WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF April 23, 2017 White Sox turn to Holland in finale vs. Tribe Scott Merkin & Jordan Bastian, MLB.com May snaps slump, records first MLB hit Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox shut out for second straight game Scott Merkin & Jordan Bastian, MLB.com Putnam, Cabrera exit early with injuries Scott Merkin, MLB.com Moncada notches two hits, two runs David Adler, MLB.com Shields' first DL trip 'tough', but hopefully brief Scott Merkin, MLB.com 2005 World Series MVP Dye pays team a visit Scott Merkin, MLB.com White Sox offensive woes continue in 7-0, three-hit loss to Indians Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune Mike Pelfrey's first start for White Sox puts them in early hole Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune White Sox reliever Zach Putnam leaves game with tender elbow David Just, Chicago Sun Times Just call them the Blank Sox. David Just, Chicago Sun Times Jacob May gets Harambe off his back with his first career hit JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox scoreless streak hits 23 innings in loss to Indians JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago Back on the south side, Jermaine Dye always happy to relive memories of JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox prospect Carson Fulmer: Our time is coming Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago James Shields, White Sox not overly worried about very mild lat strain JJ Stankevitz, CSN Chicago White Sox bats quiet again in second straight shutout loss to Indians Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Dye still has fond memories of White Sox's 2005 World Series run Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Benetti: Offering instant replay explanations is the right call Jason Benetti, Daily herald Carrasco dominates, Indians blank White Sox again Associated Press White Sox recall Geovany Soto from DL, move Charlie Tilson to 60-day DL Associated Press White Sox turn to Holland in finale vs. Tribe By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com April 23, 2017 Something will have to give on Sunday, when White Sox lefty Derek Holland and Indians righty Danny Salazar square off at Guaranteed Rate Field. Holland has stymied the Tribe over the course of his career and Salazar has piled up strikeouts at a rapid rate in his starts against Chicago. This will be Round 2 for the starters, who faced each other on April 12 in Cleveland. Holland came out on top in that 2-1 victory for the White Sox behind six shutout innings. With the win, the crafty left-hander improved to 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 61 1/3 career innings against the Indians. "Early in the game, he established his fastball," Indians manager Terry Francona said after the April 12 game. "It seemed like he put the fastball in our heads, and then he went to his offspeed and was really good. I mean, we hit a few balls hard. On a night when we needed something to drop, they didn't. But, we didn't have a whole lot going against him." Salazar struck out 11 and limited the White Sox to two runs, but that was enough damage. In his career against Chicago, the hard-throwing righty has turned in a 3.65 ERA and piled up 75 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. That equates to a rate of 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings, which is only a hair below the Major League-best 13.8 mark Salazar has fashioned through three overall starts this year. "We've set the bar so high," Francona said of Salazar. "I think Danny's getting to that point where he's starting to learn a lot. His work ethic and his routines have been really good." Three things to know: Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis was activated from the 10-day disabled list on Friday after a bout with a right shoulder issue. Francona plans on easing Kipnis back into the mix, and hinted that the second baseman might have a day off coming Sunday. If Kipnis is out, utility man Michael Martinez would likely be in the lineup.

2 Third baseman Matt Davidson was not in the lineup for the White Sox on Friday or Saturday, so there is a good chance he will be worked back into the mix for Sunday's series finale. Through 11 games this year, Davidson has hit.324 with three homers, 10 RBIs and a OPS. Due to Sunday's game being a day game after a night game, look for catcher Roberto Perez to be behind the plate for the Tribe. Salazar has a better strikeout-to-walk ratio with Perez (3.7) than with Yan Gomes (3.1), but has posted a higher ERA with Perez (4.76) than with Gomes (3.28). May snaps slump, records first MLB hit By Scott Merkin / April 22, 2017 CHICAGO -- Jacob May had one thought as his grounder went past Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco to lead off the seventh inning of the White Sox 7-0 loss Saturday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. "Fingers crossed," May said, with a broad smile. Once that grounder went into center field for May's first career Major League hit, his thought process took him to a more relieved level. "Thank God," said May, who snapped an 0-for-26 stretch to start his career with the pinch-hit single. The hitless streak marks the second-longest by a White Sox non-pitcher to start his career. Randy Moore went 0-for-32 in before collecting his first hit. "Yeah, it was kind of like having Harambe on my back," said May, drawing big laughs within the clubhouse. "I was in a chokehold, because I couldn't breathe as well. Now that he's gone, hopefully I can have a lot of success and help this team win. That's the ultimate goal: to help this team win. Anything I can do to help that out." May hit for Melky Cabrera, who injured his left wrist going for a Jose Ramirez foul fly ball down the left-field line. White Sox manager Rick Renteria believed May didn't have time to think about anything when he stepped to the plate, and just reacted to the situation. "Everybody was pumped up," Renteria said. "He just got a pitch out over the middle of the plate, and stayed within himself, and just drove it up the middle, which was nice to see. Obviously very excited for him." "Yeah, it was kind of a perfect storm. It all kind of sped up on me," May said. "I had a feeling when Melky ran into that fence to kind of get ready. So I started stretching and moving a little bit. It was one of those situations where you didn't have time to think." The crowd of 32,044 gave May a standing ovation. Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana congratulated the 25-yearold, the White Sox dugout erupted and Yolmer Sanchez held the ball up for all to see after it was tossed to the dugout. White Sox first base coach Daryl Boston looked at May with a smile and said, "Finally," according to May. Once May got back into the dugout, he let loose by screaming into his helmet. "I kind of soaked it all in," May said. "It was probably one of the most surreal, best experiences of my life." Unfortunately, May didn't celebrate in the moment with his family. They didn't come to the game after May told them he wasn't in the starting lineup. His mom actually was helping May get situated in his new Chicago home. "I'm going to go home and soak it in with them, and have a good home-cooked meal," May said. "It's not going to be the last time I go through struggles. It's good to go through that, and learn it at the highest level." White Sox shut out for second straight game By Scott Merkin and Jordan Bastian / MLB.com April 22, 2017 CHICAGO -- Carlos Carrasco followed the example set by Corey Kluber Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field by shutting out the White Sox over eight innings Saturday in a 7-0 Cleveland victory. Carrasco said the Tribe's rotation is beginning to have the kind of internal competition that helped the team so much last year. "That's what we want to do," Carrasco said. "Every time Kluber throws and goes seven innings or eight innings, why not? I want to follow that. I think that's good. I did that today and I hope [Danny] Salazar does that tomorrow." The Indians came within three outs, recorded by Zach McAllister in the ninth, of producing back-to-back individual shutouts for the first time since April 16-18, 1981, when Wayne Garland and Bert Blyleven did the honors. Cleveland's last consecutive overall shutouts came July 27-28, Carrasco allowed three hits Saturday, walked one and struck out eight.

3 "He was good," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He attacked the zone. He threw a really good breaking ball, and reached back for his fastball, and challenged hitters when he needed to. He did a great job." The White Sox offense, meanwhile, dove deeper into a recent funk. They have not scored a run in the past 23 innings, and have had just one baserunner reach second base in this series. Tyler Saladino had two of the three Chicago hits. Mike Pelfrey suffered the loss, coming up from Triple-A Charlotte to take the spot of the injured James Shields in the starting rotation. He allowed four runs (two earned) over 4 1/3 innings, striking out one and walking one. Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer off of Pelfrey, and Michael Brantley went deep off of reliever Michael Ynoa in the seventh. "Would have definitely liked to go a little deeper in the game," Pelfrey said. "I'd like to get that 0-2 pitch back in the first to Encarnacion. Unfortunately, that ended up being the game with as good as Carrasco was, and obviously he was on tonight, so kind of tough to put us in a 2-0 hole, especially as good as he was." Jose Ramirez added a solo homer off of Ynoa in the top of the ninth. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Down, but not out: Pelfrey had Encarnacion in an 0-2 count with two outs in the first inning when the right-hander fired an elevated, outside fastball. Encarnacion crushed the pitch to center field with an exit velocity of 107 mph, per Statcast. The two-run blast traveled a projected 437 feet and spotted Carrasco a quick lead. Also according to Statcast, Encarnacion hit.167 with a.333 slugging percentage on fastballs to that area of the strike zone in "I think that shows what he can do. The strength," Francona said. "He's starting to get a little more aggressive and getting his legs under him a little bit better. I think that bodes well for us." The streak is over: Jacob May endured 26 consecutive hitless at-bats to begin his career before producing his first hit leading off the seventh inning. May connected on a 1-1 changeup and grounded the ball back up the middle. He received congratulations from Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana, and earned a standing ovation from the crowd. May was pinch-hitting for Melky Cabrera at the time. QUOTABLE "When you pitch, it makes the rest of your ballclub look pretty crisp. You catch the ball. The runs you score are meaningful. It's a good way to play." -- Francona "Yeah, it was kind of like having Harambe on my back. I was in a chokehold because I couldn't breathe as well. Now that he's gone, hopefully I can have a lot of success and help this team win. That's the ultimate goal to help this team win. Anything I can do to help that out." -- May on getting his first hit after the 0-for-26 start THE INJURY REPORT Zach Putnam left Saturday's contest in the seventh inning with right elbow tenderness after issuing a free pass to Santana to open the frame. It was the first walk from Putnam in 28 hitters faced. Putnam underwent season-ending surgery on Aug. 5 of last season to remove bone fragments from his right elbow. Cabrera departed the game after colliding with the left field wall while chasing a Ramirez foul ball in the top of the seventh. He was removed for precautionary measures, and X-rays were negative. Both players are day to day. