CLEVELAND _ Rick Renteria called it a "natural household chest cold."
With an emphasis on health and safety protocols, that condition kept him away from the ballpark Monday.
The Chicago White Sox manager returned to the dugout for Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. The Sox dropped both games, falling 4-3 in the opener and 5-3 in Game 2.
"I had a stuffy and runny nose," Renteria said after Game 1. "I was coughing. We have our intake questions that they asked us. They consulted with our doctor in Chicago and they said make sure that you get checked out before you get back on the field. Everybody followed the protocol that was required.
"We were able to thankfully test, and it showed negatively that I was OK."
Renteria was glad to be able to return quickly. He didn't miss much because Monday's game was postponed because of rain.
"I wanted to be here (Monday)," he said. "But everybody sees what's going on throughout the league. It's best that we err on the side of caution. We have the things that are available to us to make sure that we are clear. It worked and I'm back relatively quickly."
Renteria saw two more short starts from Dylan Cease and Carlos Rodon.
Cease allowed four runs on seven hits and had one strikeout in 2? innings in Game 1. Rodon, who missed most of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, allowed five runs on four hits in 3? innings in Game 2.
Cease surrendered a two-run home run to Francisco Lindor in the first and a solo homer to Bradley Zimmer in the second. He exited with the bases loaded and one out in the third.
"I just wasn't very sharp," he said. "Bad fastball command, bouncing my off-speed, not getting ahead. Just not a good game.
"Nothing was sharp. That happens sometimes. I didn't establish anything really. I'm just going to let it go and move on to the next one and keep doing what I have to do."
Four of the first five Sox starters have failed to pitch four innings. Lucas Giolito lasted 3? on opening day and allowed seven runs on six hits, including two home runs.
Reynaldo Lopez exited Sunday's start because of right shoulder tightness after allowing four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. The four runs came on a grand slam, and Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday.
Only Dallas Keuchel, who went 5? innings Saturday, found a rhythm and avoided giving up a home run.
Cease and Rodon couldn't duplicate that success.
"The biggest thing is not to get too down in the dumps about it, just continue the process," Cease said. "It's baseball, it's going to happen. You're going to have bad starts, you're going to have good starts. So it's just staying even-keeled, continue to put the work in and continue to compete."
Rodon allowed three runs in the first, including a two-run home run to Carlos Santana. He left with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth. Steve Cishek entered to face Oscar Mercado, who hit a two-run single to give the Indians a 5-1 lead.
Sox shortstop Tim Anderson went 3-for-5 with a home run and two doubles in Game 1. He scored all three Sox runs.
Jose Abreu had three hits, including a solo home run, in Game 2. James McCann also hit a solo homer for the Sox, who have lost four of their first five games.
