WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF August 23, 2018

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1 WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF August 23, 2018 Sox slug trio of blasts to back Rodon in win Delmonico, Anderson, Engel go deep, deliver power barrage By Scott Merkin / MLB.com / August 22, 2018 CHICAGO -- The White Sox dialed long distance during their 7-3 victory over the Twins on Wednesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. It's a number they've used quite frequently of late. Nicky Delmonico, Tim Anderson and Adam Engel homered in the team's sixth victory over its last eight games. Delmonico homered for a second straight game and has homered in four games out of his last six played. Anderson matched his home run total from last season at 17, and Engel broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth by going deep on an 0-2 pitch from Kyle Gibson. The White Sox scored five in the fifth to knock out Gibson, with Matt Davidson adding a two-run single. Over their last 42 games, the White Sox have hit 63 home runs. They have gone deep in 14 straight, totaling 23 during that stretch. This power prowess has given their new home run chain a workout. The item was developed by Dale Torborg, the organization's Minor League conditioning coordinator, during Spring Training and just arrived recently, per Delmonico. "Every homer. Whoever homers gets to wear it," said Delmonico of the chain, which features a large White Sox logo. "It's cool. And it's heavy. But it's a cool little thing we got going on." "Today, a lot of great at-bats up and down the lineup," White Sox bench coach and acting manager Joe McEwing said. "Up and down I thought we did an outstanding job of grinding each moment out and allowing the pitcher to continue to work. A lot of quality at-bats, a lot of two-strike at-bats where they continued to battle and came away with some hits, which is tough to do." Carlos Rodon took advantage of the run support, and since the start of July has not needed much support to garner a victory. Rodon yielded a two-run homer to Jorge Polanco in the first when the southpaw was searching a bit for his command, but gave up nothing more over the next five innings. He exited after 106 pitches, of which 58 went for strikes, striking out five and walking three. In Rodon's last eight starts, he has yielded 30 hits and 11 earned runs in 56 2/3 innings, while striking out 47, walking 23 and giving up three home runs. "After that [first inning], it seemed like a pretty decent start," Rodon said. "Had some good at -bats, bit on some good sliders. Seemed like I got 0-2 and they'd work the count to full. I'd get an out out of it but still making my pitch count go up. It was a battle today. Like I always say, give the team a chance to win, and came out with a win today. "Just knowing it's going to show up, you've got to be patient sometimes, the first two innings if it's not quite there. I'd like to get it started earlier and not have any of those blips early on and just cruise through the game. But it doesn't always go that way." It has been ace-like work from Rodon for almost two months. With Michael Kopech's Major League debut mixed in from Tuesday, the White Sox now have a greater regular glimpse of their exciting future and some new energy in the present. "We've picked it up offensively," Delmonico said. "And you know, our pitching has been really good and I feel like we've been playing good defense. It's all clicking right now." "Definitely fun to see some new faces," Rodon said. "Last night was pretty exciting, pretty loud out there, loudest it's been in a while. Unfortunately, it got cut short because of the rain, but looking forward to seeing his start in Detroit this Sunday." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

2 Right place, right time: Rodon had allowed two runs in the first and walked Miguel Sano and Tyler Austin with one out. Mitch Garver followed with a line drive up the middle that came off the bat with a 102 mph exit velocity, per Statcast. The ball was hit right at second baseman Yoan Moncada, who turned it into an inning-ending double play. "Got lucky with the ball up the middle for the double play," Rodon said. "Got out of the inning and just tried to go as long as I could after that." RENTERIA UPDATE McEwing wasn't quite sure if White Sox manager Rick Renteria would be joining the team for Thursday afternoon's series opener in Detroit. Renteria was released from a hospital in Minneapolis late Tuesday afternoon after undergoing a battery of tests for an episode of lightheadedness prior to Monday night's game. He spent the night in Minnesota before returning to Chicago on Wednesday where he was scheduled for further testing at RUSH University Medical Center under the supervision of Dr. Scott Palmer. "He said he feels great and hopefully he'll join us soon. It was very short, but it's great news," said M cewing of his contact with Renteria on Wednesday. "It brings a smile to my face to hear that he feels good and hopefully he will be joining us soon." Renteria passed along kudos to McEwing for the victory Wednesday during their brief text exchange. "Yes he did. He said way to go, way to go in typical Ricky form," McEwing said. "It brings a smile to all our faces." HE SAID IT "What did I walk? Two? Tried to clear that inning out of my head, that's why I'm not remembering it too well." -- Rodon, on the slow start in the first, followed by five innings of one-hit baseball UP NEXT Right-hander James Shields (4-15, 4.39 ERA) is scheduled to make his 28th appearance (27th start) of the season and fourth start against the Tigers in a Thursday day game at Comerica Park with a 12:10 CT first pitch. Matthew Boyd starts for Detroit. It will be career start No. 399 for Shields, who is 0-7 with a 5.73 ERA over his last 10 road games (nine starts) and earned his last road victory on Opening Day at Kansas City. Engel breaks down Players' Weekend nickname White Sox center fielder gives college teammate nod with jersey choice By Scott Merkin / MLB.com / August 22, 2018 CHICAGO -- He's faster than a speeding baseball moving toward the left-center field or right-center field stands. He's able to leap above the Guaranteed Rate outfield fence in a single bound. Why, of course, he's White Sox center fielder Adam Engel. In watching Engel steal three home runs in one week from Greg Bird, Kyle Higashioka and Yonder Alonso, it's of little wonder his Players' Weekend jersey name will be Man of Steal. But while there is a strong Superman theme to the choice to be worn from Friday through Sunday in Detroit for the White Sox, it's not totally based on Engel's other-worldly defensive abilities. "I had a roommate in college, named Coco Johnson," said Engel of his Louisville teammate. "He gave me the nickname Man of Steal. "We just played together in college and just going through like workouts and stuff and just on-field stuff, I don't know, he's like man, he used to call me Superman: 'You are a Man of Steal.' It just kind of stuck." Shop for Players' Weekend gear 2018 Players' Weekend nicknames All you need to know about Players' Weekend Engel is a fan of the man who is more powerful than a locomotive. It's a superhero fandom theme supported by his wife, Jaime. "Yeah, I really like Superman, and my wife is a bigger Superman fan than I am," Engel said. "She's got a Superman S, [her car has] the wheel cover on the back with the S.

