Right-hander Dylan Cease, who was struck by a batted ball and suffered a bruise on his triceps just above his pitching elbow Friday, is slated to pitch the season finale Sunday at home against the Tigers, White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. Cease will have a couple of bullpen sessions prior to the start.
“Dylan is feeling better,” La Russa said. “Pitching Sunday really gives him the chance to get the bruise totally gone. We had the spot open and he’ll take it. It could have been worse and we were lucky and we’ll get him back before the season is over.”
La Russa told reporters Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito will pitch Friday and Saturday against the Tigers, with the order to be determined. That pair will likely start Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS, with the order to be determined. Lynn has been dealing with a sore right knee and pitched through a “tweak” in his low back Friday in the the Sox’ 6-0 loss to the Indians.
Dallas Keuchel starts Monday in the makeup game at Detroit and Reynaldo Lopez starts Tuesday against the Reds.
Rodon still penciled in for Wednesday
Carlos Rodon (shoulder soreness) threw off flat ground Saturday and hopes to throw a bullpen in the next day or two and then start Wednesday.
If Rodon pitches in the postseason, the Sox would be thrilled with five good innings, if not less.
“It’s just a matter of him showing that he can compete and healthy enough to compete,” La Russa said. “We know what he can do when he’s healthy so the stamina part is nice but it’s not all that because if somebody tells me right now, tells our team, Carlos can give you four shutout innings, you take them. Five, take it. Three. Three is a third of the game, so...”
Goodwin lands on injured list
White Sox outfielder Brian Goodwin landed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with lower back spasms, and right-hander Matt Foster was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to fill Goodwin’s spot on the active roster.
The move, retroactive to Thursday, puts Goodwin out for the rest of the regular season, which concludes next Sunday.
The left-handed hitting Goodwin, 30, is batting .221 eight homers, with 10 doubles, 29 RBI and 33 runs scored in 72 games, including 64 starts in his first season with the Sox. He has played all three outfield positions and was a valuable contributor while outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert were out for lengthy periods with injuries but wouldn’t be a lock to make the postseason roster. The Sox have six outfielders on the 28-man roster — Jimenez, Robert, Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets, Billy Hamilton and Adam Engel, although Engel has been plagued by injuries and hasn’t played since Thursday because of a right leg issue.
“What he’s done for us isn’t going to be forgotton,” manager Tony La Russa said. “So it’s a question of how game ready he can be because of this. And then what the makeup of the position player roster is. And we have a question about Engel, too. Wait till you get all the information.”
Engel is taking batting practice but still isn’t running at full tilt. The hope is to have him play when the Sox return home to play the Reds Tuesday and Wednesday.
Foster, 26, has been up and down from Charlotte throughout the season. He is 2-1 with a 6.32 ERA and one save in 34 relief appearances over five stints.
