good defense," Happ said. "I was just trusting we would do the same and grind back in that ball game and the huge sixth inning there was awesome, Russ with the big hit and we kept going." In his first start since April 16, Shields lasted 5⅔ innings, giving up 7 hits and 3 runs, including the 2-run shot from Martin that ended his afternoon. Anthony Swarzak (3-2) took the loss. Shields tipped his cap to Martin on the tying homer. "I left it up a little bit but it was off the plate a little bit too and he put a good swing on it and unfortunately it hit the top the wall," he said.

14 Melky Cabrera singled and doubled for his seventh multi-hit effort in the last 11 games, while Jose Abreu drove in 2 runs to extend his hit streak to seven games, marking the fifth consecutive game he has registered at least one RBI. Despite the loss, manager Rick Renteria was optimistic after witnessing his club post consecutive series victories. "I know we're swinging the bats a little better," he said. "It's like anything, you get into little grooves and obviously we've been in the groove the last six or seven days." Olney: Packed All-Star field could mean some major snubs By Buster Olney / ESPN.com June 18, 2017 In Mark Reynolds 11th season in the majors, he is having the best year of his career. In his service as a part-time player and well-used pinch hitter in St. Louis in 2015, he learned to reduce the effort in his swing and control it better. Reynolds has cut down his strikeout rate dramatically and increased his batting average, and he is on pace to drive in about 130 runs. His production is more than worthy of All-Star selection, but there s a problem. Reynolds plays the same position as Paul Goldschmidt. And Joey Votto. And Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rizzo, Cody Bellinger, Eric Thames and Justin Bour. The field of first basemen in the NL is so strong that, inevitably, Reynolds All-Star chances will probably be hurt by the collection of talent. Reynolds will also be squeezed by the work of some teammates. Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon, an early MVP candidate, ranked second among NL outfielders in the most recent voting results; it appears he will get a starting spot. Third baseman Nolan Arenado is regarded as the National League s best defender at his position, and his offensive numbers are similar to those of Reynolds; it s very possible Arenado will be on the All-Star team. Rockies closer Greg Holland has been among the best relievers, so he may be on the team. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu is hitting close to.300. If the Rockies have two or three or four other All-Stars, that may have a bearing on whether Reynolds is considered. Plus, there are rules that steer roster selections, and the number of All-Stars this year has been reduced from 34 to 32. Reynolds seems likely to be a candidate who will be snubbed, as do some of the following players. Avisail Garcia or Tommy Kahnle, White Sox: Garcia is having a breakthrough season, competing with Aaron Judge for the AL lead in batting average, and is on pace to drive in 116 runs. But the White Sox are lagging behind in the standings and may wind up being one of the teams afforded one selection -- which would stink for Garcia, or for Kahnle, who has had a great season as a setup man. Kahnle has faced 99 batters this season and struck out 46, with just six walks and a 1.35 ERA.