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Indians' rotation is riding a streak of 19 1/3 consecutive shutout innings, dating back to Thursday in Minnesota. Over Cleveland's current five-game winning streak, Tribe starters have combined for a 1.53 ERA with 33 strikeouts and eight walks in 35 1/3 innings. WHAT'S NEXT Indians: Right-hander Danny Salazar is scheduled to take the mound for the Tribe in a 2:10 p.m. ET game against the White Sox on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Salazar currently leads Major League starters with 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He has averaged 13.7 K's per nine in 49 1/3 career innings against Chicago. White Sox: Derek Holland makes his second start of the season against the Indians coming off of a loss against the Yankees during his last trip to the mound. Holland is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA lifetime against the Indians and is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last three starts against them. Game time is set for 1:10 p.m. CT. Putnam, Cabrera exit early with injuries

4 By Scott Merkin / April 22, 2017 CHICAGO -- Left fielder Melky Cabrera and right-handed reliever Zach Putnam both exited early from Saturday's 7-0 loss to Cleveland at Guaranteed Rate Field due to injuries. Cabrera collided with the left-field wall while chasing a Jose Ramirez foul ball in the seventh and banged up his left wrist. He was taken out for precautionary measures, with Jacob May pinch-hitting for him and getting his first Major League hit in the bottom half of the frame. X-rays were negative. "I felt it was something serious," said Cabrera, through interpreter Billy Russo, of his first reaction to the injury. "But I feel good. Kind of sore." "Going in there, he jammed his left wrist into that fencing," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "They took an X-ray and it was negative. Everything's OK. Maybe a very mild sprain." Renteria pointed to more of a muscular situation for Putnam, who left after walking Carlos Santana to start the seventh with what was described as right elbow tenderness. It was Putnam's first walk among 28 batters faced this season. Putnam underwent season-ending surgery on Aug. 5 of last season to remove bone fragments from his right elbow. But like Cabrera, he is listed as day to day. "Actually it's just the back of his, more like triceps," said Renteria of Putnam. "He should be fine, actually. We're not too concerned about it, to be honest." Moncada notches two hits, two runs By David Adler / MLB.com April 22, 2017 Clint Frazier has had Yankees fans abuzz since New York traded for him last July, but he hadn't gotten off to the hottest start to the 2017 season at the plate. As of Saturday, that looks like it might be changing. One of the team's two uber-prospects along with shortstop Gleyber Torres, Frazier went 2-for-3 with a solo home run for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, accounting for the only offense in the RailRiders' 1-0 win over the Indianapolis Indians. It was just the second homer in 14 games for the 22-year-old outfielder, who was the prize of the Yankees' Trade Deadline deal that sent reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians. Frazier is ranked as the Yankees' No. 2 prospect and the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLBPipeline.com. Batting in the two-hole for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Frazier also chipped in a walk and stole his second base of the year. Frazier went into the game stuck in something of a slump, with his batting average having dropped to.196 and his slugging percentage to.370. His performance against Indianapolis raised his average to.224 and his slugging to.449. The rest of the best performances from top prospects Saturday: Baseball's No. 1 overall prospect Yoan Moncada (White Sox No. 1) sparked the Triple-A Charlotte Knights yet again at the top of their order, going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs in Charlotte's 7-3 win over the Rochester Red Wings -- including the first run of the game after a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning. The 21-year-old infielder, who looks ready for a Major League callup sooner rather than later, is hitting.300/.382/.517 with four home runs in his 15 games in the Minors this year. No. 3 overall prospect Amed Rosario (Mets' No. 1) continued to be locked in at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Triple-A Las Vegas' 3-2 win over the Sacramento River Cats. It was Rosario's eighth multi-hit game out of the 16 he's played so far in 2017, raising the 21-year-old shortstop's season batting average to an impressive.387. No. 19 overall prospect Willy Adames (Rays' No. 1) took center stage in Triple-A Durham's doubleheader sweep of the Louisville Bats. Playing two games due to a rain-suspended contest on Friday, Adames went 4-for-9 with three doubles and four RBIs. The 21-year-old shortstop had been off to a slow start to 2017, entering the day hitting.163 over his first dozen games. His performance Saturday raised his average to.207. Astros outfield prospect Derek Fisher (Astros' No. 4), the 78th-ranked prospect in baseball, hit his third home run of the season for Triple-A Fresno. The 23-year-old's big fly was a two-run go-ahead shot against the Salt Lake Bees in the sixth inning. Tyler Mahle (Reds' No. 10) was perfect for the Blue Wahoos. The 22-year-old right-hander threw the Southern League's first nine-inning perfect game since 1970, striking out eight for Double-A Pensacola. It wasn't even Mahle's first Minor League no-hitter -- he threw a no-no for Class A Advanced Daytona last season.

