WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF MAY 28, 2017 “Gonzalez aiming to get back on winning track” … Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “White Sox sign Cuban OF prospect Robert” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Engel relishes whirlwind Saturday in Chicago” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox rally comes up short vs. Tigers” … Fabian Ardaya & Scott Merkin “Danish, Sox blank Tigers for DH-opening win” … Fabian Ardaya & Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Saladino to DL with back spasms; Engel up” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox execs thrilled to add Robert” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Moves have White Sox positioned for bright future” … Phil Rogers, MLB.com “After getting shut down by Buck Farmer, White Sox ninth-inning rally falls short” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “White Sox courting of Luis Robert Leads to ‘Christmas in May’” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Tyler Danish gets win in first big league start as White Sox beat Tigers in first game of doubleheader” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “How White Sox tradition of Cuban players helped them land Luis Robert” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “Nerve issuses send Tyler Saladino to DL, White Sox bring up ” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “Luis Robert will start journey through White Sox Oranization in Dominican Summer League” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “Luis Robert a big addition to White Sox's rebuilding project” … Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune “White Sox split doubleheader with Tigers but Tyler Danish earns 1st big-league victory” … Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune “White Sox officially welcome aboard Cuban phenom Luis Robert… Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune “White Sox comeback falls short in 4-3 loss to Tigers in Game 2 of doubleheader” … Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune “White Sox find reasons to stay positive while Cubs start resembling selves” … David Haugh, Chicago Tribune “Tyler Danish impresses in his first major-league start” … David Just, Chicago Sun-Times “Everything you need to know about Luis Robert” … David Just, Chicago Sun-Times “Sox prospect Luis Robert makes his ‘debut’ at Guaranteed Rate Field” … David Just, Chicago Sun-Times “'s Danish starts, gets first win” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Rave reviews for Giolito and his no-hitter” … Jason Benetti, Special to the Daily Herald “After years of pursuit, Chicago White Sox sign Luis Robert” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Why The White Sox Landed Luis Robert” … Bruce Levine, CBS Chicago

Gonzalez aiming to get back on winning track By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | May 28, 2017

Chicago White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez will be looking for a belated birthday gift on Sunday afternoon as he gets the nod against the in a four-game series finale.

Gonzalez, who turned 33 on Saturday, will face off against Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, looking to put an exclamation point on a strong start to Chicago's seven-game homestand.

Zimmermann is looking to bounce back after a rough start to his 2017 season. After posting a 9-7 record with a 4.87 ERA in his first season in Detroit, he's gone 4-3 with a 5.86 ERA through his first nine starts this year. He's given up fewer than three runs just once this season -- in his first start against Boston on April 8 -- and allowed four or more in all but one start since. He's had mixed results against Chicago in his career, posting a 4-1 record but with a 4.59 ERA to go with it in six starts.

Gonzalez is looking to snap a five-game losing streak, taking the decision in each of his last five outings. After posting a 3.27 ERA in April, he has seen that mark balloon to 6.45 across four May starts. He struggled April 30 at Detroit, giving up seven runs (six earned) in six innings while taking the loss. The right-hander is 2-5 with a 7.65 ERA in 10 career appearances against the Tigers.

Three things to know about the game

• The Tigers' offense has been quiet since arriving in Chicago, in part because Detroit has struggled to make contact. The Tigers struck out a combined 42 times through the first three games of the series, including eight times in the final three innings of Saturday's first game. • The offensive struggles have also applied when the Tigers have been able to get men on base, as they stranded 32 runners through the series' first three games. The first leg of Saturday's doubleheader saw the Tigers walk nine times while still being shut out, the second-largest figure in franchise history and highest total since June 19, 1977. The Tigers had the bases loaded in each of the first three games of the series, and didn't produce any runs until Saturday's two-run seventh inning. "Right now, we're just not getting the big hit," Tigers Brad Ausmus said. "We've had men on base -- plenty of men on base -- but we're just not coming up with the big hit. At some point we will, and we'll break the ice and we'll be fine. Today, that obviously wasn't the case." • The White Sox have been on a bit of a power surge lately. Before Saturday's 3-0 win in the first leg of their doubleheader with Detroit, the South Siders had homered in 11 consecutive games. They got a pair of big flies on Friday off the bats of Matt Davidson and Melky Cabrera. White Sox sign Cuban OF prospect Robert Teen is top-ranked international amateur player By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- A few formalities needed to take place Saturday morning at the Guaranteed Rate Field Conference and Learning Center before Luis Robert officially could become a member of the White Sox.

With chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and executive vice president Ken Williams among many from the organization looking on, the 19-year-old Robert sat next to general manager Rick Hahn and signed his first professional contract. It was a Minor League deal for the 6-foot-3, 205-pound outfielder, including a $26 million signing bonus.

Robert received his first White Sox jersey, then signed a jersey and a baseball for his first official autographs. The young Cuban is the No. 1 international free agent, according to MLBPipeline.com, and he will be yet another important piece in the club's ongoing rebuilding effort.

"I feel good, very good," Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo. "I'm happy and I'm proud to be part of the White Sox organization. I feel good because all the sacrifices I've had to do to leave Cuba have already paid off. This is what I wanted."

"In adding Luis to our organization, we feel we've added another dynamic potential talent," Hahn said. "Luis, who we view having the potential to be an impact center fielder for the long term, provides a special combination of power and speed that's unique in this game to get today, and he instantly becomes one of our top position-player prospects and one of the top outfield prospects in the game."

While 10 of the top 11 White Sox prospects have been acquired via trade or through the 2016 MLB Draft, Robert marks the first significant financial investment during the process. It is the second-highest bonus for an international amateur under the current signing guidelines. , Robert's Cuban countryman and now teammate within the White Sox organization, set the record through his $31.5 million deal with the Red Sox in 2015.

This signing continues the franchise's long and storied Cuban connection, including the great Minnie Minoso, pitchers Jose Contreras and Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez from the 2005 World Series champions, shortstop Alexei Ramirez, outfielder Dayan Viciedo and current first baseman Jose Abreu.

Abreu agreed to terms on a six-year, $68 million deal prior to the 2014 campaign, although he opted into arbitration prior to the '17 season and is currently earning $10.825 million. Abreu mentored and befriended Moncada during , and he figures to do the same along the way with Robert.

"It was certainly part of our identity that we presented to him to help inform him about where we were and the level of success that we've had with similar type players," Hahn said. "It was the talent that drew us to Luis, not the heritage, obviously. We certainly felt we had a good nurturing developmental environment for a player with his background."

"I feel comfortable with this team, with the people that I met with," Robert said. "I picked the Chicago White Sox because it was the team that scouted me most."

A video also was put together by the White Sox for Robert with messages from Abreu, manager Rick Renteria and reliever Michael Ynoa, who shares an offseason physical trainer with Robert. The presentation included a virtual reality tour around the stadium, but one message from Renteria stood out in particular.

"Ricky Renteria was talking straight to me, saying they need me here to win several championships," Robert said.

If things pan out in the next few years, the White Sox could feature up-the-middle strength of at catcher, Moncada at second, at shortstop and Robert in center. Robert enters MLBPipeline's Top 100 prospects at No. 26 and checks in at No. 3 for the White Sox.

His White Sox career begins this summer as part of the Dominican Summer League team. "Being able to acquire a premium talent at the cost of -- Jerry should plug his ears -- only money made the most sense for the organization," Hahn said. "Jerry got that from the start, and Kenny advocated for it. We were all on the same page. … This really was an important step for us and one we were able to find a way to afford."

Engel relishes whirlwind Saturday in Chicago Call-up scores first Major League run, notches first hit in doubleheader By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Adam Engel experienced the many highs and the potential lows of during the White Sox doubleheader split with the Tigers on Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Engel was called up from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday morning to take the roster spot of Tyler Saladino, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with back spasms. He scored the first run of his career as a pinch-runner in a 3-0 Game 1 victory for the White Sox, then delivered his first career hit with a single in the eighth inning of a 4-3 Game 2 loss.

But with the tying run on third and two outs in the ninth, Engel swung through a Justin Wilson fastball for the game's final out. It concluded a whirlwind sort of day, make that two days, for both teams with 25 hours combined spent at the ballpark. This prolonged homestand opener comes after the White Sox finished up a 10-day, three-city road trip.

"It's good to be home. I know the guys are definitely happy about that," said White Sox starting pitcher Derek Holland, who suffered the loss in Game 2 despite striking out eight and allowing one run over six innings. "This was a tough one today.

"We had two back-to-back games, and long games. They played hard. That's what it's all about. Those guys were battling out there."

With all due respect to Saturday's on-field action, the biggest White Sox moment of the day came before the first pitch when Luis Robert was introduced as the newest member of the organization. The 19-year-old Cuban outfielder and No. 1 international free agent received a $26 million signing bonus and spent the day mingling with some of his future teammates, not to mention throwing out a ceremonial first pitch and signing autographs.

White Sox pitchers struck out 29 over 18 innings, including eight combined from relievers Anthony Swarzak, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson to close out Game 1. They also walked 15, but in a strange twist, not one of those 15 walks scored for the Tigers.

Tyler Danish picked up career victory No. 1 in the opener and then was returned to Charlotte after the split. Approximately seven hours after Danish's first pitch, the White Sox put together a three-run ninth inning rally and had a chance to win or tie Game 2 in the ninth.

It ended on the last swing by Engel, completing an overall exciting day for the 25-year-old Cincinnati native. "I left like 14 tickets for family and friends," said Engel, whose first-hit baseball originally was thrown in the stands but then retrieved by the White Sox. "It was cool to play in front of them, and hear them shout from the stands. They picked the quiet times and made sure I could hear them. It was a pretty cool day."

White Sox rally comes up short vs. Tigers By Fabian Ardaya and Scott Merkin / MLB.com | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Buck Farmer set a career high with 11 over 6 1/3 innings, helping the Tigers gain a split in Saturday's doubleheader with a 4-3 victory over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox won the opener, 3-0, with Tyler Danish picking up his first career win in his first big league start.