3 "She's had that before we were married. But she's a bigger Superman fan than I am, which is kind of funny. I love [Players' Weekend]. I think it's really cool. It's a really good idea. The players have fun with it. Any time you can add fun to an already pretty fun game, it's a win-win." Avilan dealt to Philly; Abreu placed on DL By Scott Merkin / MLB.com CHICAGO -- The White Sox traded veteran left-handed reliever Luis Avilan to the Phillies on Wednesday in exchange for right-handed pitcher Felix Paulino. Avilán, 29, followed Michael Kopech to the mound in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Twins after a 52-minute rain delay. He is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA, along with 46 strikeouts over 39 2/3 innings, including nine holds and two saves in a team -leading 58 appearances this season, his first with the White Sox. He was acquired from the Dodgers on Jan. 4, as part of a three-team, five-player trade that included Kansas City. View Full Game Coverage Playing for the White Sox was an enjoyable experience for Avilan. But he's glad to be going to a contender. "An experience to get an opportunity to go to the playoffs is always an exciting moment," Avilan said. "I just finished talking to [White Sox bench coach] Joe [McEwing] about how great they are, the coaching staff, my teammates that we have here. The chemistry is really fun here. I loved playing here." "We leaned on him quite a bit and he did an amazing job for us," McEwing said. "We're thankful that he was able to bridge a lot of gaps to get to other individuals. We wish him nothing but much success." Paulino, 23, is 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA, one save and 74 strikeouts in 31 combined appearances (nine starts) this season between Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Paulino will be assigned to Double-A Birmingham. Burr makes tired but excited arrival Ryan Burr, the right-handed pitcher whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Charlotte to take the place of Avilan, received the news at 2:30 on Wednesday morning. He packed his bags and took a flight to Chicago at 7 a.m. "Lots of sleep, yeah. There will be some time for that later," said the 24-year-old with a broad smile. "I can't put it into words. I've tried to tell my friends and my family what it feels like but I'm still trying to figure out what it feels like to be honest. It's a great feeling. It's a really good feeling." Burr has a 4-3 record with a 2.45 ERA, two saves, a.190 opponent batting average and 51 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings over 37 combined appearances this season between Birmingham and Charlotte. He did not allow an earned run over his final 14 appearances for the Barons, covering 20 1/3 innings, and has given up one earned run in 8 1/3 innings over seven games with the Knights. Wearing No. 61, Burr is excited to be the latest prospect to get a big league chance with the rebuilding White Sox. "Guys know the direction that this thing is headed, and everybody is fighting to be a part of it," Burr said. "It's breeding some competition down there, which overall is a great thing for everybody involved. "It's tough for some guys. There are buddies of mine down there I thought would get the call before me. That's the way it is. Not going to turn down a call to the big leagues. Just take this opportunity and try to run with it." Rondon replaces Abreu Infielder Jose Rondon was recalled from Charlotte on Wednesday after Jose Abreu was put on the disabled list following surgery on his lower abdomen/groin area. Rondon has hit.245 with three doubles, three homers, six RBIs and eight runs scored in 22 games over two stints with the White Sox this season. Abreu, who is hitting.272 with 22 home runs and 78 RBIs, will be missed for more than his vast on-field contributions. "Jose means so much to us as an organization and our ball club," McEwing said. "His presence alone out there and in our clubhouse, in the lineup, standing in the batter's box, standing out at first base. He's going to be truly missed." What about Eloy?

4 If a player comes to the White Sox from Charlotte, there's a good chance he will be asked about outfielder Eloy Jimenez. It was Burr's turn Wednesday to discuss the team's No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the No. 3 overall prospect in the game. "Eloy is amazing," Burr said. "He's staying positive. It's hard to not talk about the elephant in the room. But Eloy handles it absolutely like a professional. He's just waiting for his turn. "We call him Baby Ruth for a reason. He's the next coming of Babe Ruth from what we see every day. When his time comes, I know he's going to come up here and produce and be what everybody thinks he can be and more." Burr also talked about Jimenez, the person. "He's an incredible teammate," Burr said. "He's humble. He's a jokester. He likes to have fun. Just a really easy going guy. He has a big personality on the field as well. He keeps it loose, but the kid can play baseball." The '19 schedule is out. Here are the highlights By Manny Randhawa and Chad Thornburg / MLB.com / August 22, 2018 Major League Baseball announced the schedule for the 2019 regular season on Wednesday, beginning with an Opening Series between the Athletics and Mariners in Tokyo on March The traditional Opening Day is scheduled for March 28, continuing the new scheduling format that begins the season with an additional week to allow each club three or four more off-days throughout the year. It will be the earliest Opening Day in MLB history, excluding special season openers abroad. Complete 2019 MLB schedule Opening Day will feature 10 division matchups and an Interleague contest between the Rangers and Cubs, and, as in 2018, all 30 clubs are scheduled to play. Due to weather-related cancellations, 13 of the 15 Opening Day games were played as scheduled this season. Next year's Interleague slate features the American League East vs. the National League West, the AL Central vs. the NL East, and the AL West vs. the NL Central, in addition to traditional rivalry series such as the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and White Sox in Chicago, the Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets in New York, and the I-70 Series between the Cardinals and Royals in Missouri. AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST Blue Jays Key series: June 4-6 vs. NYY Opening Day: March 28 vs. DET The Blue Jays will celebrate 30 years at Rogers Centre this season. Toronto will host the division-rival Yankees on June 5 -- the anniversary of the first game at the ballpark when it opened in 1989 as SkyDome. Blue Jays schedule > Orioles Key series: July vs. WSH Opening Day: March 28 at NYY Home opener: April 4 vs. NYY The Orioles will host the first two of the four-game Beltway Series, looking to reverse this year's 1-5 record against the Nationals. Orioles schedule > Rays Key series: Sept vs. BOS Opening Day: March 28 vs. HOU The Rays have surprised baseball not only with their unorthodox usage of their pitching staff, but also by maintaining a.500 or better record for much of this season. Next year, they're scheduled to meet the Red Sox in late September as the pennant races enter the final stage. Rays schedule > Red Sox Key series: July vs. LAD Opening Day: March 28 at SEA