5 Marlins middle infielder J.T. Riddle (Marlins' No. 12), who recently hit a walk-off home run against the Mets for his first long ball as a big leaguer, is back in the Minors and still mashing. The 25-year-old homered in his second consecutive game for Triple-A New Orleans, a two-run shot against the Omaha Storm Chasers that helped the Baby Cakes to a 6-0 win. Zac Shepherd (Tigers' No. 22) had a monster day at the plate for Class A Advanced Lakeland. Shepherd led the way in the Flying Tigers' 7-2 win over the Tampa Yankees, going 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs. The big blow for the 21- year-old third baseman was his three-run blast that put the game out of reach in the eighth inning. Alex Jackson (Braves' No. 23) has made the most of his change of scenery. The 21-year-old catcher went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double against Clearwater, and he's now batting.338 with six homers and 13 RBIs on the season. Jackson has hit safely in 14 of his 16 games. The 2014 No. 6 overall Draft pick was traded to Atlanta by the Mariners this offseason, who had been trying to convert him into an outfielder since he turned pro. Darwinzon Hernandez (Red Sox's No. 25) was spotless on the mound for Class A Greenville. The 20-year-old lefthander went five-plus innings without allowing a hit (although he did get charged with a single unearned run after he came out of the game in the sixth) and struck out five Rome Braves. Another of Boston's pitching prospects, 23-year-old left-hander Jalen Beeks (Red Sox's No. 27), also dominated in his start, this one for Double-A Portland. Beeks tossed a seven-inning shutout to beat the Trenton Thunder, allowing five hits and striking out seven. It was Beeks' second scoreless start of three outings this season, and he's racked up 22 K's in 15 2/3 innings. Shields' first DL trip 'tough,' but hopefully brief By Scott Merkin / April 22nd, 2017 CHICAGO -- It took James Shields 354 starts, 2,311 innings pitched and parts of 12 seasons before he made a trip to the disabled list. "Sometimes, you have to go through that," the White Sox right-hander said. "I posted every start in my career, so this is kind of a rough one for me." Shields, 35, was placed on the 10-day disabled list prior to Friday's contest (retroactive to April 18) with a strained right lat. He felt the issue during his last start Sunday against the Twins at Target Field, but managed to get through that appearance while allowing one run in six innings. Mike Pelfrey took Shields' place in the rotation for Saturday's game. But the veteran doesn't believe this absence will be extended. "Yeah, I mean, it's very mild. So it's nothing too crazy," Shields said. "I tried to pitch through it the last start, and ended up getting through the start, and actually pitched pretty well. But didn't feel comfortable out there at all. "We tried to do things between this last start [and Friday], and just wasn't feeling good yesterday, so decided to take a few days off. I've pitched through a lot of pain in my career. This is just something that normally I fight through it and pitch with it." "But this is one of those things where I don't want to hinder the team by me going out there," Shields added. "If anything happened in the first inning, I would tax our bullpen. There's a lot of intangibles that went into it. I tried to make it all the way to the last day, and it just wasn't feeling good yesterday." Asked to describe the soreness, Shields explained he's simply not feeling good when throwing. Knowing he's doing the right thing, though, doesn't make it any easier for the durable Shields to go to the DL. He has made at least 31 starts in every season since 2007, and last season marked the first one during that span where he fell short of 200 innings. "It's always tough. No matter what," Shields said. "Nobody wants to go on the DL. Especially me. I'm not that guy. I want to make my start as much as I possibly can, and I did everything I possibly could to try to make this start. It's tough for me. But again, a 12-season run of not being on the DL is pretty good." "He feels good about it. Here's a guy who knows his body," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He knows what he's gotta do to get himself ready. He's been doing a really nice job. Hopefully he'll be back soon." 2005 World Series MVP Dye pays team a visit By Scott Merkin / April 22nd, 2017

6 CHICAGO -- Jermaine Dye, the Most Valuable Player of the 2005 White Sox World Series championship sweep of Houston, threw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to Saturday night's game against the Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field. Dye was in town promoting a charity golf outing that he will be hosting June 12 at the Glen Club in Glenview, Ill., in support of the Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation. The full-time husband, San Diego resident and father of three also took the time to talk about his special memories on the South Side of Chicago. "I'll never forget the things we did in that season, and you'll never forget that team that we had," Dye said. "As a player, it's something you work hard every day to try to be a part of, and that's to win a World Series. I was fortunate enough to be able to accomplish that." The right fielder hit.278 with 164 home runs, 461 RBIs and 419 runs scored over 724 games and five seasons for the White Sox ( ). He's still remembered fondly by the team's fan base. "Any time you win a championship in a big city, where it hadn't been done in a long, long time, everybody remembers," Dye said. "Nobody's ever going to forget bringing a championship to this great city. It's always been great, still recognized, people still saying thank you. "You hear stories about how people, their mom or dad, were able to see us win a championship before they passed away. You're not just going out here for the team you play on, or the name on your back and for the players on your team. You're actually also playing for a city. There are people behind you. When you're grinding away, they're grinding away mentally for you, too." White Sox offensive woes continue in 7-0, three-hit loss to Indians Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune April 22, 2017 As the White Sox search for answers for their offensive woes, third baseman Todd Frazier searched for words to describe them. He settled on two: "It sucks." Frazier shared those sentiments in a somber tone before Saturday night's 7-0 loss to the Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field in which the Sox were held to three hits. No exclamation points. No excuses. Just an honest answer for the honest numbers that have done little to back a starting rotation that has a 3.15 ERA, tops in baseball, and a bullpen that ranks first at After Saturday's games, the Sox are 29th in baseball second worst with a.211 batting average. Subtract Avisail Garcia's American League-leading.379 clip, and that number drops to.183. The Sox also are last with a.595 OPS and 29th with 49 runs scored through 16 games. Five of the hitters who played Saturday finished the night with averages ranging from Jacob May's.036 (he was 0-for-26 to start his career before a pinch single in the seventh Saturday) to Jose Abreu's.183. "It's not fun," said Frazier, who was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts to drop to.091. "You want to have their back. You want to be the guy that comes up big and gets that run in that gives us the lead. You want to be in that situation." Frazier said it's not the lack of hits that bothers him most. "We don't need to hit," he said. "We just need to get guys on base and the hits will come. It's contagious." So what's the answer? Frazier paused. "I don't know, to be honest," he said. "I guess it's a little bit of everything.... We're trying to find that steady balance. We're trying to get a good mix in there. We're still right where we want to be." The Sox are now 2 1/2 games out of first in the American League Central. The season is only 16 games old. But the lack of hitting will get old, if it hasn't already.