"It's been a long time coming, I'll say that," said Farmer, who also earned his first career win. "I've waited the better parts of three different seasons for it, so it feels good to kind of get that weight off my shoulders."

Detroit held on in the ninth as the White Sox rallied for three runs off of Justin Wilson. But with Yolmer Sanchez on third after a two-run triple, Wilson fanned pinch-hitter Todd Frazier and Adam Engel to finish the split.

"We were able to, toward the end of the ballgame, put something together," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "But just fell short."

In the nightcap, Farmer fanned nine over the first four innings to give Detroit's slumbering offense a chance to awaken. John Hicks put the Tigers on the board with a solo to left off of White Sox starter Derek Holland in the fourth. That run held until the seventh, when the Tigers added two more. Victor Martinez homered to lead off the ninth and complete the scoring for Detroit.

Holland fanned eight over six innings, yielding just Hicks' homer on seven hits and four walks. White Sox pitchers walked 15 between the two games, but they also struck out 29, and none of those 15 walks scored. Engel, who scored in Game 1 as a pinch-runner, picked up his first Major League hit with a one-out single to left in the eighth.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED A moment too long: Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said between games in Saturday's doubleheader that his team's issue wasn't getting on base -- it was knocking in runs. The Tigers appeared poised to finally do so in the bottom of the second inning of Saturday's second game, as lined a single to right field with a pair of runners on. However, Victor Martinez -- stationed at second when Upton got the hit -- hesitated while rounding third, then ran past third base Dave Clark's stop sign. White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia threw him out at home to keep things scoreless.

Any way you can: The Tigers thrice had the bases loaded in a tight ballgame through the series' first three games, and failed to convert a single run out of it. They finally broke through in the seventh, as J.D. Martinez lofted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right that scored Andrew Romine. The Tigers added another run in the inning as Nicholas Castellanos scored on a wild strike-three pitch to Upton and extended the lead to 3-0.

QUOTABLE "It allows you to exhale a little bit." -- Engel, on scoring his first big league run and getting his first big league hit on the same day

"It's tough to be as crisp as [Farmer] was today. He was really good. He had all of it working. He dumped a few curveballs in for strikes early, sliders, the changeup was really good and the fastball, he commanded as well as I've ever seen him do." -- Hicks

WHAT'S NEXT Tigers: Jordan Zimmermann looks to overcome a rocky start to 2017 in Sunday's series finale, taking the mound for Detroit with a 4-3 record and a 5.86 ERA. It will be the fourth game in a span of around 48 hours for Detroit, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET.

White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez (3-5, 4.55 ERA) takes the mound for Sunday's 1:10 p.m. CT series finale, with a five-game losing streak coming with him. Gonzalez has yielded 22 earned runs over 28 1/3 innings for a 6.99 ERA in those past five starts

Danish, Sox blank Tigers for DH-opening win By Fabian Ardaya and Scott Merkin / MLB.com | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Tyler Danish might not have been quite as dominant as his mound counterpart, Michael Fulmer, but the rookie still pitched well enough to claim his first big league victory in a 3-0 White Sox win over the Tigers during Game 1 of a doubleheader Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

"That's great," Danish said. "I mean, you dream as a kid to pitch in the big leagues. To get my first win in my first career start was special. I'm glad my mom was here. I'm glad she got to enjoy that. It was a very special day, something I'll always remember."

Fulmer was completely in control through seven innings, needing just 67 pitches to get to the eighth. He was trailing, 1-0, at the time, when the White Sox added two more. Omar Narvaez singled, and pinch-runner Adam Engel, who joined the team Saturday morning from Triple-A Charlotte, scored easily from first on Leury Garcia's triple. After a walk to Melky Cabrera, Jose Abreu's broken-bat single fell in front of center fielder Tyler Collins' diving attempt for another run.

"I think I was just unlucky," Fulmer said. "There was a lot of soft contact today, a low pitch count early on. And then in the eighth inning, I think I gave up one hard-hit ball all day. I was happy with where I was at. "Maybe if I had just stuck with the sinker all game, it would have turned out a little better. I left a couple changeups that matched their bat speed, and they got their bat head on it and got on base. You just have to do what you can not to give up any runs at all."

Danish picked up his first big league decision, not to mention his first big league , in his first big league start. He allowed three hits and six walks over five innings and 104 pitches, but he struck out six. Chris Beck, Anthony Swarzak, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson completed the shutout, with Swarzak striking out the side in the seventh and Kahnle doing the same in the eighth.

White Sox pitchers struck out 15, but they also walked nine, and the Tigers still were unable to score. The Sox scored their first run in the fifth. Tim Anderson beat out a grounder to shortstop Jose Iglesias, Matt Davidson dropped a single to right and Narvaez reached on a bunt single. Anderson came home on Yolmer Sanchez's double-play grounder with the bases loaded.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Walk on the wild side: Danish threw 29 pitches in the first inning, walked three and allowed a leadoff single to Andrew Romine but still didn't yield a run. had a 3-1 count with runners on first and second and nobody out before grounding into a double play, slickly turned by Anderson and Sanchez. With the bases loaded two batters later, Nicholas Castellanos grounded out to second to end the threat.

"I definitely was nervous in the first inning. I was expecting it. I came in and tried to pitch as well as I could with that," said Danish, who got the baseball from his first career strikeout and the final out of the game. "But I did settle in after the first couple innings and just started breathing a little more. I felt comfortable, and the bullpen did a great job, the defense did a great job."

"He was throwing enough strikes that with the sinking action, he was able to get that ground ball in the first inning, the double play," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "Then most of the game, he was still staying down in the zone. He was missing, but just missing off on the fringes of the plate."

Don't let Victor win: The White Sox clearly had a strategy of pitching around Victor Martinez on Saturday, as the designated hitter walked three times. That third walk loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, leading to reliever Swarzak firing a 95-mph four-seam fastball past a swinging Justin Upton to end the threat.

"Right now, we're just not getting the big hit," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We've had men on base -- plenty of men on base -- but we're just not coming up with the big hit. At some point we will, and we'll break the ice and we'll be fine. Today, that obviously wasn't the case."

QUOTABLE "Of course people are frustrated. The players are frustrated when you don't win games, and they're frustrated when you don't get hits. It happens." – Ausmus "Like I said, very special day. Hopefully many more to come."-- Danish, on his first career win

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Tigers' nine walks were their most in a shutout since a 4-0 loss to Cleveland on June 19, 1977, and their second most ever. It's also just two off the Major League record of 11, which was last accomplished in 1970.

WHAT'S NEXT Tigers: Jordan Zimmermann looks to overcome a rocky start to 2017 in Sunday's series finale, taking the mound for Detroit with a 4-3 record and a 5.86 ERA. It will be the fourth game in a span of around 48 hours for Detroit, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez (3-5, 4.55 ERA) takes the mound for Sunday's 1:10 p.m. CT series finale, with a five-game losing streak coming with him. Gonzalez has yielded 22 earned runs over 28 1/3 innings for a 6.99 ERA in those past five starts.

Saladino to DL with back spasms; Engel up By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- The White Sox placed infielder Tyler Saladino on the 10-day disabled list with back spasms prior to Saturday's doubleheader vs. the Tigers, and outfielder Adam Engel was called up from Triple-A Charlotte.

Saladino exited Friday night's 8-2 victory over Detroit in the fourth with the back issue shortly after awkwardly throwing from behind second on a J.D. Martinez grounder. Hitting first base while trying to beat out an infield roller in the third really fired it up, per Saladino.

"I don't have a timetable," Saladino said. "At least 10 days. It's like sciatic nerve-related stuff. Kind of ruled the back out of it. Going to try to find a way to get it to calm down. "[The] past week's been really minor. Just the littlest bit. Still going out there and doing everything. Just yesterday when I hit the base, [it] fired up pretty good."

Engel, 25, is batting .221 with 10 doubles, eight home runs, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored and a .463 slugging percentage over 42 games this season with Charlotte. He has hit .284 (21-for-74) over his past 21 games with the Knights after making a change with his approach by lifting his hands up a bit.

News of Engel's first big league promotion came late last night. He called his wife and parents immediately, before getting on a flight from Charlotte to Chicago early Saturday morning.

"My wife was a little bit more like, 'Oh my gosh. I'm so happy for you,'" Engel said. "My parents couldn't believe it. I got the call last night and couldn't have been more ecstatic. It was a pretty cool experience."

Willy Garcia, Kevan Smith and Engel made up the White Sox bench for Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader with Detroit.

White Sox execs thrilled to add Robert By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams had an interesting reaction to Luis Robert when watching him take batting practice with general manager Rick Hahn during a recent workout in the Dominican Republic.

"First round of batting practice, I go 'Hmmmm,'" said a smiling Williams while recounting the story after Saturday morning's news conference at Guaranteed Rate Field to announce the signing of the free-agent Cuban outfielder to a Minor League contract with a $26 million signing bonus.

"I get a couple of different angles, then I walk back over to Rick, and I said, 'Listen, I'm struggling,'" Williams continued. "And I could see the look on Rick's face like, 'Oh, no. You don't like him.' I said, 'What I'm struggling with is, it's hard for me to recall in my mind a more sound, prettier right-handed swing. I'm wracking my brain here trying to come up with another name.'

"He's got a right-handed swing that you see more in left-handed hitters." That point of high praise stood as one of many for the 19-year-old, who will begin his White Sox tenure as part of the Dominican Summer League team. Williams did not put a 100-percent scouting grade on Robert, as he did previously with Cuban countryman Jose Abreu. But Williams quickly pointed out that grade shouldn't be misconstrued as him not having similar faith in Robert's talent.

"Not at all," Williams said. "I still think there's a high ... probability of him becoming all that we think he can become. But I just assume, let it happen and not put it out there for him.

"In terms of being able to break it down on video to the degree we were able to break down Abreu and the maturity Abreu had when he came out, was a little different. And they are different kinds of ballplayers." Marco Paddy, who has done wonders returning the White Sox to international-market prominence, has been following Robert since seeing him in an Under-15 international tournament in Mexico as a 14-year-old talent. When asked on Saturday to come up with a comparison for Robert, Paddy chose Vladimir Guerrero.

