WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 “Quiet bats waste Giolito's solid effort” … Brian McTaggart & Richard Dean, MLB.com “Giolito holds his own against Astros” … Scott Merkin & Richard Dean, MLB.com “Shields knows not to take Astros lightly” … Scott Merkin & Richard Dean, MLB.com “Lucas Giolito puts together another strong outing in White Sox loss to Astros” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox draft guru Nick Hostetler willing to sacrifice position for player development” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox catchers Kevan Smith, Omar Narvaez growing with young ” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Lucas Giolito takes loss, but also takes positive stride in development” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “‘Composed’ Giolito solid again in White Sox’ loss to Astros” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Slowly but surely, adjusts to big-league pitching” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Varying impacts: How traded White Sox players are faring with new teams” … Scott Gregor, Daily Herald “By the numbers: Sox lose, but the kids looked good and that’s what matters” … James Fegan, The Athletic Quiet bats waste Giolito's solid effort By Brian McTaggart and Richard Dean / MLB.com | September 19, 2017

HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh won his third consecutive decision and combined with four relievers to handcuff the White Sox and send the West-champion Astros to their fifth win a row, 3-1, in Tuesday night's series opener at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros (92-58), who clinched their first AL West title on Sunday, began play on Tuesday 1 1/2 games behind the Indians -- who defeated the Angels late on Tuesday -- for the best record in the AL. The Astros have won eight in a row at home and are 34 games over .500, tying their high-water mark of the season.

"The division part is out of the way and now we can worry about winning games and keeping our eye on the big prize," said closer , who worked a scoreless ninth inning for his 32nd save.

McHugh (3-2), pitching for the first time since leaving his Sept. 8 start at Oakland after only three innings because of a fingernail injury, held the White Sox to one run and five hits in five innings to improve to 14-0 in September/October regular-season games since 2014. , and each threw a hitless inning in relief before Giles closed it out.

"Our bullpen stepped up," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I thought McHugh threw the ball really well. I thought his pitch-making ability was really good. I thought he made one mistake, to [Jose Abreu] for the double, but other than that he was in a pretty good rhythm, pretty good execution."

Abreu doubled home Yoan Moncada to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the third, but Jose Altuve hit a solo homer in the fourth off Lucas Giolito and added an RBI double later in the inning to put Houston ahead, 2-1. Giolito (2-3) allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"[Giolito] kept us in the ballgame, certainly. He gave us as many outs as he could," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "This is an excellent ballclub, and they put the barrel on the ball. He did a very nice job containing these guys as long as he did."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Altuve matches milestone: Altuve tied his career high (set last season) by going opposite field for his 24th homer of the season in the fourth. The homer was his 194th hit for the season, putting him six shy of reaching his fourth consecutive 200-hit season. Prior to Altuve, Hall of Famer Craig Biggio (1998) was the only Astros player to reach 200 hits in a season.

Escape artist: McHugh recorded two quick outs to start the fifth inning before giving up an infield single to Moncada and watching Abreu reach on an error by Bregman. But McHugh got Nicky Delmonico to pop out to end the inning, leaving the dangerous Avisail Garcia on deck. "We made some pitches when we needed to," said McHugh, who made his 100th start with the Astros. "Had a better curveball today, better breaking ball than I've had in a while. Made a handful of mistakes, but for the most part, I thought we executed pitches really well."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Yuli Gurriel's double in the seventh inning was his 56th extra-base hit of the season, tying the rookie franchise record held by Hunter Pence (2007).

DOUBLED OFF

Gurriel was doubled off first base after singling in the third on an infield popup. With Gurriel at first, Brian McCann skied one to shortstop , who was playing on the right side of the infield in a shift. Anderson caught the ball just beyond the infield dirt and popped a throw to first to get Gurriel, who had strayed off the base and couldn't get back in time.

REPLAY REVIEW

The Astros successfully challenged a call in the eighth inning, leading to a run. , playing on his 28th birthday, was initially called out at the plate when he tried to score from third on Altuve's grounder to third, but the replay showed that Springer's left hand got a piece of the plate as he slid by the tag of catcher Kevan Smith.

"I told him I was proud of his hustle, and don't ever do that again until October," Hinch joked. "I don't need to see that again. ... Excellent play in itself. I'd like him not to do that."