5 Home opener: April 9 vs. TOR A three-game series against the Dodgers highlights Boston's 2019 schedule. It marks the Dodgers' third regular-season trip to Fenway Park, and the first since The Red Sox will also travel across the Atlantic to host a two-game series against the Yankees in the MLB London Series -- the first regular-season games to be played in Europe and the first time these two rivals will meet outside New York or Boston. Red Sox schedule > Yankees Key series: June vs. BOS Opening Day: March 28 vs. BAL One of sports' greatest rivalries will be on display in June at London Stadium, home of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Red Sox will serve as the home team, meaning the Yankees will still play a full 81-game slate in the Bronx. Yankees schedule > AL CENTRAL Indians Key date: July 9, All-Star Game Opening Day: March 28 at MIN Home opener: April 1 vs. CWS Progressive Field will play host to the 90th MLB All-Star Game in July. It will be the sixth time the Tribe has hosted the Midsummer Classic -- the most of any club -- and the first since 1997, when Indians catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. took home the game's Most Valuable Player Award in front of the hometown crowd after his decisive two-out homer in the seventh inning of the AL's 3-1 victory. Indians schedule > Royals Key series: Aug vs. NYM Opening Day: March 28 vs. CWS Royals fans can revisit memories of the team's second title run when the Mets come to town for a rematch of the 2015 World Series. It'll be the third regular-season meeting between these clubs in Kansas City, and the second since they clashed in the Fall Classic three years ago. The clubs split a two-game set at Kauffman Stadium in April The Royals will also host the Tigers in Omaha, Neb. -- home of the College World Series -- on June 13. Royals schedule > Tigers Key series: June 13 at KC Opening Day: March 28 at TOR Home opener: April 4 vs. KC The site of the College World Series will feature some Major League action, as the Royals host the Tigers at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb., on June two days prior to the start of the NCAA baseball postseason tournament. It's part of the new GEICO Summer Series, which also includes the Little League Classic. The ballpark is also home to the Royals' Triple - A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers, and the Creighton University Bluejays. Tigers schedule > Twins Key series: July vs. NYM Opening Day: March 28 vs. CLE The Twins will host the Mets just after the All-Star break, with the two clubs meeting for just the 19th time in history, and the first time in Minnesota since Twins schedule > White Sox Key series: July 6-7 vs. CHC Opening Day: March 28 at KC Home opener: April 4 vs. SEA When the clubs from the North Side and South Side of Chicago meet, it's always a big series. In 2019, the two will play first at Wrigley Field from June to kick off the Crosstown Cup series, then at Guaranteed Rate Field in early July. White Sox schedule > AL WEST Angels Key series: June vs. LAD Opening Day: March 28 at OAK Home opener: April 4 vs. TEX

6 There's no shortage of star power when the two Los Angeles teams meet, and with the likes of Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and many others, the Freeway Series between the Angels and Dodgers starts at Angel Stadium in June. Angels schedule > Astros Key series: July at TEX Opening Day: March 28 at TB Home opener: April 5 vs. OAK The Astros visit the Rangers for the last time at Globe Life Park in Arlington in July. The in-state rivals have competed annually at the Rangers' home ballpark since The two clubs will have July 11 all to themselves as the lone MLB game that day coming out of the All-Star break. Astros schedule > Athletics Key series: March vs. SEA Opening Day: March 28 vs. LAA The 2019 slate begins on March 20 with a two-game series between the A's and Mariners at the Toyko Dome. It's the eighth time MLB has hosted its season opener internationally, and the fourth time in Japan. The A's will serve as the home team in this year's opener. A's schedule > Mariners Key series: March at OAK Opening Day: March 28 vs. BOS The Mariners will return to Japan to again face the A's in a season-opening two-game set. Seattle and Oakland split the most recent Opening Series in Tokyo in Both clubs will also play two exhibition games against Japanese teams on March in doubleheaders. Mariners schedule > Rangers Key series: Sept vs. NYY Opening Day: March 28 vs. Cubs The Rangers will say good-bye to Globe Life Park in Arlington in 2019 before moving across the street to Globe Life Field for the '20 campaign. The final series at the ballpark the Rangers have called home since 1994 is scheduled for Sept against the Yankees. Rangers schedule > NL EAST Braves Key series: Aug. 30-Sept. 1 vs. CWS Opening Day: March 28 at PHI Home opener: April 1 vs. CHC The Braves will host the White Sox for the first time since 2002, and for the second time ever in the regular season. Braves schedule > Marlins Key series: May vs. TB Opening Day: March 28 vs. Rockies The Citrus Series begins May 14 at Tropicana Field between the Marlins and Rays, and it will resume at Marlins Park in August. Currently, the all-time series is almost dead even, with the Rays winning 57 times, and the Marlins 56. Marlins schedule > Mets Key series: July 2-3 vs. NYY Opening Day: March 28 at WSH Home opener: April 4 vs. WSH The Mets and Yankees will meet in the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium in June, but the series will shift to Citi Field just before the Fourth of July. Between hard-throwing Mets starters Noah Syndergaard and Jacob degrom, and a Yankees lineup stacked with sluggers, there could be some fireworks on the field before they're in the sky. Mets schedule > Nationals Key series: Sept vs. CLE Opening Day: March 28 vs. NYM