7 First-year manager Rick Renteria said he's "not too concerned" about batting averages that would make better ERAs. "It's early in the season, a little premature," he said. "If I thought our approaches and at-bats were really bad, I'd have a little more concern about it." Renteria praised his hitters' approaches and said the team was "hanging in there." How long the Sox can hang around in what many branded as the first of the rebuilding years is another question. Friday's starter, Jose Quintana, said it isn't his job to worry about the lack of run support. The Sox have scored four for him in four starts, all losses. "I'm not frustrated right now," he said. "I'll just keep going. Sometimes this happens and I never look back." Frazier agreed the Sox need not dwell on the past, or the present for that matter, but rather the immediate future. "We want to hit better, for sure," he said. "One, two, three, four other guys, not just one." If that happens? "Hopefully we're one of those clubs that pick it up offensively and the pitching continues to be where it's at," Renteria said. "In the end, everybody is looking to see if their team wins or loses." A lot of that could depend on whether the Sox hit. Mike Pelfrey's first start for White Sox puts them in early hole Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune April 22, 2017 Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion turned Mike Pelfrey's 0-2 offering into a 2-0 lead in a hurry in the first inning Saturday. The ball hit by Encarnacion the fourth batter Pelfrey faced in a White Sox uniform was clocked at 107 mph before clanging off the green hitter's background beyond the center-field fence. And with the Sox offense continuing to struggle, managing just three hits for the second straight night, that was plenty of offense for Indians starter Carlos Carrasco, who struck out eight in eight innings of a 7-0 victory. Pelfrey allowed two more runs, albeit unearned, before departing after 4 1/3 innings, four hits, a walk and a strikeout while taking the place of James Shields (strained right lat muscle) in the rotation. Pelfrey is expected to make one or two more starts to allow Shields to heal while he spends time on the disabled list for the first time in his 12-year career. "Would have definitely liked to go a little deeper in the game," Pelfrey said. "I'd like to get that 0-2 pitch back in the first to Encarnacion. Unfortunately that ended up being the game with as good as Carrasco... was tonight." More injury news: Reliever Zach Putnam walked off the mound with trainer Herm Schneider in the seventh with tenderness in his right elbow. He is listed as day to day. Right fielder Melky Cabrera also departed after his left (throwing) wrist hit the wall in foul territory down the left-field line. X-rays were negative, and he said he will be available Sunday. Earlier, the Sox activated catcher Geovany Soto from the 10-day disabled list, where he had been with right elbow inflammation. To make room, they transferred outfielder Charlie Tilson (right foot inflammation) to the 60-day DL. MVP in the house: Jermaine Dye, the 2005 World Series MVP, was in town to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and promote an upcoming charity golf outing. He also shared his thoughts on baseball.

8 "I feel like watching on TV, it's boring," he said. "I feel like it's more fun to come out to the ballpark and be involved in the atmosphere and just watch it that way. White Sox reliever Zach Putnam leaves game with tender elbow By Davis Just / Chicago Sun Times April 22, 2017 White Sox reliever Zach Putnam left the game in the seventh inning Saturday with tenderness in his right elbow. His status is day-to-day. Putnam walked Indians first baseman Carlos Santana on five pitches in the seventh, then received a visit from coaches and trainer Herm Schneider, who escorted him off the field. He wasn t showing any apparent signs of injury. Putnam has been a bright spot for the Sox, entering the game with eight scoreless innings in relief. He had allowed only two hits and struck out nine. Right-hander Michael Ynoa relieved Putnam and promptly gave up a two-run home run to Indians left fielder Michael Brantley. Santana s run was the first charged to Putnam this season. First-timer A 12-year veteran who has pitched for four major-league teams, James Shields had never gone on the disabled list till Friday. Shields (strained right lat) said he started to feel it before his last start April 16 against the Twins but pitched through the pain. I didn t feel comfortable out there at all, Shields said of that start. We tried to do things between this last start, and I just wasn t feeling good yesterday, so we decided to take a few days off. Shields is on the 10-day DL retroactive to April 18. He didn t sound concerned that the injury would keep him out much longer, and manager Rick Renteria echoed that confidence. We re hoping it is [a quick process], Renteria said. It s just a light strain. He feels good about it. Shields is 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts a marked improvement from his start with the Sox in 2016, when he gave up 21 earned runs in his first three outings. He has made at least 31 starts in his last 11 seasons. Nobody wants to go on the DL, especially me, Shields said. I m not that guy. I want to make my start as much as I possibly can, and I did everything I possibly could to make this start. But, again, a 12-season run of not being on the DL is pretty good. A hero returns Jermaine Dye, the former Sox outfielder and 2005 World Series MVP, was back on the South Side to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Dye is living in San Diego, just being a dad, and supporting the Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation. The organization transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children and teenagers with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease through reconstructive surgery. Dye is hosting a golf tournament June 12 in Glenview to support the foundation and said he still gets a great reception from fans.