Said Springer: "He told me to be smarter. I get it. But these games still count, and it's hard to not play hard. I'll just be smarter. I'll try not to do it again. Can't make any promises."

WHAT'S NEXT

White Sox: Right-hander (4-6, 5.43 ERA) makes his 20th start of the season on Wednesday, and he has won consecutive starts after snapping an 11-start winless streak. Shields is 2-1 with a 1.70 ERA in five career starts vs. the Astros. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. CT. Astros: Right-hander (11-2, 2.98 ERA) also will be making his 20th start of the season, and he has held opponents to exactly three hits in three of his last four starts. With 11 wins, he has matched his win total from his previous five Major League seasons combined.

Giolito holds his own against Astros By Scott Merkin and Richard Dean / MLB.com | September 19, 2017

HOUSTON -- There was a moment during Chicago's 3-1 loss to the Astros on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park that showed off the Lucas Giolito is becoming as opposed to just highlighting the highly touted rookie.

It came in the sixth inning, with Marwin Gonzalez at the plate, at second and two outs in a 2-1 ballgame. Gonzalez, who is a .293 hitter with an .884 OPS, battled the young right-hander through 12 pitches.

Giolito threw pretty much everything he had to the man with 82 RBIs before getting him swinging on a changeup on pitch No. 12. That pitch stood as one of Giolito's six swings-and-misses induced, with three off the change, among his 100 pitches.

"Changeup was a good pitch for me, aside from the few I left up," Giolito said after slipping to 2-3 overall. "I had a lot of confidence in it, and that was probably the offspeed pitch that I was most comfortable going to in big situations. I felt pretty good about how I pitched, for sure."

Tuesday's effort marked Giolito's fourth start out of six in which he has allowed two earned runs or fewer. He yielded two over 6 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking one.

And he went up against the Astros' front-line lineup -- which entered Tuesday with a Major League-best .282 team average and .824 OPS -- and held the bats in check.

"This is an excellent ballclub," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria after Giolito recorded nine of his 14 called strikes off his four-seam , per Statcast™. "They have good hitters across the board. They are patient, they're aggressive when they need to be. They put the barrel on the ball. He did a very nice job containing these guys as long as he did."

"His changeup is very good," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Obviously, he can spin a couple of different breaking balls, and it looks like a heavy fastball. Really, an impressive young starter to be able to navigate the lineup in different ways and get guys out in different ways and really compete. Good first impression. First time I'd seen him in the big leagues."

After finding a self-described "mental click" while pitching for Triple-A Charlotte, as well as repeatable mechanics on his delivery, Giolito has carried that consistency to the big leagues.

"Over the course of this season, I started to take pride in maintaining composure on the mound at all times, especially in big situations," Giolito said. "It feels more normal getting into that rhythm of being in the big leagues, pitching every five days. I'm getting my routine down."

"He's throwing his breaking ball more effectively. Right now his changeup as well," Renteria said. "All in all, he's been doing what he needs to do. He's kept hitters off balance. His ball has some life, he's got angle, and we're happy to see the way he's continued to develop."

Shields knows not to take Astros lightly By Scott Merkin and Richard Dean / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | September 19, 2017

The Astros clinched the American League West on Sunday, but White Sox right-hander James Shields knows Houston will have plenty of motivation when the two teams match up on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.

Houston continues to fight for the best record in both the American League and the Majors, entering Tuesday's series opener at 1 1/2 games behind the Indians for the former and 4 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for the latter. Houston won its opener on Tuesday, but Cleveland prevailed as well, while Los Angeles lost.

"That team is pretty professional," Shields said. "I would imagine that they will be playing just as tough all the way through the end of the season.

"I know when my teams have been to the playoffs, we didn't give up toward the end of the year when we clinched. That's a good ballclub you can't take lightly."

Shields is 2-1 with a 1.70 ERA over five career starts (37 innings) vs. the Astros. He tossed a complete game at Houston on June 24, 2011, with Tampa Bay, and he's posted five quality starts against them and twice recorded 12 . He has won back-to-back starts after snapping an 11-start winless streak on Sept. 9 against San Francisco.

"You've just got to get ahead of hitters," he said of facing Houston. "Trust your game plan. Throw strikes and make them swing the bat. You can't give them too many free bases. [I have to just] go out there and pitch my game."

