WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF JULY 27, 2017 “Rays get lefty Jennings from White Sox” … Oliver Macklin, MLB.com “Yoan gone: Moncada hits homer No. 1” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “White Sox send Avisail to DL for thumb strain” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Moncada, Hanson HRs not enough vs. Cubs” … Carrie Muskat & Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “The White Sox celebrated Yoan Moncada's first career home run by giving the silent treatment” … Jessica Kleinschmidt, MLB.com “Trades, callups intersecting for White Sox” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Pelfrey, Lester square off in Crosstown finale” … Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “Unheralded Sox trio making most of opportunity” … Phil Rogers, MLB.com “Yoan Moncada predicts home run is 'first one of many that are coming'” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Turning rebuild lemons into World Series lemonade, Cubs can provide hope, if not a template, for rebuilding White Sox” … Vinnie Duber, CSN Chicago “On night when James Shields gets knocked around by Cubs, future White Sox starters shine” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “In midst of breakout season, Avisail Garcia sent to DL with right thumb strain” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox trade reliever Dan Jennings to Rays for minor-leaguer Casey Gillaspie” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Hawk Harrelson says John Lackey is ‘full of (expletive)’”… Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox to place Avisail Garcia on disabled list” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox trade lefty Dan Jennings to Rays for prospect” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Reynaldo Lopez forcing his way into White Sox’ rotation” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox to put Avisail Garcia on disabled list” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Moncada hits first major-league homer in latest Chicago White Sox loss” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Thumb injury lands Chicago White Sox all-star Garcia on DL” … … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “MLB trade news: Rays acquire LHP Dan Jennings for prospect” … Thomas Lott, Sporting News Rays get lefty Jennings from White Sox Chicago acquires first-base prospect Gillaspie in return By Oliver Macklin / MLB.com | July 27, 2017

CHICAGO -- The Rays acquired left-handed reliever Dan Jennings from the Chicago White Sox for switch-hitting first baseman Casey Gillaspie on Thursday.

Jennings was 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings for the White Sox this season. The 30-year-old helps bolster the bullpen for Tampa Bay, which sits one game behind Kansas City for an American League Wild Card spot and 2 1/2 games back of Boston for the AL East Division lead entering play on Thursday.

A six-year veteran who began his career with the Marlins, Jennings has a 2.86 ERA in 261 1/3 innings over the course of his career. He should provide the Rays with a solid left-handed relief option in a right-handed-heavy bullpen.

The White Sox continue to stock up on prospects in acquiring Gillaspie, who was drafted in the first round in 2014 by Tampa Bay. The 24-year-old is hitting .227 with nine home runs and 44 RBIs in 95 games for Triple-A Durham this year. A 6-foot-4, 240-pound switch-hitter, Gillaspie brings plus power potential at the dish while playing solid defense at first base. He was ranked the Rays' No. 10 prospect by MLBPipeline.com.

Gillaspie will be placed on the Triple-A Charlotte disabled list with a fractured right great toe he sustained on Tuesday at Buffalo when he fouled a ball off the foot. He is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.

Yoan gone: Moncada hits homer No. 1 Top prospect's solo shot off Arrieta projected at 417 feet By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | July 26, 2017

CHICAGO -- During Yoan Moncada's first week with the White Sox, the No. 1 prospect in baseball per MLBPipeline.com, has picked up his first walk, first triple and first RBI.

A first home run can be added as of Wednesday night, with the second baseman going deep against Jake Arrieta in the seventh inning of an 8-3 loss to the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field. Moncada connected on a 0-2 curve from the Cubs' right-hander, who had yielded one run on one hit until that point.

Moncada's drive to center carried 417 feet per Statcast™, with an exit velocity of 104.8 mph. He became the first White Sox player to hit his first career homer off of a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher since Josh Phegley against David Price on July 5, 2013.

"It means a lot because it was the first one of many that are coming," Moncada said through interpreter Billy Russo. "And I'm happy."

"That was his first career home run?" Arrieta said. "It was an 0-2 curveball. It was a good breaking ball but not in an 0-2 count when a guy is in swing mode, and he put a good swing on it. He had a pretty balanced swing." Moncada has three hits in 23 at-bats since joining the White Sox. But those numbers don't tell the whole story. There's a confidence and poise Moncada carries with him on everything he's doing. And even with eight strikeouts against four walks, Moncada has been able to work deep counts and track the ball at the plate.

