La Russa did not manage the White Sox on Saturday. He was serving a one-game suspension as a result of the Sox’ plunking Angels star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday.
Manager Tony La Russa is familiar with the ways his decisions in September can impact how his team performs in the playoffs. Not long after the second half of the season started, La Russa began emphasizing the importance of giving rest to his players, especially the starting rotation.
Before Saturday’s game against the Rangers, La Russa said that the plan is for the White Sox to stick with the six-man rotation at least for the rest of the road trip through Detroit and Cleveland.
La Russa said he plans to go with Carlos Rodon, Dallas Keuchel, and then Reynaldo Lopez for the three games against the Tigers. When the five-game set with the Indians begins with a Thursday doubleheader, La Russa will use Dylan Cease for one of those two games.
The Sox have dealt with a few minor injuries to their starting pitching staff this month. Carlos Rodon has suffered with shoulder soreness, and Lance Lynn was recently shelved with a sore knee.
But the timing of those ailments might prove beneficial for the Sox.
Not only has it allowed the six-man rotation to take shape headed into the final weeks of the season, but it has given guys like Rodon and Lynn to rest with the playoffs ahead.
“You can take a break you need and be ready to go and ramp up at the end of September,” Lynn said last week. “It kind of worked out the best possible way it could have for where we’re at.”
Rodon has thrown 124 ⅔ innings so far this year — the most for him since 2016 and only the fourth time since coming up in 2015 he has gone over 100 innings in a season. The extra workload is part of why he is dealing with soreness in his shoulder.
“It’s kind of my body just getting used to it,” Rodon said when he returned from the I.L. “But I have to go out there and make these last starts. I want to be ready for that postseason push.”
The hope with the continued six-man rotation is that La Russa can keep his arms healthy and properly rested for October.
“Our fingers are crossed that the plan goes ahead as scheduled,” La Russa said.
Shohei suspensions issued
La Russa did not manage the Sox on Saturday. He was serving a one-game suspension for an incident that occurred during Thursday’s series finale against the Angels.
Right-hander Mike Wright hit Shohei Ohtani with a pitch in the ninth inning, and he and La Russa were both tossed; La Russa for arguing that the plunking was not intentional.
La Russa was also issued a fine by Major League Baseball, and Wright is appealing his suspension.
Engel on the way?
Outfielder Adam Engel (shoulder) has been out since August 12, but he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on September 7 with sights set on returning to the lineup during the Sox’ current road trip.
La Russa said Engel’s return could come as soon as the series in Detroit, but that will depend on how Engel does with Charlotte over the next couple of games.
“It still depends on how he gets through the current playing time,” La Russa said. “But he’s getting better, he’s making a lot of progress.”