Astros starter Brad Peacock has held opponents to three hits in three of his last four starts. In his previous start, on Sept. 14 at the Angels, he gave up one run on three hits over six innings in a 5-2 win.

The Astros' rotation may be too crowded for Peacock to earn a postseason start, but if the remainder of the regular season is an audition, the best thing he can do is what he's done all year. Entering Tuesday, his .190 Statcast-expected batting average against -- calculated using real-life strikeouts and hit probabilities from the quality of contact against him -- had been bested only by (.171) and (.187) among all pitchers who had navigated through at least 400 at-bats this season.

Three things to know about this game

• Peacock has 11 wins this season, matching his win total from his previous five Major League seasons combined. • Matt Davidson's 25 home runs stand fourth best all-time among White Sox rookies, behind Jose Abreu (36 in 2014), Ron Kittle (35 in 1983) and Zeke Bonura (27 in 1934). Davidson's homer total is third among rookies this season, after the Yankees' (44) and the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (38). • Recently acquired Houston outfielder has had success against Shields, going 7-for-19 lifetime.

Lucas Giolito puts together another strong outing in White Sox loss to Astros By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | September 19, 2017 HOUSTON — He didn’t have his best stuff against ’s top offense on Tuesday night, but Lucas Giolito had his changeup.

The young White Sox pitcher showed once again that when he has confidence in an offspeed pitch he’s able to overcome situations where his fastball might not be as good as he’d prefer. Trust in the changeup and a good command of the fastball were more than enough to put together another strong performance.

While Giolito took the decision in a 3-1 White Sox loss to the , he once again earned plaudits for his pitching.

“He was really good,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “His changeup's very good. He obviously can spin a couple different breaking balls. It looks like a heavy fastball. So, a really impressive young starter to be able to navigate the lineup in different ways and get guys out in different ways and really compete.”

Perhaps no one hitter better demonstrated Giolito’s ability to compete than his sixth-inning showdown with Astros No. 5 hitter Marwin Gonzalez. Having just issued his first walk down 2-1 with two outs and a man on second, Giolito threw both his two- and four-seam fastball, changeup and curveball during a lengthy at-bat. With the count full, Gonzalez fouled off six consecutive before Giolito threw a changeup in the dirt for the whiff on the 12th pitch of the at-bat.

It was one of 18 changeups Giolito threw, with 11 going for strikes.

“The changeup was a good pitch for me aside from a few I left up in the zone,” Giolito said. “I had a lot of confidence in it and that was probably the offspeed pitch I was most comfortable going to in situations.”

Given his fastball velo was an average of 92.2 mph, confidence and comfort were critical. Houston entered the game with a team slash line of .282/.345/.479 and averaging 5.47 runs per contest. The American League West champions offer few easy outs and were clearly the sternest test to date for Giolito, who has never pitched more innings in a season than his current 167 between Triple-A Charlotte and the majors.

Even though the velo isn’t where he’s wanted it in the past two outings, Giolito has pitched well enough. Giolito produced his fourth quality start in six outings in the big leagues as he limited the Astros to two earned runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

“Felt pretty good about it,” Giolito said. “It was one of those days where I didn’t have my best stuff working. Had a lot of trouble getting the ball to the extension side. That’s something to work on this week going into the next start. But I felt good about how I pitched tonight for sure.”

The White Sox feel pretty good about the production they’ve received from Giolito, who struggled with consistency earlier this season at Triple-A and dropped down in the prospect rankings as a result. The right-hander said he’s pleased with how he’s learned to be more composed on the mound this season. He’s also clearly gained confidence and trust in his stuff.

“Based on everything we saw, the skill set that he would be able to manage his ability on the mound to attack the strike zone,” manager Rick Renteria said. “He’s throwing his breaking ball more effectively now, the changeup as well.”

“All in all he’s doing what he needs to do. He’s kept hitters off balance. His ball has some life. He has angle. We’re happy with how he’s continued to develop.”

Giolito’s offense didn’t do what it needed to earn him a victory despite another big night from Yoan Moncada. Moncada went 3-for-4 with three singles and shortstop Tim Anderson extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a ninth-inning single.

White Sox draft guru Nick Hostetler willing to sacrifice position for player development By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | September 19, 2017

HOUSTON — As much as he longs to pick first next June, Nick Hostetler has learned to cope in the name of player development.