When asked how it felt to have both Yoan Moncada and Robert as part of organization, Paddy termed it "Christmas in May" for the White Sox.

"There's still a lot of work that needs to be done," Paddy said. "But it's a dream come true, to be honest with you, having those guys with that kind of ability together."

"Luis Robert is going to be the player that his tools allow him to become and his health and development pace dictates," Hahn said. "We do think he has the potential to be a perennial impact player in the middle of our diamond and lineup for years to come. That's an important piece to be able to add to the organization."

Moves have White Sox positioned for bright future Robert signing latest in series of deals that have transformed franchise By Phil Rogers / MLB.com | @philgrogers | May 27th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Luis Robert will probably never be further out of his comfort zone than when he took questions from English- speaking reporters on Saturday. He was sitting in a nicely appointed conference room at Guaranteed Rate Field, looking out at an audience that included White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and seemingly the team's entire front office, along with his agents.

But the 19-year-old Cuban center fielder was, to quote the late Stuart Scott, "as cool as the other side of the pillow."

There was a child-like wonder in Robert's eyes. But his chin, adorned with a closely trimmed goatee, was firmly set. Manager Rick Renteria had said earlier that Robert seemed a bit overwhelmed when they spoke in his office, but that wasn't the impression he made at the news conference announcing his deal, which included a $26 million bonus.

Robert was asked at one point what struck him about the White Sox sales pitch. He cited a statement spoken in Spanish by Renteria on a video produced by the team's communications staff. "The part that impressed me the most was when Rick Renteria was talking straight to me, saying [the White Sox] need me to win several championships," Robert said, through translator Billy Russo. Several championships?

That's the intent of Reinsdorf and his top two baseball men, Rick Hahn and Ken Williams. They concluded that would become more realistic if they were able to outbid the Cardinals and everyone else to sign Robert -- just as in 2013 they had identified another Cuban defector, Jose Abreu, as a signing that would change the arc of the franchise.

For the White Sox -- with a proud history of Cuban players that dates to Minnie Minoso's run of greatness in the 1950s and is highlighted by the contributions of Jose Contreras and Orlando Hernandez in the 2005 World Series -- these were essential signings.

Reinsdorf gave his blessing and Hahn, Williams and the team's top international scout, Marco Paddy, worked together to bring badly needed talent into the organization.

"I think it was very similar to [signing] Abreu," Hahn said of the process. "... We spent a fair amount of time internally trying to come up with what we felt was [our] limit -- and ultimately as we got closer and closer to that number, there was an increased level of anxiety about whether we were going to be able to get it done. As far as these things go, when there's that level of competition, it was relatively painless. But, at the same time, we all waited with bated breath."

Abreu, who at 26 was a known commodity when he received a six-year, $68 million deal, was seen as a must-have piece for a team trying to win behind the 1-2 punch of Chris Sale and Jose Quintana. It didn't take long for the White Sox to concede they lacked sufficient talent and organizational depth supporting Abreu, and the team pivoted into a rebuild mode that has been accelerated by the trades of Sale to the Red Sox and to the Nationals.

Beginning with a 2016 Draft headed by University of Miami power-hitting catcher Zack Collins, the White Sox have imported a ton of talent in a short time. Switch-hitting second baseman Yoan Moncada, acquired alongside power right- hander in the Sale trade, is ranked as the game's No. 1 prospect by MLBPipeline. He cost the Red Sox $62 million in bonus and tax, just as the tax for going beyond their signing limit is likely to turn Robert into a $48 million proposition for the White Sox.

While Robert is at least two years behind the 22-year-old Moncada in terms of development, the two Cubans should become core players for an upwardly mobile South Side team by 2020 -- if not the second half of '19. "It's about the talent," Hahn said. "Having potentially two high-ceiling players up the middle for an extended period of time [means] a great deal to us. Based on what we've done here over the last 12 months, we've started to accumulate middle- of-the-diamond talent that's going to be controllable -- [and] potentially very impactful -- for an extended period of time."

White Sox fans have welcomed the team's rebuilding mode after reaching the postseason only once in 11 seasons after winning the 2005 World Series. Hahn pointed out on Saturday that nine of the top 10 players on MLBPipeline's list of White Sox prospects have been acquired in the last year.

"We also know we have more work to do," said Hahn. "We have a big Draft coming up in a few weeks -- and hopefully at the [Trade] Deadline and again in the offseason, we hope to continue this process." While the Sox are hanging around in the standings, they will look to trade veterans like Quintana, David Robertson, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera, Miguel Gonzalez, Derek Holland and Anthony Swarzak in July. Their payroll that stood at $115 million at the start of the 2016 season slid to $98 million this season and figures to be much smaller in '18.

That's why the outlay for Robert -- more than twice what Reinsdorf and his ownership group paid for the team in 1981 -- came so easily. The White Sox are reallocating assets -- investing in young talent added for the long haul, not stop-gap veterans.

There should be massive payroll flexibility after the 2018 season, when Hahn, Williams and the White Sox front office will have its next chance to pull together a big free-agent signing.

There's no way to know if they will be surprise players in a market that could be headed by Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Andrew McCutchen, Andrew Miller and Zach Britton. But they'll certainly be on the short list of teams with money to spend.

When picked the Cubs over the chance to stay with the Cardinals, he cited the chance to win behind a nucleus of young players. Look for that to be part of the argument the next time the White Sox try to sign a player with the type of talent that caused them to covet Abreu and Robert. They couldn't have claimed that a year ago.

After getting shut down by Buck Farmer, White Sox ninth-inning rally falls short By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

The White Sox offense waited just a little too long to come to life in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

The bats were silent for eight innings before a jolt of a ninth-inning rally that saw the South Siders shave a 4-0 gap down to 4-3, only for back-to-back strikeouts to strand the would-be tying run 90 feet away and send the White Sox to a 4-3 loss at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Buck Farmer made his first big league start of the 2017 season for the visiting Detroit Tigers, and he kept the White Sox quiet, striking out 11 hitters in his 6.1 shutout innings of work. He allowed just three hits and two walks, preventing the White Sox from doing much of anything.

“Farmer certainly had a lot of action on his pitches,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said, “so it was tough to get anything started while he was in there.

“Farmer kept us from being able to string things together. His ball had a lot of action. He hid the ball well. … He was able to contain and continue to throw strikes and move the ball out of the zone.”

It wasn’t until the ninth that the White Sox were able to string some things together. Jose Abreu led off the final frame with a double and moved to third two batters later when Matt Davidson singled. Tim Anderson’s base hit up the middle brought home Abreu to end the shutout. Then Yolmer Sanchez tripled into the right-field corner to plate both Davidson and Anderson and make it a sudden one-run game.

But Todd Frazier and Adam Engel struck out, leaving Sanchez standing at third base.

White Sox starting pitcher Derek Holland had a solid outing, allowing just one run and striking out eight batters in six innings of work. He did allow seven hits and four walks, but he worked out of most jams, the only run coming on a solo home run off the bat of John Hicks in the fourth inning.

The Tigers’ offense did the rest of its damage against the White Sox bullpen, a change from Game 1 of the doubleheader, which saw the relief corps throw four scoreless innings in a 3-0 win. But in Game 2, Gregory Infante allowed two seventh- inning runs on a sacrifice fly and a Michael Ynoa wild pitch after Infante departed. Victor Martinez smacked a solo homer off Juan Minaya to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead in the top of the ninth.

It’s been a long couple days on the South Side. Friday’s scheduled day-night doubleheader turned into a lot of waiting around and just one game that didn’t get started until after a rain delay. Then came Saturday’s straight doubleheader, two games played one right after the other.

While Holland dismissed any fatigue for the White Sox — who before these long days at home came off a 10-game road trip — but whether related to fatigue or not, these two teams struck out a combined 47 times and stranded a combined 35 runners in Saturday’s two games.

That being said, the White Sox had enough left in them to come 90 feet away from erasing a four-run deficit in the ninth.

“Look how we battled into the ninth inning,” Holland said. “We were still going strong. Definitely no fatigue over here, that’s for sure.

“This was a tough one today. We had two back-to-back games and long games. They played hard. That’s what it’s all about. Those guys were battling out there.”

White Sox courting of Luis Robert Leads to ‘Christmas in May’ By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

When he learned last November that elite talent Luis Robert could be available by June 15, Marco Paddy didn’t hold back: It was time for the White Sox make their move.

Much like with Yoan Moncada before, the team’s international scouting director had an extensive history scouting Robert, who on Saturday signed with the White Sox after he received a $26 million signing bonus. After watching him for five years, Paddy believed in Robert enough to recommend the White Sox pay several severe penalties to sign a player the franchise thinks could be an everyday center fielder with power.

By signing Robert, 19, the White Sox must not only pay a luxury tax of almost equal value to the bonus, but they’re also unable to sign any international prospect for more than $300,000 in each of the next two classes. But given the limited competition and the unique talent he saw, Paddy let the White Sox know Robert -- the No. 26-ranked prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com -- was a player they couldn’t afford to bypass. Thus begun the team’s courtship, one the Cuban cited as having a major impact on his desire to sign with the White Sox. Now, the White Sox not only have Moncada after trading for him in December, but they also have another potential cornerstone to build around.

“From the beginning we were very serious about it,” Paddy said. “Knowing we weren’t going to have 29 other clubs competing against us was a good thing for us because we knew our competition pool was a lot smaller. We went in it with everything we had and if we missed out on some guys that’s fine, that’s the risk you take.

“It’s a dream come true to be honest with you, having those guys with that kind of ability together. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done. But I saw Moncada about the same age I saw Robert and it’s like Christmas in May.”

The pursuit of Robert -- a player general manager Rick Hahn describes as a “dynamic, potential talent” -- began in December at the winter meetings at National Harbor, Md. Having learned that Robert would potentially be a late addition to the 2016-17 international class, Paddy asked for a meeting with Hahn, executive vice president Kenny Williams and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Paddy and Hahn had previously held several similar state-of-the-international-picture meetings to determine when to make a splash on the market.