7 The Nats will host the Indians for just the third time since the franchise arrived from Montreal in With the Nationals planning on being in contention in a much-improved NL East, and the Indians' championship window wide open, it could be a key series in determining what the postseason will look like in both leagues. Nationals schedule > Phillies Key series: April 5-7 vs. MIN Opening Day: March 28 vs. ATL The Twins haven't played in Philadelphia since 2010, and the Phillies will host Minnesota for only the third time in their second regular-season series of the year. Phillies schedule > NL CENTRAL Brewers Key series: Sept. 2-3 vs. HOU Opening Day: March 28 vs. STL The Brewers have only hosted the Astros once since their former division rivals moved to the AL, and that was in Brewers schedule > Cardinals Key series: June vs. LAA Opening Day: March 28 at MIL Home opener: April 4 vs. SD For the first time since signing a 10-year, $254 million deal with the Angels in 2011, former Cardinals star Albert Pujols will return to Busch Stadium as a visiting player. This series will be Mike Trout's first trip to St. Louis -- the only big league city that has yet to see the two-time AL MVP Award winner in person. Cardinals schedule > Cubs Key series: Aug. 18 at PIT Opening Day: March 28 at TEX Home opener April 8 vs. PIT In August, the Cubs will visit Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa., home of the Little League World Series, to face the host Pirates in the third-annual Little League Classic presented by GEICO. Players from both teams will attend the Little League World Series games earlier in the day, and players, coaches and families of the 2019 LLWS teams as well as local youth baseball and softball organizations will occupy much of the crowd for the evening's NL Central contest. Cubs schedule > Pirates Key series: Aug. 18 vs. CHC Opening Day: March 28 at CIN Home opener: April 1 vs. STL The Pirates will host the Cubs in the third annual Little League Classic presented by GEICO at Historic Bowman Field, located about 200 miles east of PNC Park. This will be the Bucs' second appearance in the Little League Classic; they won the inaugural contest against the Cardinals in Pirates schedule > Reds Key series: July 6-7 vs. CLE Opening Day: March 28 vs. PIT The annual Ohio Cup will resume in June, when the Reds visit Progressive Field, but will return to Great American Ball Park the following month, as Cincinnati looks to turn around this season's 2-4 mark against Cleveland. Reds schedule > NL WEST D-backs Key series: April 5-7 vs. BOS Opening Day: March 28 at LAD Home opener: April 5 vs. BOS Fans in Arizona will have a rare opportunity to watch the Red Sox take on the D-backs in the home opener. The Red Sox will be there for just the second time. The first time was in 2007, when the Red Sox took two of three from the D-backs. The 2019 home opener will also feature the return of J.D. Martinez to Chase Field. D-backs schedule > Dodgers Key series: Aug vs. NYY

8 Opening Day: March 28 vs. ARI In addition to the annual Jackie Robinson Day celebration at Dodger Stadium on April 15, a matchup between two of baseball's most storied franchises in August should be circled on Los Angeles fans' calendars, with the Yankees playing at Dodger Stadium for the first time since Since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958, the Yankees have played eight regular-season games and 11 World Series games against them in Los Angeles. The Bronx Bombers were once frequent visitors to Chavez Ravine, however, playing 36 games against the Angels when the two L.A. team s shared a ballpark from ' Dodgers schedule > Giants Key series: June 29 vs. ARI Opening Day: March 28 at SD Home opener: April 5 vs. TB Giants fans will get a double helping of baseball on June 29 with a scheduled split doubleheader at home against the division-rival D-backs. It'll be only the second opportunity to catch two games in the same day at AT&T Park since The Dodgers and Giants played two in San Francisco on April 28 this season. Giants schedule > Padres Key series: Aug vs. BOS Opening Day: March 28 vs. SF The Padres will host the Red Sox for the third time since Interleague Play began in 1997, and for the first time since Sept. 5-7, 2016, when Boston took two out of three at Petco Park. Padres schedule > Rockies Key series: Aug vs. BOS Opening Day: March 28 at MIA Home opener: April 5 vs. LAD The Red Sox will visit Coors Field for just the second time since they were crowned World Series champions there in 2007, the other occurring in '13. In the regular season, the Rockies own a 5-3 edge in the eight games played between these clubs in Denver. Rockies schedule > The Carlos Rodon-Michael Kopech 1-2 punch puts the White Sox future on display By Vinnie Duber / NBC Sports Chicago / August 22, 2018 A day after Michael Kopech fired up the White Sox, Carlos Rodon did what he s been doing for the past two months. And in the combination of both pitchers outings, it was easy to see what the future could look like for this rebuilding team. Kopech brought the fanfare of a top prospect reaching the major league stage. His flame-thrower fashion and status as one of baseball s highest-rated young players brought out the fans and ratcheted up the intensity for a team with a record 30 games below.500. Despite the rain limiting him to only two innings, he gave fans and observers a taste of what s to come in his big league career. He struck out four batters in two shutout innings. Shutout innings, of course, have been Rodon s speciality over a now eight-start stretch that has seen him emerge as the ace of this White Sox rotation now and perhaps years into the future. He tacked another strong outing onto that streak Wednesday, bouncing back from a two-run homer in the first inning to fire six innings of two-run ball. In his last eight starts, he s got a 1.75 ERA. He s talked multiple times about the confidence that s helped him to this point, a point it was unknown whether he could reach after a pair of significant arm injuries including shoulder surgery last fall shaved months off of both his 2017 and 2018 campaigns. But he s pitching as well as he has as a big leaguer right now, and not even early -game struggles can stand in his way. He just continues to get better and continues to grow from every outing, and learning from every outing, said White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing, filling in for manager Rick Renteria on Wednesday. His maturity, as he continues to grow, he s going to look back at this one day and say, Each start, I m continuing to grow and get better. That will allow him to take it to the next level. I believe he gets stronger as he goes. As he gets deeper into games he gets stronger. It seems to always have been that way since he s gotten here. He s a horse. He continues to go out there and fight every single night, and I just love the maturity process. He s taken it to a different level.

