Sox gearing up for final push to postseason

CHICAGO -- A playoff-like push for the White Sox toward the postseason begins Monday when they host the Twins for four games.

Chicago's final 14 games following Detroit also include four in Cleveland and three at home against the Cubs to conclude this abbreviated season. The White Sox will be working through all this excitement without fans in the stands, as is every other Major League team. But it’s an especially strange moment for Chicago, which has made this quick change from rebuild to contender, delighting its patient supporters.

“It was certainly strange early on, and it took some getting used to,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “Now, you're used to the visual when you're watching it on TV or when you're in the ballpark.

“The series like the ones highlighted down the stretch -- and ideally, at some point over the next 17 days, we're clinching a playoff spot -- the absence of fans is going to be felt during those times because you want to be able to celebrate this with the people who are supportive fans, people who have been through this rebuild, people who this means a great deal to. I'd be lying if I said we wouldn't be missing something by not being able to celebrate with our fans the potential good things that lie ahead of us. Hopefully, everybody wears their mask and we get back to that real soon.”

The White Sox have done outstanding work connecting with their fans through social media and through their broadcasts, dating back to televising intrasquad games in early July. The organization has also done a good job of making home games feel like true home contests, even without 35,000 in attendance.

“Some of these ballparks have done a really, really good job -- and I put us included -- in sort of creating this energy in the absence of fans and a bit of a home-field advantage,” Hahn said. “It's obviously not the same as 40,000 fans rooting against you when you're on the road.

“That's an element of this experience that hopefully we're able to introduce next year to these young kids as they continue hopefully on a path of winning in hostile environments. But when you're on the road, you still sort of feel it. You still feel a bit of the momentum-working-against-you kind of thing.

“So, it's not like just playing a pickup game on some sandlot somewhere,” Hahn added. “You're still fighting through against something when you're on the road.”

Renteria taking White Sox to the next step
Rick Renteria is the last person who will analyze the job he’s doing as White Sox manager, as he’s usually busy preparing for the game at hand with his staff. But Hahn is happy to see Renteria in charge of a winning team after dealing with the trials and tribulations of a rebuild for the past three years.

“I hope that he's getting the opportunity to sort of savor and enjoy it, which is tough to do on this type of schedule, especially with what lays ahead the next [16] nights,” Hahn said. “But at some point ... I hope he's able to sort of look back and take some satisfaction in showing that he wasn't a guy who was just here to sort of be the caretaker through the rebuild and then not necessarily be a guy who could get us to that next step. I still fully believe he's capable of getting us to that next step.”

Third to first
• Entering Saturday, rookie right-handed reliever Codi Heuer has held right-handed hitters to a .077 average (2-for-26). Left-handers are 5-for-31 (.161) against him.

• Luis Robert entered play Saturday 4-for-33 with one home run, three RBIs and 14 strikeouts in September. But Renteria likes how the talented center fielder can separate his high level of defense from his temporary struggles.

“I'm not worried about Luis, like I've never been worried about any of the other guys,” Renteria said. “He's extremely talented, and he will come out of it, for sure.”

He said it
“Just one of those nights. I don’t think I was completely in sync, kind of falling in and out of mechanics. And I battled about as well as I could there, but a lot of deep counts, a lot of uncompetitive pitches. I just have to be better next time out.” -- Lucas Giolito, on his 114-pitch no-decision Friday that ended after 5 2/3 innings