This one was different.

“Marco approached us and said, ‘This is the guy,’ ” Hahn said.

It was still a “what if” proposition because Robert not only had to establish residency, but he also had to receive clearance from Major League Baseball to be part of the 2016-17 class, a critical factor. Under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams could spend whatever they wanted on a player as long as they paid a luxury tax. But under the new CBA, teams are limited to a maximum of $5.25 million for bonuses.

While the White Sox felt Paddy’s familiarity with Robert would give them a chance if he wasn’t eligible until July 2 (the next class), they knew they’d compete against fewer teams for his services under the old rules. Hahn said back in March the White Sox intended to be a player either way. On Saturday, he said it was Paddy’s initial determination that spurred him into action.

“Marco personally was willing to suffer the penalties that it has on his world for the betterment of the organization,” Hahn said. “Marco’s evaluation and presence and willingness to sacrifice potential future signings for this reinforced the notion that this was the right move to make.”

Then everyone else got involved and the White Sox went overboard to recruit Robert.

If Saturday’s pregame presentation is any indication, the White Sox pulled out all the stops.

As Robert was introduced for his press conference, he sat in front of banners featuring current and former White Sox from Cuba, including Alexei Ramirez, Minnie Minoso, Jose Abreu and Moncada.

Once he was on the field to throw out the first pitch, the team played a short video on the scoreboard with numerous White Sox fans welcoming Robert to Chicago that had been filmed Friday night. As Robert trotted to the mound to throw his pitch to Abreu, team employees stood atop the home dugout with a sign that read “bienvenidos” and drawings of Cuban flags.

But the post-signing efforts were nothing compared to the team’s full-court press of Robert last month.

Hahn and Williams brought several showstoppers with them when they traveled to the Dominican Republic for a private workout with Robert last month. Included were a power point production and an iPad with a video presentation that the White Sox communications department put together in six days, Hahn said. Manager Rick Renteria narrated the short video in Spanish and it included personal messages for Robert from Abreu, Moncada and Michael Ynoa, who shares the same trainer (Edgar Mercedes) and worked out with Robert in the offseason.

“It was a beautiful video,” Robert said through an interpreter. “The part (that stood out) the most was when Ricky Renteria was talking straight to me, saying they need me here to win several championships.”

But more than the video, Robert said the desire displayed by the White Sox made his decision easy. Hahn said the White Sox felt confident heading into the final 24 hours that they were in the lead for Robert. Not only had they bid aggressively, Hahn thought the White Sox made a strong pitch. That feeling only increased last Saturday morning when Robert changed his Instagram avatar to a picture of him wearing a White Sox cap.

“The video helps a lot, but the thing that made me make a decision was who was the team that showed more interest,” Robert said. “That was something that made me feel good.”

Paddy had seen enough in five years to feel confident in pushing the White Sox to be a player for Robert.

He first scouted Robert at the under-15 Pan American Championships in 2012 in Chihuahua, Mexico. Paddy’s interest in the 6-foot-3, 175-pound center fielder only grew as Robert matured physically. Paddy suspected that once Hahn and Williams would be on board once they saw the passion with which Robert played.

Robert described himself on Saturday as player who likes to fight and “give all that I have for my team.” Paddy said it wasn’t a difficult call to push Hahn when he considered the player’s tools and makeup, as well as the last opportunity to spend big on an international talent.

“You put all those things together, it becomes easy,” Paddy said. “As I watched him over the years grow, get stronger and get better, it became evident to me that if we had an opportunity to sign this guy, it would be a good thing for the organization.

“The level of ability, the tools that I saw that he had, and the past and now present, it’s something you don’t see every day.”

Tyler Danish gets win in first big league start as White Sox beat Tigers in first game of doubleheader By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

Usually when a pitcher walks six batters in one game, it’s an outing to forget.

Not the case, though, for Tyler Danish, who will always want to remember what went down Saturday on the South Side.

After making three relief appearances last season, Danish made his first big league start in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the visiting Detroit Tigers. And despite issuing a sextet of free passes, he allowed a goose egg on the scoreboard, earning his first major league victory in the White Sox 3-0 win.

“That's great. I mean you dream as a kid to pitch in the big leagues,” Danish said. “To get my first win in my first career start was special. I'm glad my mom was here, I'm glad she got to enjoy that. It was a very special day, something I'll always remember.”

Danish got into some early trouble and looked like he might’ve been heading for the same type of sky-high ERA that he put up in his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it call up in 2016, when he turned in a 10.80 earned-run average in 1.2 innings. He walked three batters in the first inning Saturday, escaping thanks to a double play and a bases-loaded ground out to end the inning.

Twice more he had multiple runners on base, but he got out of those innings unscathed, too.

“He was throwing enough strikes that with the sinking action, he was able to get that ground ball in the first inning, the double play,” manager Rick Renteria said after the game. “Then most of the game he was still staying down in the zone. He was missing but just missing off on the fringes of the plate.

“I think he was very composed. The first couple of innings he was a little accelerated but he slowed down. In the end we wanted to make sure he was ready to go out and finish it.”

Despite the walks, Danish impressed. In addition to throwing five scoreless innings, he allowed just three hits and struck out seven Detroit hitters. Danish became the first White Sox pitcher to throw at least five scoreless frames and give up three or fewer hits in his first big league start in nearly a decade. The last guy to do it was Lance Broadway in September 2007.

“I definitely was nervous in the first inning. I was expecting it,” Danish said. “I came in and tried to pitch as well as I could with that. But I did settle in after the first couple innings and just started breathing a little more. I felt comfortable and the bullpen did a great job, the defense did a great job.

“I think a little bit of nerves. Obviously you don't want six (walks) every game, but I thought I made good pitches when I needed to. Now, go and enjoy this thing and tomorrow we'll be back again.”

Even though offense was hard to come by, the White Sox hitters managed three runs against an otherwise dominant Michael Fulmer. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year yielded just six hits through his first seven innings of work, the lone run in that span scoring on a bases-loaded double play in the fifth.

The White Sox got to Fulmer slightly more in the eighth with runs scoring on a Leury Garcia triple and a Jose Abreu broken-bat bloop single. Fulmer still finished with fewer than 100 pitches thrown in his eight innings, recording every out for Detroit.

The White Sox bullpen was perhaps the most impressive unit of the game. Chris Beck, Anthony Swarzak, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson threw four scoreless innings and struck out nine hitters, including eight straight at one point.

How White Sox tradition of Cuban players helped them land Luis Robert By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

Before Luis Robert donned a White Sox jersey, before he signed his name on his new contract, before he even entered the room where he was to be introduced as one of the brightest stars in the White Sox rebuild, there were those who came before him.

Quite literally, Robert, the 19-year-old Cuban outfielder, was surrounded by his fellow countrymen who have worn the White Sox uniform prior. There was, of course, the legendary Minnie Minoso, former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, current All-Star first baseman Jose Abreu and current top prospect Yoan Moncada, banners of all four players to the sides of the table where Robert sat with general manager Rick Hahn.

Saturday was the latest step in the White Sox rebuild, the team adding Robert to their list of big-time prospects that has fans drooling over lineups and pitching staffs a few years down the road.

But Saturday was also the latest step in a franchise tradition of bringing in Cuban players, a tradition that seemed to have helped the White Sox land Robert.

"The White Sox tradition for Cuban players was something that motivated me to sign with this team," Robert said through a translator during Saturday's introductory press conference. "It's something that made me feel comfortable.

"I feel proud because those players were examples for us in Cuba. For me now to be here wearing the same uniform as them is a huge honor for me."

Comfort seemed to be the biggest factor in Robert's decision to sign with the White Sox over other bidders. Hahn explained Saturday that the team had been scouting Robert since he was just 14 years old, and when asked what the most decisive factor was in this process, Robert said the White Sox showed the most interest.

But there was something to continuing the team's Cuban tradition. Hahn said that Robert's talent certainly meant more than simply his nation of origin, but he said that the franchise's tradition helped with its pitch to Robert, a pitch that included a video with personalized messages from Abreu and Moncada.

"It was certainly part of our identity that we presented to him to help inform him about where we were and the level of success that we’ve had with similar type players," Hahn said. "We certainly felt that having a comfortable and welcoming environment for similar type players was going to help him reach as close as he can to his ceiling. Not saying he couldn’t reach it elsewhere with different environments, but we certainly felt we had a good nurturing developmental environment for a player with his background."

Part of that environment is Abreu, who was guiding Robert around Guaranteed Rate Field before Saturday's introduction, talking with him in the dugout and on the field.

Hahn said that Abreu relishes a mentoring role and that players like Abreu and Moncada have taken the initiative to welcome Robert into the organization.

"A lot of it comes from the players themselves. We don't need to hand them a phone and make them Facetime with each other. They've already been a little proactive on their own, and I suspect that will continue over the coming years," Hahn said. "Jose, as I'm sure he'll tell you directly, takes a great deal of pride in playing that mentor type role in the organization. He's certainly done it with Yoan ever since we acquired him and has already begun doing it moving forward with Luis. And I suspect Moncada will follow suit as well.

"So it perpetuates itself, it's something we can facilitate with our coaches, any of our culturalization people as the process unfolds. Obviously we have a strong history in this regard and have had some success doing it."

Whether Robert will have a career more similar to Minoso, Ramirez, Abreu, Moncada or even the heretofore unmentioned Dayan Viciedo remains to be seen. But one advantage he does have in his development is an organization with a tradition and environment to help him succeed.

No wonder he felt comfortable.

Nerve issuses send Tyler Saladino to DL, White Sox bring up outfielder Adam Engel By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

The White Sox will be without infielder Tyler Saladino for at least 10 days.

Saladino was placed on the 10-day disabled list ahead of Saturday's doubleheader with what the team called back spasms, though Saladino explained it's a nerve issue that will keep him on the shelf.

Saladino left Friday night's game, and he said he was experiencing soreness Saturday.

"It’s like a sciatic nerve related stuff. Kind of ruled the back out of it," Saladino said. "Going to try to find a way to get it to calm down."