The White Sox amateur scouting director sees a deep draft class full of high school and college players awaiting. He’d love if the White Sox didn’t have to sweat out other teams’ decisions in what will be another critical moment in the team’s accumulation process.

But Hostetler said Tuesday he’s learned not to let his own feelings get in the way of what’s best for the franchise. Even if the White Sox end up picking third or fourth next June, Hostetler appreciates that the worse draft position is the result of a hot streak by any number of young players.

“It’s really exciting to see some of these young kids have success,” Hostetler said. “I really do like seeing Tim Anderson hit .400 and Lucas Giolito doing what he’s doing. All of these things are so great for the ultimate plan, which is us winning at the big-league level. I don’t ever want to get so selfish where I’m worrying about one pick or whether we’re three or whether we’re four or whatever it is and to use that than to take away from the greater good.”

There’s no question one pick can make all the difference. Colorado has received good production out of the third overall selection of the 2013 draft, Jon Gray, who has thus far given them 7.1 f-Wins Above Replacement in his brief career. But that pales in comparison to the 21.0 WAR produced by second pick Kris Bryant.

Entering Tuesday, the White Sox boasted the third-worst record in the majors. But their lead over the flailing , who are fourth, has slipped down to 1 1/2 games.

While a 100-loss season still appears to be in play for the White Sox, it seems far-fetched they would catch Philadelphia or San Francisco to finish with a top-two selection next June.

No matter where the White Sox pick, Hostetler is excited about the prospects of the class, which has a nice blend of hitters and pitchers from high school and college. Hostetler said earlier this month it’s the best class he can remember since 2010.

Still, Hostetler jokes that he’s conflicted when it comes to September scoreboard watching.

“It’s hard not to sit there and look but I’ve done a really good job,” Hostetler said with a laugh. “I’m proud of myself for this. I’ve kind of removed myself from this point. I root for our guys to succeed and to win, but at the same time knowing ultimately come June and three or four years after we’ll really know if picking third or fourth actually mattered.”

White Sox catchers Kevan Smith, Omar Narvaez growing with young pitchers Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | September 19, 2017

When White Sox rookie pitcher Lucas Giolito talked about grinding through 6 2/3 strong innings against the Astros on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park, he mentioned the work catcher Kevan Smith did to help him through the quality start.

“Smitty kept me in check back there,” Giolito said. “He would come out and let me know if I was flying open and things like that. I’d get back to it and keep competing.”

Like many around the Sox, Smith has been excited to watch the success of young starting pitchers such as Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Carson Fulmer over the last month. And the Sox catcher is taking particular enjoyment in helping guide such pitchers.

“It’s fun to have these guys turn to me advice, look to me, not for mechanical issues, but for ways to get guys through the game,” Smith said. “To get (Giolito) back on track mid-inning, just little things that maybe I picked up from some of our guys I caught, on what will get them squared away. It’s exciting to see what the future is going to hold, and it’s fun to be a part of it.”

Smith has split most of the starts at catcher this year with Omar Narvaez in both of their first full seasons in the big leagues.

Sox manager Rick Renteria said such work between the young pitchers and catchers has been valuable. He also said he “wouldn’t discount” the idea that Narvaez and Smith might return as the club’s catchers next year, though he didn’t make promises.

The Sox are developing catchers at the minor-league level.

Zack Collins finished his year at Double-A Birmingham. also had a solid year between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem and will participate in the Arizona Fall League this year. Evan Skoug was a 2017 seventh-round draft pick who wants to stick at catcher.

A look at the White Sox starting roster in 2020 The White Sox rebuilding project should be complete in 2020. Here's what the starting lineup and rotation could look like. Not pictured: Alec Hansen, RHP, minor-leaguer (Colleen Kane) But any of the three have more development left, and so Smith and Narvaez could be in competition for catching spots again.

“They both have been here growing together with all of the guys that are here, and you can’t discount that growth, especially when you’re trying to formulate an identity as an organization and as a team,” Renteria said. “They certainly have done the best they can to put themselves in a very good position for that.”

Both catchers acknowledge they have work to do to continue to improve behind the plate, and they pointed to veteran right-hander James Shields as a player from whom they’ve learned to better call games.

“I probably learned more this spring working with (Jose Quintana, Shields and Derek Holland), just picking their brains, than I’ve learned in my minor-league career,” Smith said. “You see why these guys are successful, through their work ethic, their mentality on the mound, what they work on in their bullpens, what they focus on.