"I'm going to say this. I think that there were -- and I'll probably get in trouble for this -- but there were a couple calls that he took, a couple pitches that he took for third strikes that were probably not strikes," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "And he took them.

"They weren't situations in which he would like to expand the zone a little bit, so he didn't. He comes back into the dugout, and if it's a situation where I say to him, 'Hey, you've got to expand it a little bit.' But that's not the case."

White Sox teammates gave Moncada the silent treatment when he returned to the dugout following the home run. They then quickly celebrated the blast.

Michael Kopech, baseball's top pitching prospect per MLBPipeline.com and No. 3 overall for the White Sox, tweeted out congratulations for Moncada and Rafael Devers, Boston's top prospect who hit his first MLB homer Wednesday in Seattle. Kopech, who struck out 12 over six innings in a victory for Double-A Birmingham on Wednesday, played with both last year in the Red Sox farm system.

Moncada received the baseball and said it will go in a special crystal case for his kids to know it was very meaningful for him.

"You can tell that guy has a lot of potential," Arrieta said. "He's pretty balanced in the box." "It has been a nice week for me," Moncada said. "The results are going to come step by step. I'm just trying to enjoy the moment and try to take advantage of the experience and the opportunity to play here. I'm just happy I'm having this opportunity here."

White Sox send Avisail to DL for thumb strain All-Star outfielder hoping for minimum 10-day stint By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | July 26th, 2017

CHICAGO -- Avisail Garcia will be placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a ligament strain in his right thumb.

The injury was revealed through an MRI on Wednesday after the All-Star right fielder came to the team with continued discomfort in that area.

"I've been [feeling it] in games every time, but I wasn't paying attention to it because that's something that happens," said Garcia, wearing a splint on the thumb and talking from the White Sox dugout. "Now I have inflammation. Hopefully it's for 10 days. It's not too serious. Let's see what happens."

"It's just a matter of letting the thumb heal and getting him back out there," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "He's been fighting through this for a little while now, and it got aggravated at some point over the last day or so."

Garcia, 26, has a .303 batting average with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs during this breakout campaign. But he finished 0- for-5 in Tuesday's 7-2 loss to the Cubs and has gone 3-for-24 without an extra-base hit or RBI over his last six games.

That inflammation, located at the base of his right thumb, was hampering Garcia when gripping and swinging the bat.

"I feel a big difference," Garcia said. "That's why I decided to go to the doctor today because I couldn't swing the same way that I have to swing.

"You could see yesterday, 0-for-5. I've been swinging too much with my shoulders. Trying to force it. I don't have to force it. If something's wrong, I have to stop because I want to help my team. I don't want this to happen. But it happened. That's baseball. So I've just got to take care of this and be back and ready."

There's no concern Garcia will need surgery. But with the inflammation in the thumb and the inflammation remaining in his right middle finger that cost him three games from July 6-8, Garcia knew it was time for a rest. In other White Sox injury news, outfielder Leury Garcia began a rehab assignment, for a sprained finger on his left hand, Wednesday with the Arizona Rookie League team. Garcia has been working out in Arizona after going on the disabled list June 19.

Outfielder Luis Robert, the No. 26 overall prospect per MLBPipeline.com, has been participating fully in pregame work after injuring his left knee meniscus at the start of July. It's a matter of another few days before Robert returns to his first game since July 4 with the Dominican Summer League team.

Moncada, Hanson HRs not enough vs. Cubs By Carrie Muskat and Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | July 26, 2017

CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta has thrown two no-hitters, both on the road. Ten miles from Wrigley Field, he flirted with another, but settled for first place in the National League Central.

Anthony Rizzo (3-for-4) drove in four runs and Addison Russell added a solo homer, while Arrieta gave up two hits, including Yoan Moncada's first MLB home run, to lift the Cubs to an 8-3 Interleague victory Wednesday night over the crosstown-rival White Sox.

The Cubs now are 10-2 since the All-Star break, a season-high six games over .500, and have a half-game lead over the Brewers, who lost to the Nationals on Wednesday. The Cubs were 5 1/2 games behind the Brewers at the All-Star break.

"First place? Nice," Rizzo said. "We've got a long ways to go."

Arrieta faced the minimum over the first four innings and may have gotten out of sync when he had to wait while the Cubs sent nine batters to the plate in the four-run fifth. Two batters into the White Sox half of the inning, Omar Narvaez doubled to right-center for the first hit off the right-hander.