Saladino said he's been dealing with minor issues over the past week but that it really flared up when he stepped on first base Friday night.

He explained that this is the first time he's ever dealt with a nerve issue like this and that he doesn't have much of an idea what to expect.

“Brand new. Nerve thing, never had anything like it before. It’s all brand new," Saladino said. "Just going to kind of take it, start with some treatment, see how it goes. Have no idea what’s going on.

“This right here kind of made me play a little bit cautious. You don’t really think about it when you’re out there playing. You’ve got enough adrenaline to take over. But feeling a little bit of a nerve thing kind of sat me back. It’s just in the back of your head. You don’t really know what’s going on. You feel a little bit of stuff that’s going on that’s brand new, doesn’t feel right."

In a corresponding roster move, the White Sox brought outfielder Adam Engel up from Triple-A Charlotte.

Engel had a slow start to the season in his first handful of games, but he's been swinging a pretty hot bat of late. In his last 30 games, he's hitting .286 with a .370 on-base percentage and eight home runs.

"Just made an adjustment with my hands, just kind of picked them up a little bit," Engel said about what changed. "I have been kind of getting them behind me, kind of putting me in a tough position to hit. I just picked them up and I feel like I’m in a better position."

White Sox manager Rick Renteria had plenty of praise for the newest addition to his roster.

“Tremendously gifted outfielder, runs real well. Was starting to put together a pretty good run at the Triple-A level. Hit his seventh or eight home run last night," Renteria said before Saturday's first game. "Has been playing very well, continues to develop. You’ll probably see him here soon in the outfield, get a game. Talking to (bench coach Joe McEwing) and the staff, we’ve talked about trying to get guys in as quickly as possible so they get their feet underneath them. He’s been doing very, very well. He’s a very gifted outfielder with potentially the ability to hold his own at the plate.”

Luis Robert will start journey through White Sox Oranization in Dominican Summer League By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | May 27, 2017

Luis Robert is officially a member of the White Sox organization.

Introduced with much fanfare during a Saturday press conference, Robert strolled out to the pitcher's mound at Gauranteed Rate Field for a ceremonial first pitch wearing a White Sox hat and jersey prior to the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.

But amid the hype and the excitement for White Sox fans, patience will be required. Robert is still a ways away from the big leagues, with general manager Rick Hahn saying Saturday that the 19-year-old Cuban outfielder will begin his journey through the organization in the Dominican Republic with the White Sox team in the Dominican Summer League.

Hahn made a point of mentioning that Robert hasn't played in a baseball game since last summer, meaning it's been nearly a year since the White Sox newest highly touted prospect has taken the field.

“It should be noted he has not played in a game since last July. He’s been preparing for workouts over the last several months. So right now, from Chicago, he’s going to return to the Dominican and begin his development there," Hahn said. "He will prepare to join our Dominican Summer League team in the coming weeks and then we will get all the visas in place and take things from there. His initial assignment will be back to the Dominican as he prepares to work his way through the White Sox organization.

"We’re going to have to be patient with this because he hasn’t played in almost a year now. He has been training now quite frankly more to be a workout warrior than an everyday baseball player. We’re gonna take our time at our complex, get him back playing games regularly and then get him out there. But the fact that he hasn’t played in competition for 11 months now is going to be a factor in how quickly we move him along in '17."

Scouting reports that have compared Robert to the likes of and Lorenzo Cain, plus the gaudy numbers he posted in the Cuban National Series including a .401 batting average in 53 games during the 2016 season, have generated plenty of buzz. Robert is already one of the White Sox top prospects and one of the higher-rated prospects in baseball on his first day as a pro.

But as Hahn mentioned Saturday, there's still plenty of development for Robert before he's ready for the majors.

"There’s still a fair amount of development for this player," Hahn said. "This will take some time here. But with his raw set of materials and what he’s accomplished in international competition and at the highest league in Cuba at a young age, helps reinforce how you project this player to develop."

Even before Robert's signing, it was obvious Hahn and the White Sox were playing the long game, with top prospects like Yoan Moncada, , Reynaldo Lopez and Michael Kopech allowed plenty of time before their eventual summons to the big leagues. Robert, again just 19 years old, will take some time, too. But the White Sox are confident it will all pay off.

"Luis Robert is going to be the player that his tools allow him to become and his health and development pace dictates," Hahn said. "We do think he has the potential to be a perennial impact player in the middle of our diamond and lineup for years to come. That’s an important piece to be able to add to the organization."

Luis Robert a big addition to White Sox's rebuilding project Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune | May 27, 2017

It wasn't a bad week to be master of the White Sox rebuild.

General manager Rick Hahn started it off last Saturday when 19-year-old Cuban prospect Luis Robert agreed to a $26 million deal to become a centerpiece of the growing core.

By Friday, Lucas Giolito threw a seven-inning no-hitter at Triple-A Charlotte, while top prospect Yoan Moncada returned from the disabled list.

Flamethrower Michael Kopech had a 2.66 ERA at Double-A Birmingham and was tied for the Southern League lead in strikeouts, while Charlotte's Carson Fulmer and Reynaldo Lopez were tied for the International League lead in victories.

Even Carlos Rodon was talking again after a self-imposed silence on his extended rehab.

The only real buzzkill for Hahn was his major-league team, which entered the weekend having lost three straight and 13 of 18 since May 5.

"There are a lot of positive things going on," Hahn said Friday before the Sox ended their skid. "Obviously in a year in which you're rebuilding and the team is coming off a three-game sweep (at Arizona), it's probably a little unusual to say there's a lot of good things going on.

"But we do feel some positive momentum from what we were able to accomplish last offseason and last year's draft, and we're gearing up for this draft and are buoyed by some of the performances we have been having, like Giolito (Thursday) night. Hopefully there are some other positives to come in the coming days."

White Sox GM Rick Hahn on prospect Luis Robert White Sox GM Rick Hahn talks about pursuing prospect Luis Robert. (Paul Skrbina/Chicago Tribune) Hahn knew the next day would bring the official signing of Robert (pronounced "RAH-ber"), capping off a week that might be considered a turning point in the rebuild — though only if it works.

Robert, who will start in the Dominican Summer League sometime next month, seemed to be handling his new-found celebrity well, though manager Rick Renteria said it was probably "overwhelming" for any 19-year-old, much less one expected to be an instant star.

Sox Chairman Jerry Reindsorf gave Robert some good advice when they spoke on the field: "Don't spend all your money in one place."

Let's face it. This is about as excited as Sox fans have been in years. It's one thing to buy into the concept of a rebuild and another to watch the results happen in real time.

Hahn admitted Saturday he was anxious after making the bid on Robert but felt much better when Robert posted a photo of himself wearing a Sox cap on his Instagram account.

Who knew Hahn was on Instagram?

"I have Instagram people," he cracked. "I have Snapchat people."

So he knew Robert was in the fold?

"That helped reinforce it was coming together," he said. "We were pretty confident the decision was going to be a good one. Then there was the whole debate over whether it was his real account. My 14-year-old (Jacob) told me it was the real account."

Hahn's sons, Jacob and Charlie, also approved of the virtual-reality video the Sox made for Robert, which Hahn called "next level" for the organization. Robert was able to don some VR goggles, see himself in the Sox clubhouse and on the field during live action and hear public-address announcer Gene Honda announce his name.

Sox manager of digital video Matt Dahl and his crew taught Hahn how to use the goggles, which Hahn admitted he "screwed up" and "had to start the whole thing over."

Hahn also had a video made that included a cartoon of Robert in a Sox uniform with a Chicago flag behind him and a Cuban flag on his chest.

"They showed it to me and said 'Hey, we want to make this the lock-screen,'" Hahn said. "I'm not really in position to know if this is cool for a 19-year-old or not. It's not so cool to me. But I actually texted it to my boys and they said 'Yeah, that's cool.'"

I asked Hahn how much his sons were getting paid to be advisers on what's cool.

"Yeah, they should be on the payroll," he said.

Turns out being master of the Sox rebuild isn't really a one-man job after all.

White Sox split doubleheader with Tigers but Tyler Danish earns 1st big-league victory Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune | May 27, 2017

At first, the makeup of the makeup didn't look pretty for the White Sox.

Tyler Danish walked six in five innings of his first major-league start Saturday during Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Tigers, a game that was rained out twice, most recently Friday.

But the 22-year-old made up for those walks by allowing no runs and just three hits while striking out six in those five innings to earn his first major-league victory, and the White Sox's second in a row, 3-0.

"Obviously you don't want six (walks) every game, but I thought I made good pitches when I needed to," said Danish, who was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after the second game to reduce the Sox roster back to 25.

Game 2 didn't go quite as well for the Sox, who fell 4-3 despite a season-high eight strikeouts from Derek Holland and a three-run comeback in the ninth.

That's mostly because Buck Farmer's arm proved stronger. In his first start of 2017, Farmer sent 11 White Sox to the bench via the strikeout. John Hicks hit a home run in the fourth to break a 0-0 tie. The Tigers scored twice more in the seventh before Victor Martinez homered in the ninth to make if 4-0.

"I'm more upset with the walks," Holland said of the four he issued. "You give away the free pass, you're not letting your defense make the plays."

White Sox pitchers walked a combined 15 in the two games Saturday, but none scored.

Danish's starting debut —he had three relief appearances with the Sox last season — was equal parts frustrating and exciting during his effectively wild afternoon on the mound.

He allowed a single and a walk to begin the game before Miguel Cabrera grounded into a double play.

"I definitely was nervous in the first inning," Danish said. "I was expecting it. I came in and tried to pitch as well as I could with that. But I did settle in after the first couple of innings and just started breathing a little more. I felt comfortable and the bullpen did a great job, the defense did a great job."

Danish said his mother made it to the game, and said he has the lineup card and the ball from the his first strikeout and another from the last out of the game.

Saladino to DL: Second baseman Tyler Saladino was put on the 10-day disabled list with back spasms. Saladino said he suffered the injury Friday when his foot hit first base the wrong way. The team called up center fielder Adam Engel to take his roster spot. Engel scored a run in the first game, which he entered as a pinch-runner, and made his first big-league start in Game 2 and collected his first hit, a single to left, in the eighth inning.