9 When you combine the ace-like performances Rodon is turning in every fifth day with the excitement Kopech brought a night earlier, the future seems to be on display for this White Sox team. It s a crowded rotation of the future with a lot of high-potential arms vying for spots: Rodon, Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Dylan Cease, Dane Dunning and more. It s impossible, at this point, to know how it will shake out. But the expectations are huge for Kopech, not just the ones from the fan base but the ones he s putting on himself when he talks about winning multiple Cy Young Awards. If that confidence can be matched by production, he ll have a spot on that starting staff. Rodon has pitched so well lately, one of the best in the game in recent weeks, that it s not hard to see him on that staff, too, if not leading it. For White Sox fans who have waited through this developmental campaign for signs of rebuilding progress at the major league level, they re suddenly impossible to miss. And it s got everyone excited, not just the fans in the stands and the folks watching on TV. Definitely fun to see some new faces, Rodon said. Last night was pretty exciting, pretty loud out there, loudest it s been in a while. Unfortunately it got cut short because of the rain, but looking forward to seeing (Kopech s) start in Detroit this Sunday. It s extremely exciting, McEwing said. When you have pitchers with plus -plus stuff, if they re having a tough outing they can fight through it because of their stuff. It s not to diminish any of them because they re all big league players and they all have great stuff. It s just where they are at in the process of getting there. And as they grow they will get to that level also. The future is still just that, and the present will have its fair share of growing pains and developmental moments. But when this team broke camp back in March, the rotation had two veterans and three inconsistent young pitchers. Rodon was on the DL, and Kopech was in Triple-A. Now this rotation has two pitchers that could develop into top-of-the-rotation guys, and that s an exciting thing. The Eloy hype train keeps on chugging: 'We call him Baby Ruth for a reason, he's the next coming of Babe Ruth' By Vinnie Duber / NBC Sports Chicago / August 22, 2018 There really doesn t need to be any more coal shoveled into the furnace of the Eloy Jimenez hype train. One of the highest-ranked prospects in baseball, Jimenez has mashed all season long, his first full campaign in the White Sox organization, and with every home run, every extra-base hit, legions of rebuild-hungry fans roar that he belongs on the South Side. Well, allow Ryan Burr, a promising prospect in his own right who joined the White Sox on Wednesday, to grab a shovel. We call him Baby Ruth for a reason, Burr said. He s the next coming of Babe Ruth, what we see every day. When his time comes, I know he s going to come up here and produce and be what everybody thinks he can be and more. Oh? The next coming of Babe Ruth? As if the expectations weren t high enough already. Burr is obviously talking as a teammate, someone who thinks the world of Jimenez and wants him to succeed. He s hardly an objective evaluator. That being said, Jimenez is a very, very good baseball player, and the things he s done this season at the minor league level have given fans plenty of reason to be really excited about a bright future not only for Jimenez individually but for t he organization as a whole as these talented youngsters move closer and closer to reaching the major league level. The biggest question surrounding Jimenez, of course, is when that day will come when he s finally promoted to the big league stage. Solely looking at box scores and stat lines would lead anyone to believe he s ready now, but Rick Hahn and the White Sox front office have other things they re looking for, other developmental milestones they re waiting for Jimenez to hit before he s deemed 100-percent ready for the majors. According to Burr, the situation isn t bothering Jimenez. Eloy is amazing, he said. He s staying positive. It s hard to not talk about the elephant in the room. But Eloy handles it absolutely like a professional. He s just waiting for his turn.

10 He s an incredible teammate. He s humble. He s a jokester. He likes to have fun. Just a really easy-going guy. You ll see it on the field. He has a big personality on the field, as well. He keeps it loose, but the kid can play baseball. This is all great news to White Sox fans. Even if the expectations and the Babe Ruth comps might cause a few eyebrows to raise, it fits the brand of this supremely confident group of talented youngsters. Series preview: White Sox at Tigers By Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune / August 22, 2018 All games on WGN-AM 720. Thursday: 12:10 p.m., WGN-9. RH James Shields (5-14, 4.39) vs. LH Matthew Boyd (7-11, 4.27). Friday: 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH. RH Reynaldo Lopez (4-9, 4.72) vs. RH Michael Fulmer (3-9, 4.50). Saturday: 5:10 p.m., NBCSCH. RH Lucas Giolito (9-9, 6.08) vs. LH Ryan Carpenter (1-1, 6.00). Sunday: 12:10 p.m., NBCSCH. RH Michael Kopech (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Jordan Zimmermann (6-5, 4.18). Another strong start for Carlos Rodon as White Sox coast to 7-3 victory over Twins By Chicago Tribune / August 22, 2018 Just one thing left to debate about the front end of future White Sox pitching staffs: Who is going to be Butch, and who is going to be Sundance? Following Michael Kopech s impressive debut, Carlos Rodon on Wednesday continued the best run of pitching thi s side of a race for the Cy Young Award. It s going to be fun watching these two work side by side in upcoming seasons as the Sox return to American League Central relevance. They have the talent to develop into one of baseball s best young pitching combinations. It s extremely exciting, interim manager Joe McEwing said after a 7-3 victory over the Twins. When you have pitchers with plus-plus stuff, if they re having a tough outing they can fight through it because of their stuff. Rodon (5-3) wasn t sharp out of the gate, but he isn t easily discouraged these days. The 25-year-old left-hander shook off a two-run homer in the first inning to deliver six strong frames as the Sox split the series and raised their record to 11-9 in August. Rodon limited the Twins to three hits, only one in his last five innings. You have to be patient sometimes (in) the first two innings if it s not quite there, Rodon said. I would like to get it s tarted earlier, not have any of those blips early on and just cruise through the game, but it doesn t always go that way. Rodon is pitching like the North Carolina State star who was the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has gone 4-0 with a 1.75 ERA in his last eight starts. The Mets Jacob degrom (1.48) is the only pitcher with a lower ERA in that span over a minimum of 45 innings. Rodon s emergence rewards the Sox for their care and handling of him the last two seasons, when he didn t look the same as he did when he dominated hitters in his first big-league spring training. He has been his old self since returning from shoulder surgery, and the Sox are loving what they re seeing. He has had some setbacks with injuries, but when he is healthy and out there every fifth day he is real good, McEwi ng said. As he continues to grow and mature and stay healthy, you re going to see the best Carlos Rodon that we have. Sox strength coach Dale Demon Torborg recently presented the team with a home-run chain he had custom-ordered. The chain has a large, heavy Sox logo and is worn by players who have just hit home runs.

