José Abreu admitted his White Sox squad might have let up a little bit after clinching its first playoff berth since 2008 with an exciting home win last Thursday over the Twins.

But this 1-5 stretch, which included José Ramírez's walk-off three-run homer in the 10th for Cleveland on Tuesday and Jordan Luplow's walk-off solo shot in the ninth on Wednesday, might actually be good in the big picture for the White Sox, as Abreu explained in a Zoom session ahead of Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Indians.

“For good things to happen, you need bad things to push you,” said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo. “This is probably not the way we wanted to do it, but this is the time preparing us to be stronger and a way better team. No matter what this moment is, we are on the right track, because I truly believe that this moment is making us stronger.”

“We are going to be prepared for what is coming. We are going to be prepared for that postseason run,” Abreu said. “It's going to be really important for us to take this moment as a big challenge, as a big learning process for us going forward to the postseason. This is just another opportunity for us to get better and be more prepared.”

Abreu recorded an RBI, a run scored and two impressive defensive plays at first base on Wednesday.

“How are these guys going to come back?” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “They have to stay loose, and they have to stay relaxed. I don't want anybody panicking, I don't want anybody feeling like they have to prove something. They've just got to go out and play the game. You control the things that you can control.”

Crochet deserving of confidence
Garrett Crochet’s eighth-inning appearance on Tuesday night was preplanned by the team, but the rookie southpaw still handled the top of the Cleveland order without much of an issue. He returned with the first back-to-back effort of his young career on Wednesday, striking out two in a perfect seventh.

The White Sox top pick in the 2020 Draft has thrown 30 pitches of at least 100 mph, having retired 12 of 14 batters faced, and he is earning greater trust for higher-leverage situations with each outing.

“More than anything, we are very excited about the mound presence he carries with him, the confidence he has with him,” Renteria said. “His conversations about how he's approaching what he does out there on the mound, how he has a good sense of who he is and sometimes when things speed up, he can understand what's happening and he can slow it down. So he's certainly showing us that he's capable.”

Third to first
• Renteria remains confident with the evaluation of left-handed pitchers Aaron Bummer and Carlos Rodón, despite possibly seeing them return to action for just one three-game weekend series against the Cubs before the playoffs.

“All the work and observation that the staff has been making with these guys and then us seeing them here, doing their work also in their [simulated] games here since they've been with us, those are also factors that we take into account,” Renteria said. “Bum's been down a little while, but the work that he's been doing and the observations that have been made by various people give us the sense that they should be OK.”

Bummer has not pitched since Aug. 7, dealing with a nerve issue near his left biceps tendon. Rodón has been out of action since Aug. 3, and he was limited to two starts by left shoulder soreness and back issues. They are currently working out with the White Sox in Cleveland.

• TBS will broadcast the White Sox season finale on Sunday against the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field. NBC Sports Chicago will televise the game locally, with TBS being blacked out in the Chicago area. The game will also be available on MLB.TV.

• Closer Alex Colomé told Renteria that he felt OK on Wednesday after not being able to pitch the 10th due to back spasms following a six-pitch ninth on Tuesday.

“I'm optimistic,” said Renteria of Colomé’s availability. “I'll put it to you that way.”

He said it
“That is my goal. That’s my mom’s goal, too. That’s why I like to play every single game every year.” -- Abreu, on playing all 60 regular-season games this year

“Realistically, it's an emotional game. Are there times where, yeah, do you want your players to stay in the ballgame? Absolutely, absolutely. Do I understand when a player shows his emotion to the extent that he gets tossed? Yes, I do. I'm sure that when you look back at it, every single one of our players understands the importance of them staying in games.” -- Renteria, on understanding shortstop Tim Anderson getting caught up in the moment and eventually being ejected by home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the 10th inning on Tuesday