White Sox officially welcome aboard Cuban phenom Luis Robert Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune | May 27, 2017

The White Sox put their money where their mouth wasn't.

General manager Rick Hahn had been mum about Luis Robert during the weeks leading up to Saturday, when the team signed the 19-year-old Cuban prospect to a contract that comes with a price tag of more than $50 million.

The outfielder will receive a $26 million signing bonus and the team will pay close to the same amount to Major League Baseball for overage taxes. He will be under Sox control for the foreseeable future.

The latest piece of the team's rebuilding plan was in the building Saturday morning at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Robert (pronounced "Robber") took a quick tour of the clubhouse, which included a stop at Jose Abreu's locker, and the two chatted in the dugout before Abreu caught a ceremonial first pitch from Robert ahead of the team's doubleheader against the Tigers.

Even with the high price, the timing of the deal makes a lot of sense to the Sox brass, including Hahn, who hadn't mentioned Robert's name publicly until this weekend.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the 2017-18 signing period, which begins July 2, most teams will have a bonus pool of $4.75 million to spend on international free agents who are younger than 25 and have played in a professional league fewer than six seasons.

Hahn said given the state of the franchise and its desire to pile up on prospects, spending money on higher-priced free agents isn't prudent.

"Being able to acquire a premium talent at the cost of — (Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf) should plug his ears — only money made the most sense for the organization," Hahn said.

Robert instantly became the seventh prospect in the Sox system that MLB.com ranks among the top 100, including second baseman Cuban Yoan Moncada, who is ranked No. 1 overall, and pitcher Michael Kopech, second in the Sox system and 12th overall. Robert checked in at No. 3 in the Sox system and 26th in baseball.

The White Sox acquired the first six prospects in December in trades of Chris Sale to the Red Sox and Adam Eaton to the Nationals.

Robert is 6-foot-3 and projects to be a center fielder. He played for Cuba's Serie Nacional Ciego de Avila team from 2013- 16. He batted .401 with 12 home runs, 40 RBIs and a 1.213 OPS in 53 games for the team last year.

Robert, who hasn't played in a game since July, will report to the Sox's team in the Dominican Summer League sometime next month to begin his development.

Eighteen Cuban-born players have appeared in the majors with the White Sox, including Abreu, who hadn't met Robert until this weekend.

Robert said the franchise's history with Cuban-born players, including Minnie Minoso, along with the fact the Sox began scouting him when he was 14 , played a role in his decision to sign with the team.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn on prospect Luis Robert White Sox GM Rick Hahn talks about pursuing prospect Luis Robert. (Paul Skrbina/Chicago Tribune) Robert also earned a nod of approval from Reinsdorf for his response to a question about how he was going to handle his new-found wealth.

"I already have my friends; I don't need more," Robert said. "As for what can I buy first: a house for my family, a house for my uncle and a house for me."

"That's a good answer," Reinsdorf whispered to someone nearby.

Marco Paddy, the White Sox's director of international scouting, said he first saw Robert play when he was 15. He immediately thought of former Expos outfielder Vladimir Guerrero.

But Paddy said it's unfair to compare Robert to anyone and called him an "advanced 19-year-old."

Paddy, however, did not disguise his enthusiasm at the thought of Moncada and Robert someday playing together for the White Sox.

"It's a dream come true, having those guys with that kind of ability together," he said. "There's still a lot of work that needs to be done, but I saw Moncada about the same age I saw Robert, and it's like Christmas in May."

A Christmas for which the Sox didn't mind spending a little extra dough.

White Sox comeback falls short in 4-3 loss to Tigers in Game 2 of doubleheader Paul Skrbina / Chicago Tribune | May 27, 2017

The White Sox scored three times in the ninth, including two on a triple by Yolmer Sanchez, but they fell short against the Tigers 4-3 in Game 2 of a doubleheader.

The Sox had just four hits going into the ninth. They struck out 14 times, including 11 against Tigers starter Buck Farmer.

Catcher John Hicks hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. The Tigers scored twice more in the seventh and again in the eighth.

Adam Engel, who made his big-league debut as a pinch-runner in Game 1, collected his first hit, a single to left field in the eighth inning, in Game 2.

The White Sox fell to 22-26, while the Tigers moved to 23-26.

On the mound

Derek Holland struck out a season-high eight for the White Sox and allowed a run, seven hits and four walks in six innings.

The number

29 — Strikeouts by White Sox pitchers during two games Saturday.

Up next vs. Tigers, 1:10 p.m. Sunday, WGN-9. RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-3, 5.86) vs. RH Miguel Gonzalez (3-5, 4.55).

White Sox find reasons to stay positive while Cubs start resembling selves David Haugh / Chicago Tribune | May 27, 2017

Scooting through the White Sox clubhouse Friday like a human hoverboard, Rick Renteria oozed with positive energy the manager of a fourth-place team going nowhere fast in its division normally doesn't possess.

The Sox, returning home after a 3-7 trip, have lost three starting pitchers and three relievers to injuries — not to mention lefty ace Jose Quintana has yet to look right for extended stretches. So why is this man so happy?

"The most important thing for us to do is to keep our dobbers up," Renteria said in the Sox dugout.

Coming soon to Guaranteed Rate Field: Dobber Day — the first 10,000 fans who go through the gates with a wide grin get a bobblehead of Renteria smiling. Renteria's smile identifies him at 35th and Shields easier than his No. 17 jersey.

While the Cubs have sweated every detail involved in defending their World Series championship through the first quarter of the season, the Sox concerned themselves most with staying upbeat. Such are the expectations for Chicago baseball in 2017, the reality in a year the city's teams entered with diametrically opposite goals that established a different set of standards.

The Cubs live in a World Series-or-bust world, where roster and lineup minutiae become magnified daily — like the woes of the 1 percent — while the Sox operate freer of pressure, knowing minor-league progress matters more than major- league success.

By that measure, as the Memorial Day weekend traditionally represents baseball's first real evaluation, the Sox arguably have met more organizational goals so far than the Cubs. The Cubs remain a lock to win their division and, despite their overly dissected flaws, figure to play deep into October for the third straight year but the good vibes have favored the Sox because of the development throughout the system of exciting prospects such as Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech.

That could change by the All-Star break. Heck, that could change by the time you're done reading this. The Cubs have shown signs of resembling their 2016 selves. Meanwhile, the Sox kept their momentum going Saturday when the introduced 19-year-old Cuban phenom Luis Robert, the equivalent of a top-five draft pick.

Over what should be an enjoyable few months, the arrows point up on both sides of town (except for that dreaded logo) — and the Cubs and Sox both have summer to-do lists.

Cubs

Solve the fifth starter issue: Eddie Butler looked better in a five-inning outing Thursday. Brett Anderson recently went to Arizona to rehabilitate a back injury, and that's a good place for him to stay. Mike Montgomery always could fill that role, but then who is the bullpen left-hander? The solution lies in the Cubs' ability to land a starter from another team. Think big, considering scenarios for top targets like the A's Sonny Gray and the Rays' Chris Archer (a former Cubs prospect traded to the Rays in a deal for ) — both of whom likely would cost a young player off the major-league roster. Chances are, the Cubs shrewdly will acquire a veteran for the cost of a minor leaguer. Please don't suggest 1-6 Giants pitcher as that veteran.

Settle on a leadoff hitter: Only 's stubbornness will give .181-hitting Kyle Schwarber another shot at the top of the order. Ben Zobrist makes the most sense now but it's a long season. Ian Happ could enter the equation. Maybe whoever plays center field will emerge. Did you know Jason Heyward has led off 128 games in his career, with a slash line of .273/.353/.417?

Shore up defense: No excuse for a Cubs team with so many good fielders to lead the National League in errors with 36 after 46 games. If starting pitching has been the biggest source of inconsistency and disappointment through the first quarter, shaky defense rates a close second. That's mental.

Stay humble, hungry: Chemistry played a huge role in 2016, with camaraderie keeping the focus on the only goal that matters. So far, the Cubs have complained about sleep deprivation because of their schedule and answered questions over whom they miss more in the clubhouse: Dexter Fowler or ? Nothing ever stays the same and, gradually, this Cubs team will develop its own identity forged by being the team every team wants to beat.

White Sox

Keep dealing: If Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson remain in a Sox uniform past the All-Star break, general manager Rick Hahn will have some explaining to do. Starters Derek Holland and James Shields should be candidates to be flipped. Hahn missed on selling high on Quintana but he still should be committed to selling the Sox's most marketable commodity in a year devoted to accumulating prospects. It's all about acquiring enough talent to allow for the occasional misses that will occur in projecting prospects.

Stay patient, positive: It will take discipline for Hahn to keep Moncada, for instance, at Triple-A beyond the All-Star break but no hurry exists. Same goes for pitchers Kopech, Reynaldo Lopez, and Lucas Giolito — who just threw a no-hitter. Let Carson Fulmer be the first to leave Charlotte. Renteria's relentless optimism will come in handy as the losses in Chicago mount but, regardless of record, the rebuilding effort in the minors must stay the course.

Get Carlos Rodon going: The mystery surrounding Rodon's injury and recovery created one of the few sources of skepticism. The 24-year-old left-hander, drafted third overall in 2014, always has been considered a cornerstone of the Sox's future — but he must get healthy. Seeing Rodon return to the rotation would ease a lot of anxiety.

Focus on style, not standings: Keep playing hard and refusing to quit for a manager whose infectious enthusiasm won't let them, regardless of the deficit or record. Avisail Garcia must continue hitting like a guy emerging as an American League Comeback Player of the Year contender. Shortstop Tim Anderson needs to show growth by reducing mistakes in the field and at the plate. Let the bullpen arms keep coming. Give infielder Yolmer Sanchez a chance to make management reconsider his role in the rebuild. Make the Sox Way something worthy of more than a snicker.

Tyler Danish impresses in his first major-league start David Just / Chicago Sun Times | May 27, 2017

Tyler Danish knows he can’t always pitch the way he did Saturday and come away with a win. In his first major-league start, though, he’ll gladly take some good fortune.