The White Sox's only other hit off Arrieta was Moncada's homer to straightaway center with two outs in the seventh. Arrieta then exited with his third straight quality start. Cubs starting pitchers now are 9-0 in the second half.

"I still feel like I haven't pitched my best yet," Arrieta said. "I'm in a really good spot, and I still feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger as every start passes by, and that's a good feeling." More >>

Before the game, Cubs manager Joe Maddon reminisced about White Sox starter James Shields. They were together for seven seasons with Tampa Bay, but it's been a rough season for Shields, who was charged with five runs (three earned) over four-plus innings.

"I felt good on my changeup," Shields said. "Things are starting to feel a little bit better on the mound. The results aren't there right now, unfortunately, but things are starting to feel better."

The Cubs have a 2-1 lead in the home-and-road intracity series, which wraps up Thursday night. The White Sox, now a season-high 20-games under .500, have lost 11 of their last 12.

"At this point in the season, where we're at, we need to win as many games as we can," Arrieta said. "Tonight was a really nice team victory for us."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

One batter too long: After the Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth on a Victor Caratini single, a Jason Heyward walk and a fielder's choice on Yolmer Sanchez's error, White Sox manager Rick Renteria went out to chat with Shields. Even with a pair of relievers warming, Renteria left Shields in to face Rizzo, who ripped a 3-1 fastball over the head of center fielder Adam Engel for a bases-clearing double. The ball had an exit velocity of 111.2 mph, according to Statcast™, and knocked Shields out of the game.

"I think the only mistake I had that inning was the Rizzo, going behind in the count with a 3-1 count and bases loaded," Shields said. "I can't give too much. The ball was actually on the black, the one he hit to center field. I felt pretty good in the beginning [of the start], but it just kind of fell apart at the end."

Big fly No. 1: Moncada, the No. 1 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, the White Sox got from the Red Sox, gave the South Side fans something to cheer about in the seventh when he connected on his first home run. With two outs, he launched an 0-2 curveball from Arrieta 417 feet to straightaway center. It was Moncada's seventh big league hit and third with the White Sox. It marked the first home run Arrieta had surrendered on an 0-2 pitch since 2011.

"It means a lot because it was the first one of many that are coming, and I'm happy," Moncada said through interpreter Billy Russo. "I have the ball. I'm going to put it in a special place in my house. I'm going to put it in a crystal box, for my kids to know that it was special for me."

"He had a pretty balanced swing," Arrieta said of Moncada. "You can tell that guy has a lot of potential."

QUOTABLE

"It's always a good feeling to wake up that way. I'll get to the coffee shop in the morning [on Thursday], I'll have the headset on, write the lineup, read the New York newspapers and get ready for my day." -- Maddon, on being in first place

"There's no lamenting or anything. This is the situation we're in, and I think the guys want the ball every time I give it to them and they want to do a good job. We're going to try to keep it respectable as much as we can, and in some cases win some ballgames." -- Renteria, on his team's recent slide

GLOVE WORK

Cubs left fielder Jon Jay robbed Melky Cabrera of a possible extra-base hit in the first when he snared a fly ball on the run in the gap in left-center. Statcast™ rated it a three-star catch, and that there was a 65 percent catch probability. Jay had to run 66 feet to get the ball.

Cabrera returned the favor in the second when he grabbed Jay's fly ball in the left-center gap to end the inning. Cabrera had to run 72 feet, but Statcast™ gave it an 81 percent catch probability.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE DINGER

White Sox right fielder Alen Hanson led off the eighth by taking Mike Montgomery deep, knocking a 349-foot homer just over Heyward's glove in right field to trim the Cubs' lead to 7-3. With an exit velocity of 94.7 mph and a launch angle of 40 degrees, according to Statcast™, the ball had a hit probability of 6 percent and is a home run just 3 percent of the time.

"That fly to right field that became a home run, we were kind of incredulous that happened," Maddon said.

WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: Jon Lester will close the crosstown series on Thursday. The lefty is coming off a stellar outing in which he struck out 10 over eight innings, holding the Cardinals to two runs on three hits. He's 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA in nine career starts at Guaranteed Rate Field.

White Sox: Mike Pelfrey (3-7, 4.46 ERA) will get the start for the White Sox against the Cubs at 7:10 p.m. CT in the Crosstown Cup series finale. He went five innings -- his longest start in nearly a month -- and allowed a run on two hits against Kansas City on July 22, his last outing

The White Sox celebrated Yoan Moncada's first career home run by giving the silent treatment By Jessica Kleinschmidt / MLB.com | July 26, 2017

The baseball world has been patiently waiting for Yoan Moncada to hit his first Major League career home run. Well, there is no longer any anticipation, because the 22-year-old accomplished that feat on Wednesday night.