11 It has been making the rounds. The Sox have homered in 14 consecutive games, including nine times in the last four. Nicky Delmonico, Tim Anderson and Adam Engel went deep Wednesday, with Delmonico s homer being his fourth in the last seven games. I just feel good, he said. With my approach, I feel I m seeing good pitches. I m not trying to do too much. It has been about two weeks working on it and I m starting to get into a groove. One can tell the Sox see themselves as a team that s starting to get somewhere. "We ve picked it up offensively, Delmonico said. Our pitching has been really good and we ve been playing good defense. It s all clicking right now. White Sox open 2019 season at Kansas City; home opener is April 4 By Chicago Tribune / August 22, 2018 The White Sox will open the 2019 regular season on March 28 at Kansas City. Opening Day at Guaranteed Rate Field will wait until April 4 against the Mariners. This will be the second time the Sox will open its home schedule against the Mariners (also 1992), and the firs t time against a non-divisional opponent since 2011, when they played the Rays. The Sox will play the Cubs June at Wrigley Field, and then host the Cubs July 6-7, which precedes the All-Star break. Other non-divisional AL teams will visit Guaranteed Rate Field on the following dates: Orioles (April 29-May 1), Red Sox (May 2-5), Blue Jays (May 16-19), Yankees (June 13-16), Athletics, Aug. 9-11), Astros (Aug ), Rangers (Aug ) and Angels (Sept. 6-8). The 2019 interleague series include: Nationals (June 4-5 at Nationals Park; June at the Rate), Marlins (July at the Field), Mets (July 30-Aug. 1 at the Rate), Phillies (Aug. 2-4 at Citizens Bank Park) and Braves (Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at SunTrust Park). The White Sox will host the Mets for just the third time in history (2002 and 2013 previously), and travel to Atlanta for jus t the second time (also 2002). The Sox have three, three-team homestands (April 26-May 5, June 28-July 7 and July 22-Aug. 1) and will take three, three-city trips next season (June 18-26, July and Sept ). Game times and a complete broadcast schedule will be released at a later date. White Sox trade reliever Luis Avilan to Phillies for minor leaguer, call up Ryan Burr By Chicago Tribune / August 22, 2018 Trades don t have to get big headlines to be successful. The White Sox hope one they announced Wednesday sending lefty Luis Avilan to the Phillies works out like one made very quietly last August, when they acquired right-hander Ryan Burr from the Diamondbacks. The Sox sent only international signing slot room to the Diamondbacks to land Burr, a fifth-round pick who is Arizona State s all-time saves leader. They purchased him from Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday after they traded Avilan. With a spot on the 40-man roster, Burr has a chance to pitch out of the bullpen for a long time if he can continue to perform as he has in his first year in the Sox organization. He goes out and attacks, said interim manager Joe McEwing, who saw Burr in spring training. From reports throughout the year, he has continued to make progress day in and day out. The organization did a good job of finding him and continuing his development. We ll continue that at the big-league level.