Danish walked six batters in five innings but allowed no runs and only three hits in a 3-0 victory against the Tigers in the first game of a straight doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox lost the nightcap 4-3.

Danish was wild but made good pitches when he needed to. He struck out six and pitched himself out of more than one jam.

“You dream as a kid to pitch in the big leagues,” Danish said. “To get my first win in my first career start was special.

Chicago White Sox's starting pitcher Tyler Danish delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, May 27, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) ORG XMIT: CXS107 ‘‘I’m glad my mom was here. I’m glad she got to enjoy that. It was a very special day, something I’ll always remember.”

Danish gave up a single to Andrew Romine and walked Alex Avila to open the game. He got a badly needed double play to ease the pressure but then walked Victor Martinez and Justin Upton to load the bases. Nicholas Castellanos grounded out to end the threat.

Danish struck out the side in the second after allowing a double and a walk.

“He worked through a little bit of traffic and got out of it,” manager Rick Renteria said.

“He put up five innings of zeros and kept himself in the ballgame, did a nice job.”

The Sox’ bullpen did a nice job, too, with four scoreless innings, one hit allowed and nine strikeouts to seal the victory.

Saladino lands on DL

Infielder Tyler Saladino went on the 10-day disabled list with back spasms and sciatic nerve pain.

Saladino left the game Friday after stepping on first while trying to leg out a single in the third inning.

“When I hit the base, it fired up pretty good,” Saladino said. “Brand-new nerve thing, never had anything like it before.”

In a corresponding move, the Sox recalled Adam Engel from Class AAA Charlotte.

Engel made his big-league debut as a pinch runner in the eighth inning of Game 1. He made his first start in the nightcap, batting ninth and playing center field. Engel singled to go 1-for-4.

“It’s a little surreal,” Engel said. “I got the call last night at like 1:30, 2 o’clock.

‘‘I was a little out of it, but I called my wife right away, called my parents. It’s been a really awesome experience.”

Everything you need to know about Luis Robert David Just / Chicago Sun Times | May 27, 2017

Name: Luis Robert (pronounced ”Roh-bér”) Moiran.

Age: 19.

Position: OF.

Height: 6-2.

Weight: 210.

Bats: Right.

Throws: Right. Birthplace: Guantanamo, Cuba.

Residence: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Twitter: @Lmoiran.

Instagram: luisrobertm56.

How did the White Sox acquire Robert?

The Sox have been scouting Robert since he was 14 and used a broad array of digital resources, their tradition of Cuban players and cold-hard cash to land him. The club sent Robert two iPads with a video, PowerPoint deck and virtual-reality tour of the facilities to help win him over. Included in the package was the history of the team and its Cuban-born players with direct messages from Jose Abreu and prospect Yoan Moncada. The Sox also paid a hefty $26 million signing bonus to seal the deal. They’ll pay a similar amount in taxes.

Where does Robert fit in the Sox’ farm system?

Robert was one of the best available international prospects and immediately moved to No. 26 in MLB.com’s top-100 prospects list after his signing. The Sox now have seven of the top 100 prospects. Robert is behind Yoan Moncada (1) and Michael Kopech (12) and ahead of Lucas Giolito (31), Reynaldo Lopez (40), Carson Fulmer (64) and Zack Collins (73). The Sox boast the third-best farm system, according to MLB.com, and nine of the club’s 10 best prospects have been signed in the last 12 months.

What kind of player is Robert?

According to general manager Rick Hahn, Robert has plus power, plus speed and all five tools. He projects as a middle-of the-lineup hitter whose defense is strong enough to play center field. Including the postseason, Robert hit .315 with 28 doubles, six triples, 20 home runs and 92 RBI in 210 career games with Ciego de Avila of the Cuban national league. He is a two-time Cuban league champion.

Which players is he most similar to?

Hahn said he has heard comparisons to Hall of Famers, first overall draft picks, perennial MVP candidates and active All- Stars such as Adam Jones and Lorenzo Cain. “I personally prefer to stay away from individual player comps,” Hahn said. “I think it’s unfair to that player. Luis Robert is going to be the player that his tools allow him to become and his health and development pace dictate. We do think he has the potential to be a perennial impact player in the middle of our diamond and lineup for years to come. That’s an important piece to be able to add to the organization.”

What’s next for Robert?

He hasn’t played in a game since July 2016, so his development will be slow and steady. He’s headed back to the Dominican Republic to begin his development with the Sox’ Dominican Summer League team.

Sox prospect Luis Robert makes his ‘debut’ at Guaranteed Rate Field David Just / Chicago Sun Times | May 27, 2017

Luis Robert strolled into the White Sox’ clubhouse Saturday, toured the field and facilities, then signed a minor-league contract that included a $26 million bonus.

And so marked the end of a five-year pursuit of the coveted Cuban prospect, the latest — and perhaps greatest — piece of the Sox’ rebuilding effort to date.

Robert is 19 and newly rich and famous, but few knew how to even pronounce his name.

“In Cuba, people call me more like ‘Roh-bér,’ ” Robert said. “Outside people [pronounce the last letter]. But in Cuba, it’s ‘Roh-bér.’ ”

Even manager Rick Renteria didn’t seem sure what the correct pronunciation was before the doubleheader, but he astutely pointed out that it wouldn’t matter.

“If they call his name out in the big leagues,” Renteria said, “he’s not really going to care how people pronounce his name.”

Robert, who said he prefers the Cuban pronunciation of “Roh-bér,” is a 6-2, 210-pound outfielder whom general manager Rick Hahn projects to be a middle-of-the-order, middle-of-the-field player. He bats and throws right-handed and hit .401 with 12 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 53 games last year with Ciego de Avila in the Cuban national league.

Sox director of international scouting Marco Paddy first discovered Robert just before the teenager’s 15th birthday. He said Robert’s body, athleticism and skill were impressive to him at the time and have only improved with age.

The Sox put together a full suite of digital resources to attract Robert during what was a competitive process around the league.

Robert and his family received two iPads from the Sox with a video, PowerPoint deck and virtual-reality tour of the club’s facilities. The video included Sox history and messages directly to Robert from fellow Cubans Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu, among others. Renteria served as the video’s narrator.

The virtual-reality tour, which ran roughly two minutes, featured the clubhouse, the field and batting practice and included public-address announcer Gene Honda announcing’s Robert’s name.

“The virtual-reality thing was nothing we had ever done before,” Hahn said. “We’ve done PowerPoint presentations to other free agents who may not be familiar with the organization. But this was certainly next level for us.”

A reminder of the tradition of Cuban players coming to the Sox was on display during the introductory news conference. Hahn and Robert were flanked on both sides by large posters of Minnie Minoso, Alexei Ramirez, Abreu and Moncada.

Hahn said Abreu takes a great deal of pride in playing a mentor role on the team, and it was Abreu who led Robert out onto the field for the first time.

“The White Sox’ tradition for Cuban players was something that motivated me to sign with this team,” said Robert, who added that the Sox also scouted him the most. “It’s something that made me feel comfortable.”

Hahn said the Sox were prepared to be aggressive with their $26 million offer to Robert and will end up paying a similar amount in taxes.

“Being able to acquire a premium talent at the cost of — Jerry [Reinsdorf] should cover his ears — only money,” Hahn said, “made the most sense for the organization.”

Robert hasn’t played a game in 11 months and will return to the Dominican Republic to begin his development. He’ll join the Sox’ Dominican Summer League team in the coming weeks, Hahn said.

The Sox plan to be patient with Robert’s development and have put no timetable on his arrival to the majors.

Chicago White Sox's Danish starts, gets first win Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | May 27, 2017

Tyler Danish expected to have some early jitters Saturday, and he did.

Making his first major-league start in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field, Danish needed 29 pitches to get through the first inning.

"I definitely was nervous in the first inning," he said. "I was expecting it. I came in and tried to pitch as well as I could with that. But I did settle in after the first couple innings and just started breathing a little more."

With the help of some strong defense from second baseman Yolmer Sanchez and shortstop Tim Anderson, Danish worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and wound up getting his first major-league win.

"He worked through a little bit of traffic and got out of it," manager Rick Renteria said after the White Sox beat Detroit 3-0 in Game 1.

In picking up his first major-league win, Danish went 5 innings and allowed 3 hits. The 23-year-old righty also had 6 walks and 6 strikeouts while throwing 104 pitches.

"Obviously, you don't want 6 (walks) every game, but I thought I made good pitches when I needed to," Danish said.

Even if he gets sent back down to Class AAA Charlotte, Danish is going to remember his first start for the Sox.

"You dream as a kid to pitch in the big leagues," he said. "To get my first win in my first career start was special. I'm glad my mom was here; I'm glad she got to enjoy that. It was a very special day, something I'll always remember."

Sox fall in Game 2:

Behind starting pitcher Buck Farmer, the Tigers bounced back in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader, hanging on to beat the Sox 4-3.

Farmer allowed 3 hits over 6⅓ innings while striking out 11.

"I thought their guy and our guy (White Sox starter Derek Holland) threw pretty well," manager Rick Renteria said. "(Farmer) had a lot of action on his pitches. It was tough to get anything started."

Holland pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 7 hits. The Sox rallied for 3 runs in the ninth inning, the final 2 scoring on Yolmer Sanchez's one-out triple. Pinch hitter Todd Frazier and Adam Engel struck out to end the game.

"We continue to fight and gave them a nice little finish at the end," Renteria said. "Came up a little short."

Saladino to DL:

After leaving Friday's game with back spasms, infielder Tyler Saladino landed on the 10-day disabled list with what officially was ruled as back spasms.

"I don't have a timetable," Saladino said. "At least 10 days. It's like a sciatic nerve related thing. Kind of ruled the back out of it. Going to try to find a way to get it to calm down."

Engel joins Sox:

Outfielder Adam Engel came up from Class AAA Charlotte to take Tyler Saladino's roster spot.

Engel pinch ran late in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, and he made his first major-league start in Game 2. Playing left field, Engel was 1-for-4.

He got his first hit in the eighth inning, a single to left field.