9 I think anytime you win a championship in a big city, where it hadn t been done in a long, long time, everybody remembers, Dye said. Nobody s ever going to forget bringing a championship to this great city. It s always been great. Just call them the Blank Sox By David Just / Chicago Sun-Times April 22, 2017 Mike Pelfrey walked into an apparent no-win situation Saturday in his White Sox debut. He pitched for a team that can t score and squared off against the defending American League champions. And that neatly sums up the Sox 7-0 loss to the Indians. The Sox had three hits and never even put a runner on second base against Carlos Carrasco, who threw eight scoreless innings. The Sox have gone 23 innings without a run. The last time a Sox runner crossed the plate was during the fourth inning Wednesday against the Yankees. We know we have a good team, said left fielder Melky Cabrera, one of eight Sox starters to go hitless. We re confident in ourselves, and it s only been two or three weeks. We know we re going to be OK. The South Siders have only six hits through the first two games of the series, which concludes Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field. Manager Rick Renteria said he s not ready to panic about the sluggish offense yet. It s a little early in the season, a little premature, he said. If I thought our approaches and at-bats were really bad, I d have a little more concern about it. The Sox entered the game with a.211 batting average that ranked third-to-last in the majors. They came in next-to-last in runs, 26th in home runs and last in hits. They had four players in the starting lineup with batting averages below.200. I try to make sure the effort is there, Renteria said, that we re executing certain things in the field, that we re doing all the things we want a baseball team to do and see if the rest of it all falls into place. There were other things that went bad for the Sox. Zach Putnam exited the game with tenderness in his right elbow, and Cabrera (left wrist) was removed for precautionary reasons to get an X-ray, which came back negative. Both are day-today. Pelfrey only went 4 innings, allowing four runs, four hits and a walk. He made a costly mistake in the first on an 0-2 pitch to Edwin Encarnacion, who parked it into the batter s eye in center field. Pelfrey was steady the next three innings before an error by Tim Anderson opened the door for two runs in the fifth. Would have definitely liked to go a little deeper in the game, Pelfrey said. I d like to get that 0-2 pitch back in the first to Encarnacion. Unfortunately, that ended up being the game with as good as Carrasco was. The lone bright spot in all this? Rookie Jacob May broke his 0-for-26 skid to start the season and got his first major-league hit. May, 25, poked a single to right-center field as a pinch hitter in the seventh. The Sox dugout celebrated and made sure to collect the ball for him. It was kind of like having Harambe on my back, May said of his slump. I was in a choke hold because I couldn t breathe, as well. Now that he s gone, hopefully I can have a lot of success and help this team win. That s the ultimate goal, to help this team win. Anything I can do to help that out. Jacob May gets Harambe off his back with his first career hit

10 By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago April 22, 2017 Jacob May earned his first career hit on Saturday night when he singled up in the middle against Cleveland Indians righthander Carlos Carrasco, ending an 0-for-26 start to his major league career. That lengthy stretch without a hit put a weight on May's back heavier than a monkey, as the cliché usually goes. Instead, that weight felt like America's favorite deceased silverback gorilla. "It was kind of like having Harambe on my back," May, a Cincinnati native, said. "I was in a chokehold because I couldn't breathe as well. Now that he's gone, hopefully I can have a lot of success and help this team win. In all seriousness, May felt an extraordinary relief when he reached first base. He said first base coach Daryl Boston looked at him and said, "Finally," when he reached first base, and when he got back to the dugout, he was mobbed by his teammates and hugged by manager Rick Renteria. Before anyone could congratulate him in the dugout, though, May let out a cathartic scream into his helmet. "I was just like oh, man, I let loose a little bit," May said. "This locker room, every'one has kind of helped me out and brought me aside, and told me to just relax. It's a tough situation when you are trying to impress instead of going out there and having fun. Just kind of got to release all that tension built up." May only had the opportunity to hit because left fielder Melky Cabrera injured his left wrist in the top of the seventh inning (X-Rays came back negative and Cabrera said he should be able to play Sunday). May didn't have much time to think about having to pinch hit for Cabrera, who was due to lead off the bottom of the seventh, which Renteria figured worked in his favor. "When we hit for Melky, I was talking to (bench coach Joe McEwing), I said, 'He's not going to have anytime to think about it. He's going to get into the box and keep it probably as simple as possible,'" Renteria said. "I don't think he even had enough time to put his guard on his shin. He just got a pitch out over the middle of the plate and stayed within himself and just drove it up the middle, which was nice to see. Obviously very excited for him." When May reached first base, he received a standing ovation from the crowd at Guaranteed Rate Field, too, even with the White Sox well on their way to a 7-0 loss to the Indians. It's a moment May certainly won't forget anytime soon, especially now that he got Harambe off his back. "I kind of soaked it all in," May said. "It was probably one of the most surreal, best experiences of my life." White Sox scoreless streak hits 23 innings in loss to Indians By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago April 22, 2017 The White Sox haven't scored in their last 23 innings and only have had one runner reach second base in their last 20 frames, a stretch of offensive futility manager Rick Renteria said can be used as a learning experience. The White Sox managed just four baserunners and were shut out, 7-0, by a dominant Carlos Carrasco and the Cleveland Indians Saturday evening in front of 32,044 at Guaranteed Rate Field. While the White Sox have run into some top pitching over their last three games Masahiro Tanaka, Corey Kluber and Carrasco, the latter of whom fired eight shutout innings Saturday Renteria admitted some of his hitters have been pressing lately, too. "For me, it s about our learning curve now and understanding that (those pitchers) are really executing and doing what they want to do," Renteria said. "And we want to make sure that we give ourselves a chance by staying and trusting with the approaches that we take into the at-bats and try not to focus too much on the results and stay focused on the approaches and we know that the results will take care of themselves. But I know the guys are wanting to get the big hit or wanting to drive the ball out of the ballpark as opposed to just staying very simple. I think it s a great learning lesson for all of us as a club." The lone offensive bright spot came in the seventh inning, when Jacob May pinch-hitting for Melky Cabrera, who jammed his wrist chasing a foul ball but had X-Rays come back negative connected for a leadoff single, the first hit of his career. The 25-year-old began his career hitless in his first 26 at-bats, and upon returning to the dugout let out a cathartic yell into his helmet and was mobbed by his teammates. After the game, he said it felt like he got "Harambe" off his back.