“Seeing how they pitch and why they’re successful kind of opened my mind a little bit to show you baseball isn’t all physical. We all have the skills in this room. It’s a matter of honing it, getting your mind right, getting the mental side of the game.”

Narvaez also said gaining experience this year has been key for him.

“It’s not a secret I don’t have that much experience here, so everything I pick up from the pitcher, Shields or another pitcher, it will help me with the experience calling games,” Narvaez said. “I think I’ve improved my receiving. I think I’m getting more strikes called, and I believe it helps the pitchers better.”

On the offensive side, both have had decent showings too.

Narvaez was hitting .274 with nine doubles, two homers, 14 RBIs and a team-leading 35 walks for a .368 on-base percentage through Tuesday. Smith has hit .278 with 16 doubles, three homers and 25 RBIs this season, and he thinks he has “untapped” potential for greater power.

“He’s done a nice job on both sides of the ball,” Renteria said of Smith. “More than anything he’s feeling more comfortable about who he is as a player. But his growth has certainly shown. Smitty has done the most he can with the opportunities he’s gotten and shown the ability to put the bat on the ball when we need him and take a pitcher through a ball game through certain situations.”

Lucas Giolito takes loss, but also takes positive stride in development Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | September 19, 2017

Cheers rang out from the Minute Maid Park outfield Tuesday afternoon when Rick Renteria threw a batting practice pitch that broke a bat, and the White Sox manager pumped his fists toward his players who were celebrating.

Before a 3-1 loss to the Astros on Tuesday night, Renteria said he still is energized with two weeks left in the Sox's fifth straight losing season. He joked before the game that he got 30 hours of sleep on the team's off day Monday, so that may have helped.

Watching a roster full of mostly 20-something players grow also drives the first-year Sox manager.

"What helps is you feel like they're understanding what's going on and that after every game they gain something they're going to be able to use moving forward," Renteria said.

On Tuesday, it was Lucas Giolito's turn to continue what has been a very positive stretch for his development.

The 23-year-old right-hander gave up two earned runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. That brought his ERA over his last five starts to 1.95.

"It was similar to the last game, one of those grinder games," Giolito said. "I was having a lot of trouble getting the ball to my extension side both with the and the fastball and that came back to bite me a couple of times."

Giolito was helped in the third when shortstop Tim Anderson, playing in a shift, caught a popup to short center field and doubled Yuli Gurriel off first base.

The Astros scored their only runs off Giolito in the fourth, when Jose Altuve hit a solo homer and Alex Bregman added an RBI double into deep left-center field out of reach of left fielder Nicky Delmonico for a 2-1 lead.

Giolito came through on the biggest of his three strikeouts with a runner on second in the sixth, when he got Marwin Gonzalez swinging on a low changeup on the 12th pitch of the at-bat.

Renteria praised such composure before the game, and Giolito said it's a point of pride afterward.

"I'd say that over the course of this season I've really started to take pride in solid composure on the mound at all times, especially in big situations," Giolito said. "Having confidence in a pitch I'm about to throw, executing my next pitch. I was working on that in Triple A all year and I'm able to come up here and get an opportunity to show I'll stay composed in any situation."

The Astros added an insurance run in the eighth when George Springer scored from third on a grounder toward third base. Yolmer Sanchez checked Springer and then threw to first. Springer took off for the plate on the throw and dodged catcher Kevan Smith's tag.

The Sox scored just one run off Astros right-hander Collin McHugh in his five innings.

Yoan Moncada had three singles against McHugh. He stole second after the second single, and Jose Abreu drove him in with an RBI double to left.

The Astros were just two days removed from clinching the American League West for their first division title since 2001.

The Sox, meanwhile, were two days removed from coming within one out of being no-hit by Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd on Sunday before Anderson broke up the bid with a double. But despite that blip, Renteria said he was "very proud" of how his players have competed late in the season.

"Right now, you can be completely out of it and still go out there and show everybody you know how to prepare, how to play the game, compete," Renteria said. "Our club has been doing that, to be honest."

Rare occurrence: Anderson and Melky Cabrera both broke up no-hit bids in the ninth inning this season for the Sox. It is the first time since at least 1974 that the Sox have broken up a no-hit bid in the ninth twice in one season. The Braves were the last previous major-league team to do it, in 1997, according to STATS.