12 Burr, 24, compiled a 2.45 ERA in 37 appearances between Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte. He s thrilled with his chance to get in on the ground floor with the rebuilding Sox. "Everybody wants to get on this train and kind of put their stamp on it, Burr said. There s so much talent, that s the crazy part. You can kind of plug and play with anybody. It s going to be tough on the front office (to make personnel choices), but I know everybody down there is jus t scrapping to try to get a chance. Avilan, a possible non-tender after the season, brought back 23-year-old right-hander Felix Paulino, who was assigned to Birmingham. Avilan looks forward to jumping into a postseason race but said he enjoyed his time with the Sox. The chemistry is really fun here, he said. I loved playing here. Escape artist: With Yoan Moncada on first, Yolmer Sanchez got hung up trying to score from third on Avisail Garcia s grounder to third baseman Miguel Sano in the sixth inning of Wednesday s 7-3 victory over the Twins. However, Sanchez not only stayed in a rundown long enough for Moncada to reach third, but he signaled Moncada back to second, which was vacated as Twins infielders got involved in the rundown. Everyone was s afe as Garcia retreated to first, Moncada made it back to second and Sanchez beat confused Twins catcher Mitch Garver to third. The catcher was surprised, Sanchez said. He just got stuck. McEwing loved it. Sanchey did an outstanding job, he said. He s a winner. He s a winning baseball player and we re fortunate to have him. Extra innings: McEwing spoke to manager Rick Renteria on Wednesday. He said he feels great and hopefully he ll join us soon, McEwing said. Renteria has missed three games while being tested and treated after experiencing lightheadedness Monday in Minnesota. Infielder Jose Rondon was promoted to replace Jose Abreu, who is expected to be out at least two weeks after having outpatient surgery Tuesday. McEwing said he will use Matt Davidson and Nicky Delmonico at first base. Daniel Palka also has been taking grounders there. A one, and a two: Staff ace Rodon racks up another strong start for White Sox By Daryl Van Schouwen / Sun-Times / August 22, 2018 The White Sox found out where they open the 2019 season Wednesday. They already had a pretty good idea who would start that game. That would be Carlos Rodon, who might have started the 2018 opener in Kansas City had he been healthy. But now that he is which he demonstrated for all to see for the eighth consecutive time in the Sox 7-3 victory against the Twins it s becoming clear that Rodon will enter 2019 as the staff ace. With a 1.75 ERA in his last eight starts and a 5-3 record and 2.71 ERA overall, this is the pitcher the Sox envisioned when they drafted him third overall in Injuries have stalled the left-hander s progress, but he has pitched like one of the best in the majors after having arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder last September. He has had some setbacks with injuries along the way, but when he s healthy and out there every fifth day, he is real good, acting manager Joe McEwing said. As he continues to grow and mature and stay healthy, you re going to see the best Carlos Rodon that we have. Less than 24 hours after Michael Kopech revved up Guaranteed Rate Field like it hadn t been all season with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts in his major-league debut, Rodon gave up a two-run homer to Jorge Polanco in the first inning in a much more sedate environment before a paid crowd of 15,160. He plowed through five scoreless innings after that, throwing only half of his 106 pitches for strikes but stringing five zeros. After that, it seemed like a pretty decent start, Rodon said of the first inning. They had some good at -bats, and they bit on some good sliders. Seemed like I got 0-2, and they d work the count to full. I d get an out but still making my pitch count go up. It was a battle today. Like I always say, give the team a chance to win.

13 Rodon struck out five, walked three, hit a batter and allowed three hits. Just knowing it s going to show up, you ve got to be patient sometimes, Rodon said. I d like to get it started earlier and not have any of those blips early on and just cruise the game. That Rodon wasn t at his best but had another quality start shows how far he has come. In less than 24 hours, he and Kopech created the vision of a top-level 1-2 tandem at the top of the rotation for years to come. Of course, the Sox had one in Chris Sale and Jose Quintana and couldn t win, so there s more work to be done, but it s a start to building a rotation the Sox can plan ahead with. It s extremely exciting, McEwing said, when you have pitchers with plus -plus stuff. If they re having a tough outing, they can fight through it because of their stuff. The Sox (48-78) have won six of eight and 11 of 19 and are in their last 35 games. Former Sox pitcher Addison Reed, who pitched an inning for the Twins, said he never saw the Sox ballpark as electric as it was when Kopech pitched. The Sox have a pulse, at least, and have enough pieces of their rebuild taking shape to believe in. It s all clicking right now, said Nicky Delmonico, who homered along with Tim Anderson (17th) and Adam Engel to power the Sox offense, which has put home runs on the board in 14 consecutive games. Three homers, Rodon s quality start power White Sox past Twins By Daryl Van Schouwen / Sun-Times / August 22, 2018 Carlos Rodon pitched six innings of two-run ball in his latest strong outing, Nicky Delmonico, Tim Anderson and Adam Engel hit home runs and the host White Sox defeated the Twins 7-3 Wednesday for their sixth victory in eight games. Rodon (5-3, 2.71 ERA) has a 1.75 ERA in his eight starts. He allowed a two-run homer to Jorge Polanco in the first, then strung together five consecutive scoreless innings despite working with below average command. He threw 58 of his 106 pitches for strikes. Rodon struck out five, walked three, hit one batter and allowed three hits. Anderson hit his 17th homer, matching his total from last season. Matt Davidson had a two-run single. The Sox open a seven-game road trip starting in Detroit Thursday and continuing in New York against the Yankees next week. White Sox to open 2019 season in Kansas City By Daryl Van Schouwen/ Sun-Times / August 22, 2018 Kansas City, here they come. Again. The White Sox, that is, to open the 2019 season. The Sox will play the Royals in their season opener for the second consecutive year at Kauffman Stadium, this time on March 28 They will open at home April 4, a Thursday, against the Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox play the Cubs in two crosstown series of two games: June at Wrigley Field and July 6-7 at Guaranteed Rate Field, the latter on a Saturday and Sunday leading into the All-Star break. Other 2019 interleague series include Washington (June 4-5 at Nationals Park; June at home), Miami (July at home), New York (July 30-Aug. 1 at home), Philadelphia (Aug. 2-4 at Citizens Bank Park) and Atlanta (Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at SunTrust Park). The Sox play host to the Mets for only the third time in franchise history (also in 2002 and 2013) and travel to Atlanta for the second time in club history (2002). The Sox will take part in three openers. At Kansas City, their home opener and the Indians home opener April 1. The schedule is tentative and subject to change. Finalized game times and a complete broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.