11 Mike Pelfrey, replacing the injured James Shields, allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in 4 1/3 innings. The White Sox didn t want to bring up one of their prize pitching prospects in Triple-A for only two or three starts, so it was the 33-year-old Pelfrey who got the start. Edwin Encarnacion blasted a two-run home run on a two-out, 0-2 pitch in the first inning, and was tagged for two unearned runs in the fifth on a Carlos Santana double and Francisco Lindor sacrifice fly. Cleveland tacked on more runs on Michael Brantley s two-run home run in the seventh and Jose Ramirez s solo home run in the eighth off Michael Ynoa, who replaced Zach Putnam after the right-hander left the game due to tenderness in his right elbow. The White Sox announced Putnam is day-to-day due to the issue, though Renteria said the issue was more with Putnam's tricep, not his elbow. Tyler Saladino singled twice and Jose Abreu drew a walk to account for the other baserunners the White Sox managed against Carrasco. Back on the south side, Jermaine Dye always happy to relive memories of 2005 By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago April 22, 2017 Even 12 years after winning the 2005 World Series, Jermaine Dye still has people thanking him when he's in Chicago. That probably won't change for as long as Dye returns to 35th and Shields, which he did to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday's White Sox-Cleveland Indians game. The 43-year-old Dye, who played five seasons for the White Sox and last played in 2009, now resides in San Diego and spends most of his time raising his three children. He'll be back in the Chicago area for a golf tournament in June benefiting the Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation. "I think anytime you win a championship in a big city, where it hadn't been done in a long, long time, everybody remembers," Dye said. "Nobody's ever going to forget bringing a championship to this great city. It's always been great, still recognized, people still saying thank you. It's still great." Dye was named the 2005 World Series MVP, with his Game 1 home run off Roger Clemens and Game 4 game-winning RBI single two of the bigger hits in the White Sox sweep of the Houston Astros. In winning the World Series, Dye gained a new appreciation for the dedication fans have to their club, which he eloquently explained: "I think you learn to appreciate families that grew and have been entrenched in being a White Sox fan all of their lives," Dye said. "You hear stories about how people, their mom or dad was able to see us win a championship before they passed away. Stuff like that makes you appreciate all the hard work you put in. You're not just going out here for the team you play on or the name on your back and for the players on your team. You're actually also playing for a city. There are people behind you. When you're grinding away they're grinding away mentally for you, too." White Sox prospect Carson Fulmer: Our time is coming By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago April 22, 2017 CHARLOTTE, N.C. Reynaldo Lopez is close to ready. Carson Fulmer has continued to pitch very well. And Lucas Giolito just had his best start of the season. But when it came time to find a replacement for James Shields, the White Sox turned to veteran Mike Pelfrey at Triple-A Charlotte. Just like he had promised all offseason and spring and reiterated on Friday, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn stayed away from his top prospects to fill the void when Shields was placed on the 10-day disabled list. Pelfrey's contract was purchased on Saturday and he started against the Cleveland Indians. Even though he would have loved it to have his name called once again, Fulmer said he understand what the White Sox are trying to do. "We know our time is coming soon," Fulmer said. "Hopefully sooner than later, but I think the main thing is they just want to make sure we're ready to stay up there for good instead of moving back down and making that transition back and forth. No, we're good, man." Fulmer has a 4.24 ERA through three starts, though he didn't get much help from his defense in his second outing on April 12 when he allowed five earned runs at Durham.

