Despite what occurred Saturday, the White Sox look worthy of the outside reinforcements that might be coming.
While being linked to starting pitchers available before Monday’s trade deadline, the Sox lost to the Royals 9-6. Various national reports said the Sox are in on the Angels’ Dylan Bundy, the Rangers’ Lance Lynn and the Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray, arms that could help bolster the pitching staff.
This kind of talk is a welcome change for the Sox, whose role in trade speculation over the past few years was who would be leaving, not coming in during a pennant race. Yet true to form, manager Rick Renteria said he tries to stay away from “consuming my mind in any of the possibilities” even as the Sox approach the deadline as buyers.
“I deal with what I have in front of me, honestly,” Renteria said. “That would be just alternative noise and there’s enough of a concern of me taking care of what I’ve got to care of with the guys that I have. We’re in a great position though. It’s a good place to be for us as an organization, the possibility of things like that are now here with us. But I try not to consume myself too much with it.”
What doesn’t help the Sox’ position seeing one of their building-blocks leave injured.
With one out in the ninth, Yoan Moncada tapped an Ian Kennedy pitch between home and first. Moncada appeared to be struggling as he ran, getting to second when Kennedy’s throw was errant.
Renteria said Moncada felt irritation in the back of his left leg and would be evaluated Sunday.
Prior to Saturday, things had been going well. Dylan Cease walked six in 4 1/3 innings but the Sox still led 3-2 entering the seventh. Zack Burdi allowed Ryan McBroom’s game-tying home run, Ryan O’Hearn’s go-ahead single, and then Maikel Franco’s three-run home run to deep left-center to stop the Sox from winning for the 11th time in 12 games.
No, it wasn’t the kind of day the Sox had experienced in a while.
“It’s baseball,” Cease said. “We are not robots. So, you are going to have games where things don’t click, but I think it’s just about coming to the ballpark tomorrow ready to go.”
Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, giving the team a franchise-record 52 for the month. Tim Anderson had four hits. Nick Madrigal had two hits, including an RBI single in the third.
With the way they’ve started the season, it makes sense the Sox would be mentioned in the rumor mill. Renteria said he does communicate with the front office, but is “absolutely” happy with the players currently onboard.
“Any organization or any club is always trying to improve and I think we’re no different than anybody else,” Renteria said. “I’m sure Rick (Hahn) and Kenny (Williams) and the front office are not going to limit themselves on any possibilities. But we’re sitting in a good place right now with the men that we have. The possibility of action, it always remains.”
That action, if there’s more after acquiring Jarrod Dyson, will be to help the Sox contend this year. That’s another sign of the growth Anderson’s witnessed this year.
“It’s been a long time coming since I got called up and where we are today,” Anderson said. “Definitely take pride in being at the top of the division… definitely kudos to us but we’ve got to keep going. We aren’t done. We’ve got some more work to do and we’ve just got to (bear) down and keep going.”
