White Sox at Cleveland postponed; Rick Renteria tests negative for COVID-19

Progressive Field in Cleveland

The series opener between the White Sox and Cleveland Indians was postponed Monday because of rain.

The game will be made up Tuesday as part of a straight doubleheader, starting at 2:30 p.m. The regularly scheduled game will begin about 45 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.

The pitching matchups will remain the same, with Dylan Cease and Carlos Rodon scheduled to pitch for the Sox (1-2). The Indians (2-1) will go with Aaron Civale and Adam Plutko.

Renteria reportedly OK after COVID-19 scare

If the game had been played Monday night, Sox manager Rick Renteria would not have been at the ballpark.

Renteria woke up Monday with "a slight cough and nasal congestion," and he opted to undergo tests at a Cleveland hospital before going back to the team hotel. Reports later in the evening indicated Renteria tested negative for COVID-19.

Perhaps the skipper was just suffering because of the high mold count in the area after the recent rains. While we may object to Renteria's usage of Nicky Delmonico in the everyday lineup, we certainly want him to remain healthy.

Health is especially a concern for all with postponements Monday of games between the Baltimore Orioles and Miami Marlins, and the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.

A substantial COVID-19 outbreak has occurred within the Marlins, and the MLB season is teetering on the brink. The Phillies are testing all their personnel and quarantining themselves for the time being, as well, because they just hosted Miami in a three-game series over the weekend.

I've been watching a lot of games over the weekend, not just the Sox, and I've noticed plenty of spitting, high fives and hugging after home runs. Mask wearing and social distancing in dugouts seems to be mixed, much as it is in society at large. It makes me wonder whether players are truly taking protocols seriously, and hopefully, the wake-up call has sounded. If not, the 2020 season might not last long.

As far as Renteria has been concerned, I haven't seen him without a mask since baseball resumed. It does seem as though the Sox manager takes the health crisis seriously, and I don't foresee him being the cause of things falling apart.

Lopez to injured list; other roster moves

White Sox pitcher Reynaldo Lopez has been placed on the 10-day injured list after an MRI showed right shoulder inflammation. Lopez pitched only two-thirds of an inning and gave up four earned runs Sunday in a 14-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Right-handed relief pitcher Ian Hamilton was recalled from the Sox's alternate training site to take Lopez's place on the roster. It is expected that Gio Gonzalez will move from a long relief role into the starting rotation.

In another roster move, the Sox designated third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert for assignment and purchased the contract of infielder Ryan Goins.

Kopech files for divorce

White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech filed for divorce from Riverdale star Vanessa Morgan. The couple were only married for six months before parting ways. Morgan is pregnant, so there is a lot going on in Kopech's life right now.

The right-hander opted out of playing this season earlier in July.

If Yoan Moncada can't play, what do the White Sox do at third base?

Yoan Moncada

White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed relief pitcher Jose Ruiz both are on the 10-day injured list with "mysterious ailments."

We know that two Sox players tested positive for COVID-19 on intake, so I think we can connect the dots on what is going on here.

Ruiz is a fringe player who had a 5.63 ERA in 40 appearances with the Sox in 2019, and he's not somebody any of us were counting on.

But Moncada, however, is the team's best player. He's coming off a season in which he hit .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs, 34 doubles, five triples and 79 RBIs. He also was one of the few players on the 2019 Sox who could be described as a solid defensive player.

The Sox signed Moncada to a five-year, $70 million extension over the offseason. They were counting on him to be a cornerstone not only in 2020, but also for years to come.

Perhaps Moncada will end up helping the Sox this year. In order to return, Moncada will have to test negative twice more than 24 hours apart. Because of privacy reasons, nobody knows where he is in that process. Is he still COVID positive? Maybe. Has he tested negative once, in which case he would need to test negative again? Maybe.

However, the longer we go without seeing Moncada in Sox camp, the more we have to come to grips with the possibility that he will not be ready eight days from now when the team opens the regular season against the Minnesota Twins.

The third base depth for the Sox is, umm, not good. After all, why would you invest much in a backup for the franchise player? What are the Sox going to do in the likely event that Moncada isn't around?

Well, there's Cheslor Cuthbert, who was signed to play third base at Triple-A Charlotte. He's probably the best defensive option available, and he has 322 games of big league experience with the Kansas City Royals. His bat won't wow you, but he can probably catch most of the grounders hit his way.

Danny Mendick is an option, too. The utility infielder showed well in his September call-up last season, batting .308/.325/.462 in a limited sample size of 40 at-bats.

The Sox also have looked at Yermin Mercedes and Andrew Vaughn at third base over the past week. Mercedes can hit, and the Sox would like to find a home for his bat. However, he's a catcher by trade and not real nimble on his feet. I wouldn't want him playing third with an extreme groundball pitcher on the mound, like, say, Dallas Keuchel. Maybe you can spot Mercedes at third if you've got a flyball pitcher on the mound, like, say, Reynaldo Lopez.

Vaughn, the Sox's first-round draft pick in 2019, is a first baseman, plain and simple. I understand the team would like to increase his versatility, but I don't see it happening. If they had the opportunity to try Vaughn at third base in the minor leagues, maybe I could get on board. However, the kid never played a single game at third in college. What makes us believe he can play third in the majors for a team that is trying to move into contention this year? That's a nonstarter for me.

Then there's the option that I like best: It's time to quit screwing around with service time and just put Nick Madrigal at second base. Madrigal has looked better in this camp than he did during spring training in March, and I think he can hold the position down. That means the Sox don't need to use Leury Garcia at second. Instead, put Garcia at third until Moncada returns.

I've always thought Garcia was miscast as an everyday player at any one spot. His best role is as a super sub, filling in at whatever position needs filling. Right now, that position is third base. I say, roll with Garcia at third and hope Moncada's back by early August.

If we're being honest, the Sox probably aren't going to make the playoffs without a healthy Moncada anyway.

White Sox reportedly adding Gio Gonzalez, Cheslor Cuthbert

Gio Gonzalez

The White Sox on Thursday agreed to contracts with left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez and infielder Cheslor Cuthbert, according to reports.

MLB.com is saying we don't know the terms on the Gonzalez deal as yet, because the Sox have not confirmed the move.

Gonzalez, 34, appeared in 19 games (17 starts) with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019, going 3-2 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.294 WHIP. He struck out 78 and walked 37 over 87.1 innings pitched.

We all figured the Sox would add a back-end starter eventually, and this signing is OK on one condition -- Gonzalez needs to be the second- or third-best starter the Sox sign this offseason. So far, he's the best starter they've signed, and that's concerning.

Maybe I should amend the projected rotation I posted yesterday to look more like this:

1. Lucas Giolito
2. ??????
3. Reynaldo Lopez
4. Dylan Cease
5. Gonzalez

The Sox still need another starting pitcher, and it needs to be somebody who can pitch deeper into games and be more reliable than a journeyman veteran such as Gonzalez.

Cuthbert, 27, is a former Kansas City Royals prospect who never panned out. Last season, he batted .246/.294/.379 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 87 games and 330 plate appearances. His career slash line is .250/.300/.378.

Meh. At least it's only a minor-league deal. Cuthbert has played third base and first base in his career. I guess he's around as protection in case Yoan Moncada suffers another nagging, soft tissue injury at some point during the 2020 season.

Other than that, I got nothing.