At Charlotte, the 25-year-old outfielder was batting .221 with 8 home runs and 17 RBI in 42 games. Engel made an adjustment and hit .284 in his last 21 games with the Knights.

"Just made an adjustment with my hands, kind of picked them up a little bit," he said. "I have been kind of getting them behind me, kind of putting me in a tough position to hit. I just picked them up and I feel like I'm in a better position.

Rave reviews for Giolito and his no-hitter By Jason Benetti / Daily Herald | May 27, 2017

This off-season for Lucas Giolito, "Netflix and chill" wasn't so chill.

"I was hanging out at home, watching some TV with one of my best buddies, Max Fried," Giolito recalled. "He was on his phone, and he's like, 'Hey man, you should probably check Twitter, I think something happened.' "

The pitcher who had grown up surrounded by actors was traded during an episode of "This is Us."

Among other family screen credits, his dad, Rick, was in "Who's the Boss?" and his mom. Lindsay, had a role on "Lost."

Giolito's uncle Mark Frost is one of the co-creators of the 1990s cult sensation "Twin Peaks," which rebooted last Sunday. In his first start after the new series debut, nephew Lucas spun his own memorable yarn: a no-hitter in Triple-A in a seven- inning game with Charlotte.

"It was special," Giolito said. "It was great to have my first professional no-hitter under my belt and take that and work from there."

It wasn't "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" but the seventh inning was something of a cliffhanger. Giolito went to 3-0 on the first three batters of the final inning.

The opponent was the Syracuse Chiefs, a team he pitched for seven times last season. The Sox got Giolito in an off- season deal that sent Adam Eaton to Washington. In 2016, before he went to Triple-A, Giolito came to Washington from Double-A Harrisburg to make his major-league debut June 28, only to run into 55 minutes of meteorological difficulties.

"It was raining, the game was delayed, I was sitting in my locker for like an hour, ready to go, kind of anxious, kind of nervous," he remembered. "It's like an out-of-body thing, warming up in the pen, a lot of fans standing up and cheering for you.

"It was a super-crazy experience until I got the ball back from the third baseman after my warmup pitches, stepped on the mound and threw my first pitch. After the first pitch, it felt like any other game."

If that was all he did in the big leagues last season, you might have called it a darn fine cup of coffee. Giolito threw 4 innings of shutout ball. He made 3 other starts and 2 relief appearances and finished the season with a 6.75 ERA. That led Giolito to set out at spring training with a goal of more similarity from outing to outing.

"I want to be a consistent starting pitcher and go out and give the team a chance to win every time," Giolito told me in March in Arizona. "To do that at the big-league level, it takes a strong work ethic, it takes being able to repeat your delivery well, being able to slow the game down when it starts to speed up. So, I'm basically trying to put all those things together."

Giolito is currently the eighth-rated prospect in baseball and the second-best prospect in the White Sox's farm system, according to MLB.com. His first 6 starts in Triple-A Charlotte, though, left him with an ERA of 7.31. He thinks Thursday's performance was something of a turning point.

"It was kind of that click I was looking for with everything, feeling confidence on the mound, commanding my pitches much better and just getting through the lineup a few times and feeling good about it," he said.

Lucas Giolito, it seems, is back to his critically acclaimed form.

After years of pursuit, Chicago White Sox sign Luis Robert Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | May 27, 2017

Marco Paddy got on board the Luis Robert train in 2012, when the Cuban outfielder was a mere 14 years old and just leaving the station.

"His body, his athleticism and his ability to play the game was at that time very impressive," said Paddy, the Chicago White Sox's director of international operations. "As I watched him grow over the years, get stronger and get better, it became evident to me that if we had an opportunity to sign this guy, it would be a good thing for the organization."

Here are some facts about the newest acquistion of the White Sox, Luis Robert:

Age: 19

Size: 6-foot-2, 210-pounds

Bats/throws: R/R

Position: outfield

Last team: Four years with Ciego de Ávila, which plays in Cuba's top-level league.

Stats with Ciego de Ávila:

• Batted .315 (206-655)

• 28 doubles, 6 triples, 20 HR

• Had 92 RBI, 156 runs scored

• 29 stolen bases, 82 walks

• On-base average: .402

• Slugging average: .467

2016 stats: .401 with 12 doubles, 2 triples, 12 home runs, 40 RBI, 51 runs scored and 11 steals over 53 games.

Source: White Sox

Based largely on Paddy's five years of scouting and glowing recommendations, the White Sox officially signed the 19- year-old Robert to a minor-league contract on Saturday.

Robert gets a $26 million signing bonus, and the Sox also have to pay a near equal amount in international overage taxes.

They believe the investment will pay off for a player Paddy compared to Vladimir Guerrero, who just missed being voted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot earlier this year.

"I personally prefer to stay away from individual player comps," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "I think it's unfair to that player. Luis Robert is going to be the player that his tools allow him to become and his health and development pace dictates.

"We do think he has the potential to be a perennial impact player in the middle of our diamond and lineup for years to come. That's an important piece to be able to add to the organization."

The Sox and St. Louis Cardinals were believed to be the two finalists to land Robert. The White Sox have a successful history with Cuban players -- beginning with Minnie Minoso and running through current first baseman Jose Abreu and top prospect Yoan Moncada.

When Hahn, Paddy and vice president Kenny Williams went to the Dominican Republic to watch Robert work out in early May, they also brought a video narrated by Rick Renteria -- major-league baseball's lone Latino manager -- featuring sales pitches from Abreu and Moncada.

Robert was impressed with the White Sox's recruitment.

"The White Sox tradition for Cuban players was something that motivated me to sign with this team," Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo. "It's something that made me feel comfortable. The video helps a lot but the thing that made me make a decision was who was the team that showed more interest? That was something that made me feel good."

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Robert has the looks of a corner outfielder, but the Sox feel he has the speed and athletic ability to play center.

Since he hasn't played in a competitive game since last July, with Ciego de Avila in the Cuban Serie Nacional, Robert is not going to start his professional career with low Class A Kannapolis or high A Winston-Salem.

"He's been preparing for workouts over the last several months," Hahn said. "So right now, from Chicago, he's going to return to the Dominican and begin his development there. He will prepare to join our Dominican Summer League team in the coming weeks and then we will get all the visas in place and take things from there. His initial assignment will be back to the Dominican as he prepares to work his way through the White Sox organization."

According to MLB Pipeline, Robert instantly becomes the No. 26 best prospect in baseball.

Williams was very impressed with the young outfielder when he saw him work out in the Dominican.

"First round of batting practice, I go, 'Hmmm,'" Williams said. "I get a couple of different angles and then I walk back over to Rick. I said, 'Listen I'm struggling.' And I could see the look on Rick's face like, 'Oh, no. You don't like him.' I said, 'What I'm struggling with is it's hard for me to recall in my mind a more sound, prettier right-handed swing.'

"I'm racking my brain here trying to come up with another name. He's got a right-handed swing that you see more in left- handed hitters."

In 210 career games with Ciego de Avila, Robert batted .315 with 28 doubles, 6 triples, 20 home runs, 92 RBI, 29 stolen bases, a .402 on-base percentage and .467 slugging percentage.

"I'm one of those baseball players that likes to play the game," Robert said. "I like to play the game hard and I like to win. On the field, I like to fight. I like to give all that I have for my team."

Why The White Sox Landed Luis Robert Bruce Levine / CBS Chicago | May 27, 2017

Chicago (CBS) — Here are some of the biggest reasons why outfielder Luis Robert is the newest Chicago White Sox prospect.

General manager Rick Hahn, executive vice president Kenny Williams and international scouting director Marco Paddy told their boss the 19-year-old was worth it. The White Sox introduced Robert at a press conference Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“My people said he was that good,” chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said after the press conference in passing. “That was good enough for me.”

Yes, indeed. Robert was good enough that they paid him a $26 million signing bonus and the MLB another $26 million in penalty tax just like that.

The scouting started with Paddy having watched Robert play since he was 14. The rest was the present-day scouting that Williams and Hahn did watching him play in person at group and individual team invitations.

Robert hasn’t played in almost 11 months. Therefore, the White Sox will send him back to the Dominican Republic to play in the summer league. The front office is in no hurry to rush the Cuban defector to the United States.

“That is exactly where we are at right now,” Hahn said of not moving Robert to the minor leagues yet. “I know there is a lot of excitement with this signing. We are just going to have to be patient. The reason is he has not played for almost a year now. Frankly, he has been training to be a workout warrior rather than an everyday baseball player.”

The White Sox refuse to compare Robert to any player, past or present. They do believe they have a good player coming to a stadium near you soon.

“I have seen him compared to a talent that is projected as the first pick in the country (in the amateur draft in June),” Hahn said. “I have seen him compared to major leaguers Adam Jones and Lorenzo Cain in certain publications. I prefer to stay away from individual player comps. I think that is unfair to that player. Luis Robert will become the player his tools allow him to become, as his health and development dictate.”

For now, the White Sox fan base will have to be happy with seeing him throw a 90-mph first pitch before Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Tigers.

“We feel he has the ability to become a perennial middle of the order hitter for years to come,” Hahn said. “That is an important piece to add to the organization.”

Robert was asked what he will do with his new-found riches first, which brought a cringe from Reinsdorf. As it turns out, he gave a selfless answer that made the people around him proud.

“I will buy my family a house,” Robert replied. “I will buy my uncle, who has helped so much, a house. After that, I will buy one for me. I will keep my friends close and protect myself that way.”

The deal got done because of the trust between agents Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro and Reinsdorf. The two agents had done the six-year $68-million contract for first baseman Jose Abreu before the 2014 season. The bidding was in the blind, but Reinsdorf knew he would be given a straight answer. Those conversations would include any question without bidding it up beyond the real market value that was formulated.

Robert will be paid the $26 million over four years, according to sources. Most of the payment will be paid in the first installment now. MLB will collect the entire $26 million tariff at once from the White Sox.

The agents did present Reinsdorf with two boxes of the finest Cuban cigars in the world. Estimated cost of each box? Well, it felt like $26 million each.