12 But the most important number to look at with the right-hander is the strikeout to walk ratio, which currently stands at 11:3 in 17 innings. Both he and the White Sox look at it as more proof the 2015 first-rounder is progressing as they hoped he would when he was returned to Charlotte last August. In six starts since, Fulmer has a 2.53 ERA, 25 strikeouts and six walks in 32 innings. Still, Hahn and the White Sox want to see more from their prospects. They don't want to create a taxi service back and forth from Charlotte. In order to do that, they're slamming on the brakes and focused on player development instead of rushing players to fill voids. Fulmer, who charted pitches during Saturday's game against the Rochester Red Wings, said he's focused on what he's doing instead of looking at the big picture. "I don't look into too many things," Fulmer said. "Our time is coming. We have to be patient and we have to respect the process." "I've figured out a lot so far with my delivery, my command has been really, really good. I'm forcing a lot of weak contact, a lot of ground balls and my game has changed a lot. I think I'm pretty close to where I want to be and the process obviously takes a while and you have to respect that. With the guys we have here and the way we push one another I think it's gotten me ready for the next step." James Shields, White Sox not overly worried about very mild lat strain By JJ Stankevitz / CSN Chicago April 22, 2017 While James Shields was disappointed to land on the disabled list for the first time in his 12-year career, the 35-year-old right-hander didn't sound overly concerned about the strained right lat muscle that led to him being sidelined on Friday. Shields said he felt the strain during his start April 16 against the Minnesota Twins, but was able to pitch through it and deliver six innings of one-run ball. But he didn't want to risk having the injury turn into something more significant during what would've been his scheduled start Saturday. "This is just something that normally I fight through it and pitch with it," Shields said. "But this is one of those things where I don't want to hinder the team by me going out there. If anything happened in the first inning I would tax our bullpen. There's a lot of intangibles that went into it. "I tried to make it all the way to the last day and it just wasn't feeling good yesterday." The White Sox placed Shields on the 10-day disabled list Friday, retroactive to April 18, and only expect him to miss two or three turns in the rotation. Shields pitched well in his first three starts of 2017, posting a 1.62 ERA with 16 walks, 10 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in 16 2/3 innings. "Certainly never want to see anybody wind up on the disabled list but we didn't want to really take the chance with him skipping a start and perhaps moving guys up and trying to run them back up here in five days," general manager Rick Hahn said. "Let's take the opportunity here to get him right before we put him back out there. Hopefully he can build off the good start." Still, having to hit the disabled list and miss his spot in the rotation is a tough break for Shields, who's started 354 games and thrown 2,311 innings in his career with the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres and White Sox. "Nobody wants to go on the DL, especially me," Shields said. "I'm not that guy. I want to make my start as much as I possibly an and I did everything I possibly could to try to make this start. It's tough for me. But again, a 12-season run of not being on the DL is pretty good." White Sox bats quiet again in second straight shutout loss to Indians Scot Gregor / Daily Herald April 22, 2017 You can't win if you can't score, and that's the Chicago White Sox's current dilemma. After being shut out by the Cleveland Indians in the series opener Friday, the Sox's bats were quiet again Saturday night in a 7-0 loss in front of a big crowd of 32,044 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

13 Held to 3 singles in Friday's 3-0 loss, the White Sox were again limited to 3 basehits against Indians starter Carlos Carrasco and reliever Zach McAllister in the middle game of the series. In the back-to-back losses to Cleveland, the Sox have only had one baserunner make it to second. They are second to last in the majors with 49 runs scored, an average of 3.1 per game. "We want to make sure that we give ourselves a chance by staying and trusting with the approaches we take into the atbats," manager Rick Renteria said. "Try not to focus too much on the results and stay focused on the approaches. We know that the results will take care of themselves. I think the guys are wanting to get the big hit or drive the ball out of the ballpark as opposed to staying very simple. "I think it's a great learning lesson for all of us as a club, every single player, from 1-through-9 to the guys on the bench, see how they're going after us. We just have to make some adjustments." Saturday's highlight was Jacob May's single leading off the seventh. The rookie outfielder was 0-for-26 to open the season. "I was in a chokehold because I couldn't breathe," May said. "It was kind of like having Harambe on my back. Now that he's gone, hopefully I can have a lot of success and help this team win." Making his first start for the Sox after coming up from Class AAA Charlotte and replacing James Shields (right lat strain), Mike Pelfrey pitched 4⅓ innings and allowed 4 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk. Edwin Encarnacion's 2-run homer in the first inning was all the offense the Indians needed. "Would have definitely liked to go a little deeper in the game," Pelfrey said. "I'd like to get that 0-2 pitch back in the first to Encarnacion. Unfortunately that ended up being the game with as good as Carrasco was." Injury report: Relief pitcher Zack Putnam and left fielder Melky Cabrera both left Saturday night's game with injuries in the seventh inning. Putnam was lifted with right elbow tenderness and Cabrera hurt his left wrist while chasing a Jose Ramirez flyball and banging into the fence. Manager Rick Renteria said Putnam "should be fine," and X-rays on Cabrera's wrist were negative. Shields on DL: For the first time in his 12-year career, starting pitcher James Shields is on the disabled list. The White Sox's right-hander landed on the 10-day DL on Friday with a strained right lat. "I posted every start in my career, so this is kind of a rough one for me," Shields said. After going a combined 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA with the Sox and Padres last season, Shields is 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 3 starts this season. The 35-year-old pitcher was hurt in his last start, last Sunday at Minnesota. "It's very mild, nothing too crazy," Shields said. "I tried to pitch through it and ended up getting through the start and actually pitched pretty well. But I didn't feel comfortable out there at all. This is just something that normally I fight through it and pitch with it. But this is one of those things where I don't want to hinder the team by me going out there. If anything happened in the first inning I would tax our bullpen." Dye still has fond memories of White Sox's 2005 World Series run Scot Gregor / Daily Herald April 22, 2017 As expected, Jermaine Dye drew huge applause from the home crowd Saturday night when he headed to the mound and threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Chicago White Sox played the Cleveland Indians.