14 Chicago White Sox trade Avilan for pitching prospect By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald / August 22, 2018 Before the Chicago White Sox acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team trade in January, Luis Avilan appeared in the playoffs three times in six seasons. The left-handed reliever had no shot at the postseason with the Sox this year, but his fortunes changed Wednesday with a trade to the Phillies, who are running second in the NL East. The Sox got minor-league pitcher Felix Paulino from Philadelphia. A 23-year-old right-hander, Paulino was 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA and 1 save in 31 games (9 starts) with Class A Clearwater and AA Reading. In a team-high 58 appearances with the White Sox, Avilan was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA, 9 holds and 2 saves. "To go to the playoffs again and have the opportunity to at least have a chance to play in the World Series is always fun," he said. "That's what you play for, you know? Now I'm going to have the opportunity. It's really great." Avilan enjoyed his five-month stay with the Sox. "The chemistry is really fun here," he said. "I loved playing here. They have such great talent here. I'm sure they're going to be really good in the future." On the mend: Jose Abreu was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday, a day after having outpatient surgery on his lower abdomen/groin area. The Sox said Abreu should be ready to resume baseball activities in two weeks, but it's not clear when the first baseman will be back on the field. "I'm sure he's going to have to build back up to where he's comfortable to get in the batter's box and be out in the field," said bench coach Joe McEwing. "I believe it's two weeks until he can resume baseball activities, and it's going to take some time for him." Renteria update: Bench coach Joe McEwing has been filling in for White Sox manager Rick Renteria, who was hospitalized before Monday night's makeup game at Minnesota after feeling lightheaded. McEwing said he communicated with Renteria through text messages Wednesday but is not sure about the manager's return date. "He said he feels great and hopefully he'll join us soon," McEwing said. "It was very short, but it's great news. It brings a smile to my face to hear that." Looking ahead: The 2019 schedule was released Wednesday, and the White Sox are going open the season with a March 28 game at Kansas City. The Sox's home opener is April 4, against Seattle. The White Sox play the Cubs are Wrigley Field June and host the Cubs July 6-7. Roster moves: Infielder Jose Rondon was recalled from Class AAA Charlotte on Wednesday to take Jose Abreu's roster spot. After trading Luis Avilan to the Phillies, the Sox purchased right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Burr's contract from Charlotte. Burr was 4-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 2 saves in 37 combined appearances with AA Birmingham and Charlotte. The 24-yearold pitcher is looking forward to making his major-league debut. "I can't put it into words," Burr said. "I've tried to tell my friends and my family what it feels like, but I'm still trying to figure out what it feels like, to be honest. It's a great feeling."

15 Ryan Burr arrives, Luis Avilán departs on a weird Wednesday on the South Side By James Fegan / The Athletic / August 22, 2018 Every home clubhouse on getaway day has a feel of walking into a house that is three-fourths of the way through being packed up and moved out of. But the incomplete, last-day-of-school nature of the White Sox locker room is only heightened by the absence of José Abreu s eternal, shaman-like presence in the back corner by the big-screen television, and the lack of a bouncing and smiling Rick Renteria passing through using his fungo bat as a walking stick. Luis Avilán was seated at his locker hunched over his phone like normal Wednesday morning, but the frequent interruptions for quick hugs, and the presence of a bleary-eyed Ryan Burr a few lockers over made it clear something was up. José Rondón, called up to replace José Abreu as he recovers from an outpatient procedure on his groin/lower abdomen, is likely here for good and got the courtesy of being pulled from the first half of the Charlotte Knights raindelayed doubleheader Tuesday night. Yet he was still wheeling his bags in after Burr had already arrived, even though Burr stayed through the end of the Charlotte Knights twin bill in Norfolk that ended around 2 a.m. local time. Last night at about 2:30 a.m., said Burr when asked when he found out he was going to be a major-leaguer. We had a late game out at Norfolk. Got called in after the game. Told me I was coming up here. Packed my stuff and went to the airport basically. Lots of sleep, yeah, Burr joked to reporters around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. There will be some time for that later. Burr would not fault you for comparing his performance against his buddy Ian Hamilton s and asking if there was a mistake. But he was going to be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason if the Sox did not add him to the 40-man roster, and is every bit the potential future bullpen mainstay that Hamilton is, even if his season has not gone as smoothly. In all, he has a 2.45 ERA over 51 1/3 innings across Birmingham and Charlotte, with 51 strikeouts and control that has gotten, well, under control since the start of June. I had a really tough May, but it happens, Burr said. You just kind of gotta get back on the horse and trust your s tuff at the end of the day. You are there for a reason. You can t try and be somebody you re not, which is going to be a big challenge for me the next couple of days when I get my first chance to pitch here. You have to remember who you are. The White Sox acquired right-hander Ryan Burr from the Arizona Diamondbacks last August in exchange for international bonus pool money. (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images via AP) The 24-year-old Burr takes the place of Avilán, who had a remaining year of team control left and, as a reliable lefthanded changeup artist, holds a commanding lead among the pitching staff in appearances. Despite all that, he was thoroughly unsurprised about an August trade that will send him to the Phillies to aid their bid for the NL East crown, and was definitely handling it well enough to withstand jokes about his departure. We don t need you here, piped in Yolmer Sánchez during the middle of Avilán s farewell scrum. Leave. I know you re going to miss me, Avilán countered. For Avilán, the Phillies sent over 23-year-old right-hander Félix Paulino, who after working mostly out of the bullpen at High-A Clearwater this season, has been starting and collecting unimpressive results since getting promoted to Double-A Reading (5.46 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 13 walks over 29 2/3 innings in six starts). Scouts say he can run it up to 93 mph out of a 6-foot-1 frame but doesn t have a reliable weapon in his secondaries, so it s hard to project a significant majorleague role until the White Sox get their hands on him. In the Logan s Run spinoff that is the White Sox rebuild, it s rare to care about anyone over 30, and the 29-year-old Avilán was just jettisoned before he could hit that magic number. But the clubhouse really is surreal without Abreu and Renteria, partly due to the murky nature of their departures. Abreu went from scratched from the lineup Tuesday to undergoing surgery a few hours later, though the specifics of a day timeline for his return to baseball activities provide some sense of certainty, even if it may take a few days beyond that for him to return to games. His quest for another 100-RBI season certainly was dealt a mighty blow. Renteria seems likely to be out for at least some of the Detroit series as he continues to undergo tests, if only because that first game is in another city in less than 24 hours. Updates on his medical concerns aren t obligated to be any more public than he and the team feel appropriate, but knowing how difficult it is to pry either Abreu or Renteria from the baseball field, the only thing that can be used to fill the absence of details is concern, or prayers, as bench coach Joe McEwing has repeatedly directed.