HOUSTON -- Danny Mendick understands the White Sox might explore the trade route where second base is concerned, especially with starter Nick Madrigal out for the season after surgery to repair a right hamstring tear.

But to borrow from an old cliché, Mendick is trying to let his play speak for itself in proving he can handle the second-base responsibilities for this American League Central-leading club.

“Well, you know what? I’m a winner. I want to go out and be on the competing team,” Mendick told MLB.com during a recent interview. “When you go back to bed at night and you dream about getting a big hit, it’s the bottom of the ninth of the World Series. So, I don’t take it any differently. You just go out there and trust your abilities.

“You get an opportunity. I’m sure trades are discussed and all that stuff. If I can make it easier on the organization to not do that, show them I am the guy, that’s what I want to do. I believe that. I just have to prove it to everyone else so they can believe it too.”

The 27-year-old showed off his intrinsic value during a seventh-inning sequence in Saturday’s 7-3 loss. Mendick singled with one out and reached second after tagging up on Tim Anderson’s long fly ball to center.

Houston starter Framber Valdez uncorked a wild pitch, bouncing just a few feet away from catcher Martín Maldonado, and Mendick not only made it to third, but came home to score the team’s third run on Maldonado’s wild throw. Mendick also has contributed to the White Sox No. 9 hitters leading the Majors in batting average, while ranking second in slugging percentage and OPS and third in RBIs.

“Sometimes the pitcher will look at it like, 'I can take it easy on this guy, I can throw him a fastball.' I don’t want that to be the case,” Mendick said. “I want to make that guy work. I want to get deep into counts.

“I want to get Timmy up with a runner on. That’s the way I look at it. We have a thick lineup. It’s exciting when the other guys are going to come back, our big bats come back. But right now, today, we have to win every single pitch, and that’s what’s going to get us to the World Series.”

Burger back at second

Jake Burger, the White Sox No. 12 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was back at second base for Triple-A Charlotte Saturday night playing his second career game at the position. The natural third baseman committed a pair of fielding errors, which is part of the learning curve, but also turned another double play and made a nice swipe tag to get Triple-A Jacksonville’s Brian Miller stealing second on a throw from catcher Seby Zavala.

Much like Mendick, who has literally played every position but catcher and first base, Burger realizes second base might open up quicker Major League opportunities.

“It’s huge to add value in different positions,” Burger said. “We’ve talked about Andrew Vaughn playing outfield, [Gavin] Sheets playing outfield. Just being able to add different elements to your game that are in there, but you don’t ever find them. It’s been awesome to have this experience so far.

“Honestly, I think it helps my third-base play a little bit, because you get to be a little more athletic at second base. You have to have quicker feet.”

Third to first

• After his Most Valuable Player-caliber April, designated hitter Yermín Mercedes was hitless in his last 18 at-bats entering Sunday and is 6-for-64 with one double and five RBIs in his last 18 games.

“He was on such a high [with] where he was, and as it's been getting away from him, you start searching,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “If you watch some of his swings, I just think he's trying so hard that he's coming off the ball.”

• Right-handed reliever José Ruiz, who left Saturday’s game with discomfort in his right knee, had improved by Sunday morning.

“He was riding the bike as I walked in,” said La Russa of Ruiz. “There’s some soreness there. Kind of thinking, not pitch today and be off Tuesday, but right now, we’re optimistic that it’s not something that will put him on the IL.”

They said it

“After the game, I had some conversations with the fellas. When you get beat three times, why not do something different?”
-- La Russa, on changing his series finale lineup against the Astros