‘Composed’ Giolito solid again in White Sox’ loss to Astros Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | September 19, 2017

HOUSTON — Composure is king for Lucas Giolito.

Manager Rick Renteria gave the young right-hander high marks for being poised and in control before Giolito turned in his latest good outing in the White Sox’ 3-1 loss Tuesday to the American League West champion Astros. Giolito touched on it, too, after he held the Astros to two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

It was the sixth start in a Sox uniform for Giolito, who hasn’t looked bad since making his first start Aug. 22. His ERA stands at 2.58, and it’s a sparkling 1.95 in his last five outings.

‘‘Over the course of this season, I’ve really started to take pride in solid composure on the mound at all times, especially in big situations,’’ said Giolito, who spent most of the year at Class AAA Charlotte. ‘‘Having confidence in a pitch I’m about to throw, executing my next pitch, I worked on that in Triple-A all year and have been able to come up here and get an opportunity to show I’ll stay composed in any situation.’’

Giolito struck out three Astros and walked one after pitching 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his previous start against the Royals. In each of them, his stuff wasn’t at its best, but he kept it together.

‘‘It’s similar to the last game, one of those grinder games,’’ he said. ‘‘I was having a lot of trouble getting the ball to my extension side with the slider and the fastball, and that came back to bite me a couple of times.’’

All in all, though, he’s in a good place with two weeks left in the regular season. Last season, he had a 6.75 ERA in six appearances (four starts) with the Nationals. ‘‘I’d say it just feels more normal, being in the big leagues, pitching every five days, getting my routine down, then just going out and competing,’’ Giolito said.

Watching Giolito during a second stretch after his first look-see in spring training, Renteria said he was sent to Charlotte ‘‘to clean up his delivery, attack the strike zone, be able to execute a game plan.’’

So far, so good.

‘‘He’s a bright young man,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘That part of it was probably the easiest part, understanding what he needed to do against particular hitters.’’

Facing the Astros in their first game since they clinched the West title Sunday, the Sox gave Giolito a 1-0 lead in the third, when Yoan Moncada (3-for-4) singled with two outs against right-hander Collin McHugh, stole second and scored on Jose Abreu’s double to left. The RBI was Abreu’s 98th.

MVP candidate Jose Altuve, leading the majors with a .348 batting average, clubbed his 24th in a two-run fourth, which also featured an RBI double by third baseman Alex Bregman.

Giolito then pitched a perfect fifth and got an from catcher Kevan Smith, who threw out trying to steal from one knee in a scoreless sixth. After Yuli Gurriel doubled with two outs in the seventh on Giolito’s 100th pitch (he threw 64 strikes), Renteria went to his bullpen. The Astros added a run in the seventh and got four innings of one-hit ball from their bullpen.

Giolito is the son of an actress and Hollywood producer, and Warren Frost, his late grandfather, was known for roles on ‘‘Seinfeld’’ and ‘‘Twin Peaks.’’ So it’s no surprise Giolito carries himself easily in the spotlight.

‘‘He’s funny, bright and kind of witty for a 23-year-old,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘His demeanor, all across the board. And then when he gets on the mound, he’s a great competitor. He’s very focused. He doesn’t deviate from that. He’s relaxed, but he has an idea of what he wants to do on the mound.’’

Slowly but surely, Yoan Moncada adjusts to big-league pitching Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | September 19, 2017

HOUSTON — Another two solid weeks to finish the season would take Yoan Moncada into the offseason on an uptick and, for anyone associated with the White Sox, alleviate any concerns that might have cropped up after his slow start after his call-up July 18 from Class AAA.

“I know everybody was like, ‘He started slow, what is this? What do we got here?’ ’’ hitting coach Todd Steverson said. “But after the initial hype, he’s been able to settle in and recognize what guys are doing to him.’’

The switch-hitting Moncada, the No. 1-ranked prospect in baseball, was batting .188/.328/.356 on the last day of August. He took a .227/.343/.409 slash line into the game Tuesday against the Astros and had three hits in his first three at-bats. Moncada has six homers, six doubles, two triples and 18 RBI.

“He’s got some juice from both sides of the plate and is able to use the whole field from both sides,’’ Steverson said. “There isn’t a whole lot more you want to ask from a guy like that.’’

