Eloy returns to White Sox Game 3 lineup

Eloy Jiménez returned to the White Sox lineup as the designated hitter for Game 3 on Thursday after missing five games, including the first two of the American League Wild Card Series with the A’s, due to a sprain in the middle of his right foot.

His return didn't last long, however. After connecting on a double in the third inning, he appeared to be experiencing discomfort. After a visit from manager Rick Renteria and a trainer, he walked off the field and was replaced by pinch-runner James McCann.

The lineup was not announced until one hour before first pitch, after Renteria watched Jiménez hit and run pregame. Renteria needed to be confident that Jiménez would be able to give him multiple at-bats and, of course, be confident in his overall health.

“Once we see him, and we go over everything that can happen, we can make a sound conclusion, decision to allow him the opportunity to be in that lineup,” Renteria said prior to monitoring Jiménez's activity. “There are a lot of things that have to fall into place. We want to make sure we all cover the bases that are necessary.”

Dunning gets the call, then early hook

Dane Dunning was given the start on Thursday for the first all-or-nothing playoff game in White Sox history.

The White Sox have a 6-1 record in games started by the 25-year-old this season, although he allowed eight earned runs on nine hits over seven innings during his last two starts, against Cleveland and the Cubs. He has 35 strikeouts over 34 innings in his rookie campaign.

“One, obviously, he's a starter, but by the same token, it's a great experience for him, and we believe he's capable,” said Renteria on the choice to start Dunning. “Whoever would have been the individual that started this game, we all know the importance of it, and any one of them could either run long or run short based on where we're at and depending on how the game’s evolving.

“He showed us obviously some signs of being able to manage pitching in the big leagues and doing it well. This is going to be a nice look into that.”

Dunning’s outing didn’t need to run deep, with the entire bullpen ready to contribute, even with Renteria opting for Dunning over a bullpen day. That list of relievers includes Garrett Crochet and his 100 mph fastballs, Codi Heuer and Matt Foster -- like Dunning, all rookies who have played significant roles this season.

Not only did Dunning's outing not run deep, it ended after just two-thirds of an inning. After he gave up a single to leadoff batter Tommy La Stella, he induced a pair of popouts. Another single, this one by Mark Canha, ended his outing. In came Crochet, who doused the threat with a strikeout of Matt Olson.

“It’s tough to prepare for, especially when you haven’t seen the team this year,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s a guy we only can watch video on, and [it] poses its share of challenges when you haven’t seen guys, especially first at-bat. There are a lot of guys down there that we haven’t seen. We tried to get up to speed on them, video-wise, the last few days. We’ve come up against it before.”

Anderson on a roll

Anderson figured out what was going wrong at the plate as he battled through a 6-for-46 slump over the final 11 games of the regular season, but he didn’t exactly want to share the positive changes that led to back-to-back three-hit efforts to start his postseason career.

“If I tell you, then I’m telling my secret,” said a smiling Anderson during a pregame Zoom session.

“TA is gosh dang incredible,” said Chris Bassitt, Oakland’s starting and winning pitcher on Wednesday. “He’s won batting titles and is world-class for a reason.”

Third to first

• Grandal is the first player in White Sox history to homer in each of his first two postseason games with the club, and third to homer in back-to-back games in the playoffs, following Paul Konerko and Joe Crede in 2005.

• Closer Alex Colomé struck out only 16 over 22 1/3 innings in 2020, but in amassing 12 saves in 13 opportunities and a 0.81 ERA, he played off the idea of strikeouts don’t matter.

“That’s been the key to my success the last couple of years,” said Colomé through interpreter Billy Russo. “I try to get quick outs.

“An out is an out. I try to have as short of an inning as possible to limit the chance for the other team. In order to be effective, you don’t need to strike out everybody.”

He Said It

“Everybody knows what it is. It’s either do or die. Everybody knows that we need a win, we’ve got to get a win.” -- Anderson