White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada singles against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday in Detroit. (AP) After getting moved around a lot, Moncada has settled into the No. 2 spot in the lineup because manager Rick Renteria wants to give him as many at-bats to see as many offspeed pitches as possible. The Sox project him as a No. 2, 3 or 4 hitter, Renteria said.

“Moncada is still bringing in a lot of offspeed stuff, a lot of secondary pitches,’’ Renteria said. “What’s happening is he’s starting to make an adjustment. It’s not like they’re just going to pump him with fastballs because he can also do some damage. But I think it has been really, really important for him to have an opportunity to see as many of those pitches that, when he first got here, he was having a problem with. He’s starting to make adjustments, and when someone does make a mistake with him, he’s able to capitalize on it.’’

Moncada says using a slightly lighter bat, at the suggestion of Jose Abreu seven games ago in Kansas City, has helped. He had an eight-game hitting streak snapped Sunday in Detroit in Matthew Boyd’s one-hitter. He had reached base safely six times last Thursday during a 4-for-5 day in which he had a homer and a club-record-tying five runs scored. Moncada was the first player under 23 to reach base six times since Mike Trout on July 30, 2013.

Still going strong

Renteria, in his first season as Sox manager, has been going at top speed since spring training. It’s the only pace he knows, even at 55.

“It’s kind of hard to stop,’’ he said. “The season is not over yet. I do need to recharge my batteries. That’s why that day off [Monday] was really important.’’

Renteria, who said he slept “about 30 hours” Monday, had enough in the tank to, while pitching batting practice Tuesday, break Yolmer Sanchez’s bat. Cheers went up from the players by the batting cage to those shagging fly balls in the outfield, to which Renteria responded by raising his arms in triumph.

Rookie class

With 25 home runs, designated hitter Matt Davidson ranks fourth on the Sox’ all-time rookie home-run list behind Abreu (36 in 2014), Ron Kittle (35 in 1983) and Zeke Bonura (27 in 1934).

Varying impacts: How traded White Sox players are faring with new teams Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | September 19, 2017

On the first day of October, the are going to play the Indians in Cleveland, pack up their gear and make tracks to their respective off-season homes.

This is the ninth straight season the Sox have failed to make the playoffs, but a long overdue rebuild has offered tangible hope for the years ahead.

To take the edge off another meaningless stretch run, let's take a look at how the nine White Sox veterans traded between July 13 and Aug. 31 are faring with their new teams (through Monday play):

MAJOR IMPACT

David Robertson

Signed by the Sox to a four-year, $46 million contract before the 2015 season after saving 39 games for the Yankees in '14, Robertson is back in New York after being traded on July 19, along with Todd Frazier and Tommy Kahnle, for outfield prospect and three other players.

Robertson does have a save in 24 appearances since returning to the Yankees, but his primary role is setting up and Dellin Betances. The veteran reliever has been thriving.

Not only is he 5-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 0.79 WHIP, Robertson has 39 strikeouts in 29 innings with N.Y.

Anthony Swarzak

Signed to a nonroster contract three weeks before spring training, Swarzak was a big surprise with the White Sox. The success has continued in Milwaukee.

In 22 appearances as the Brewers' primary setup man for closer Corey Knebel, Swarzak is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA to go with 32 strikeouts (and only 3 walks) in 20⅔ innings.

AVERAGE IMPACT

Jose Quintana

He's been good since being traded to the Cubs on July 13 for monster prospect Eloy Jimenez and three other minor leaguers, but Quintana has been far from great.

In 12 starts for the Cubs, Quintana is 6-3 with a 3.95 ERA. Not bad, but the 28-year-old lefty has averaged just 5.9 innings per start while yielding 9 home runs in 70⅔ innings.

Todd Frazier

He's hit 10 homers and has 30 RBI in 55 games with the Yankees, but Frazier is still struggling with a low batting average (.226) and a lot of strikeouts (48 in 205 plate appearances).

Tommy Kahnle

Like Swarzak, Kahnle was a productive right-handed relief pitcher after joining the White Sox from Class AAA Charlotte in early April.

With a 2.59 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 24⅓ innings, Kahnle has been a reliable middle reliever for New York. But he's also issued 8 walks after limiting that total to 7 in 36 innings with the Sox.

Melky Cabrera

His steady bat has been a welcome addition to the Royals, but not enough to help them nail down a wild-card spot.

In 46 games with Kansas City, Cabrera has slashed .268/.307/.413 with 4 homers and 23 RBI.

NO IMPACT

Dan Jennings

Traded to Tampa Bay on July 27 for former first-round draft pick Casey Gillaspie, Jennings has settled down in September.

When the Rays really needed him in August, the left-handed reliever issued 9 walks in 8⅔ innings and had a 6.23 ERA.

Tyler Clippard

Flipped to the Astros on Aug. 12 after being acquired in the July trade from the Yankees, Clippard has a 10.00 ERA in 11 appearances and is in serious danger of being left off Houston's playoff roster.

Miguel Gonzalez

Traded to the Rangers right before the Aug. 31 waiver deadline, Gonzalez has really struggled with his new team.

In 3 starts with Texas, the 33-year-old righty has allowed 12 runs on 13 hits (4 homers) in 10⅓ inning.

By the numbers: Sox lose, but the kids looked good and that’s what matters James Fegan / The Athletic | September 19, 2017

Well, the dream is over. The White Sox (60-90) will not go 6-0 against the Astros this season, a scenario that would have produced mild chuckles across the South Side as the Astros head for the postseason. Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat — which dropped the Sox to 3-1 vs. Houston on the year — was a prototypical rebuilding loss not worth caring about.

Yoan Moncada had three hits, Lucas Giolito scratched out a quality start and went into the seventh against a tough lineup, Jose Abreu racked up some more counting stats, and even Tim Anderson played well on defense and collected another hit. The kids looked good, and the piddling run total could be chalked up to a lack of lineup depth at this particular point in the franchise’s development. This is fine.

With only a dozen games remaining, check out the numbers from loss No. 90.

98: RBI for Abreu this season, nine short of his career high. He scored Moncada in the third inning with a two-out double to left, which also served as his 39th two-bagger of the season, a career high. There’s a decent chance he finishes the year with a .300 average, 35 home runs, 40 doubles and 100 RBIs if he gets hot down the stretch.

3: Career three-hit games for Moncada, all of which have come in the past eight days as racking up base knocks has become second nature to him. Tuesday, he had an against-the-shift single in the first, a solid single in the third and a rolling infield single in the fifth. Moncada is 22 years old and has a 110 wRC+, so it seems increasingly likely that he will be fine. He’s hitting .432/.488/.649 over this stretch.

Three is also the number of stolen bases Abreu has this season, which also matches a career high.

2: Times Anderson has doubled off a lazy baserunner in the past week by casually catching a popup before zipping a rocket throw back to the base from the shallow outfield. On Tuesday, he caught Yuli Gurriel wandering off first in the third. After the way Anderson’s first half went, seeing him proactively creating extra outs on the base paths is another sign of his resurgence. So too is his 10-game hitting streak.

Lucas Giolito has pitched into the seventh inning in four of his six starts with the White Sox. (Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports) 5 out of 6: Starts in Giolito’s young White Sox career that have gone six innings or longer. He was barely over 70 pitches entering the sixth and logged 6 2/3 frames on 100 pitches. That included a 12-pitch war with Marwin Gonzalez in the sixth that Giolito ended with his best changeup.

6: Swinging strikes for Giolito, producing just three strikeouts. After throwing 10 strikeouts against the Rays earlier this month, he now has just 11 strikeouts in his past 18 1/3 innings over three starts. That’s not ideal, and he doesn’t boast the extreme ground-ball rate to provide a ton of extra optimism that this is a sustainable method. However, the Astros are one of the best contact lineups in baseball, and despite Alex Bregman hammering a poorly placed slider for an RBI double, and Jose Altuve spraying a 92 mph fastball into the right-field seats, hitters generally seem to struggle to barrel his low- 90s heater, especially when he changes eye levels above and at the bottom of the zone.

2.58: Giolito's ERA through his first six starts in Chicago after being charged with two earned runs while pitching into the seventh on Tuesday. The peripherals most definitely do not support it at this point, but better for him to navigate his way deep into ballgames without piles of whiffs than to merely get shelled.

2.38: Career ERA for Astros reliever Chris Devenski in 185 2/3 career innings, all pitched for the Astros after being acquired from the White Sox in the Brett Myers trade in 2012. He added one more inning to his total by pitching out of a jam with two runners on in the eighth against his old organization, which probably didn’t sting at all.