MLB.com's No.1 overall prospect slammed a solo home run against the Cubs in front of the home crowd, and in rookie form, the rest of the team gave him the silent treatment.

As he rounded the bases and ran back into the dugout, none of his teammates were there to greet him with any type of celebration -- not a hug, not a handshake, nothing. Not a big deal right? It's just your first Major League home run.

Don't worry, Moncada made do by high-fiving … the air.

It's all in good fun however. Welcome to the show, rookie.

Trades, callups intersecting for White Sox Deals help clear path for Moncada, other top prospects By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | @scottmerkin | July 26th, 2017

CHICAGO -- The White Sox have traded five players from their Major League roster since the All-Star break.

Gone are staff ace Jose Quintana, closer David Robertson, third baseman Todd Frazier, hard-throwing right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle and fellow late-innings force Anthony Swarzak, who officially was moved to Milwaukee on Wednesday for Minor League outfielder Ryan Cordell. The so-called major deals seem to have been accomplished, but general manager Rick Hahn remains open for business.

"We are," Hahn said. "[The non-waiver Trade] Deadline is Monday. We're still having conversations on a couple of different fronts, and something may well materialize here between now and Monday."

These deals operate under a couple of different purposes in regard to the White Sox rebuild.

Hahn has been acquiring a plethora of prospects to build up the critical mass of young talent in pursuit of a sustained run at World Series championships. But moving the veterans also opens spots on the 25-man roster for the prospects who are ready for the highest challenge.

Frazier going to the Yankees as part of a seven-player deal paved the way for top overall prospect Yoan Moncada to move from Triple-A Charlotte to the everyday White Sox second baseman. If the White Sox are able to move Miguel Gonzalez or Derek Holland from their rotation, then Reynaldo Lopez, the No. 59 prospect overall per MLBPipeline.com, would be in line for a promotion from Charlotte.

Even without a trade, Lopez has checked off all the boxes on what he needed to accomplish with the Knights. He has fanned 49 over his last 36 2/3 innings covering six starts, after striking out 10 in five innings Wednesday against Columbus. Lopez also has walked eight in that stretch and yielded eight earned runs.

"Getting close. He's forcing the issue," Hahn said of Lopez, who started for Charlotte on Wednesday. "He's had several starts in a row that have been very impressive. Lucas Giolito, as well, has been impressive in his recent starts, and at some point here they're likely going to force our hand to get them here to Chicago and give them the opportunity to show what they can do at the big league level."

Beyond the numbers, Hahn pointed to more consistency from Giolito and Lopez. Giolito reverted back to delivery aspects in place prior to the '16 season while improving his fastball command. Lopez, after a very good spring, had a solid case to break camp with the team. He has found a good routine of pitching every fifth day for Charlotte.

"Over the last few months, he's been commanding all his pitches, being very aggressive within the zone," Hahn said. "He's showing that he's getting close to needing to be here to show what he can do against big league hitters."

\Cordell, 25, checked in at No. 18 among the White Sox Top 30 prospects. He has power, speed and versatility in the field, although he is currently on the disabled list with a back strain and might not see action until closer to instructional league play in September. The injury won't be a long-term factor, as he adds to the system's growing depth. " It has absolutely been a goal from the start," Hahn said. "Not just a matter of getting as much potential impact talent as we can, but trying to set up layer upon layer of that talent. We are trying to get to the point when inevitably some of these guys don't develop the way everyone has projected them to develop or an injury occurs that we have other options."

Pelfrey, Lester square off in Crosstown finale By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | July 27, 2017

Even as the Cubs basked in the glow of their first World Series championship in 108 years, their Chicago rivals still held something over them last season -- the Crosstown Cup, which the White Sox have held since 2014.

The White Sox and Cubs close out the 2017 series on Thursday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Cubs took a 2-1 series lead on Wednesday, after splitting two games at Wrigley Field. If the two sides split, the South Siders will again retain bragging rights over the defending World Series champions.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria -- a former Cubs skipper -- will send right-hander Mike Pelfrey (3-7, 4.46 ERA) against Cubs left-hander Jon Lester (7-6, 3.95) in the series finale.

Lester, a four-time All-Star, is coming off an emotional start against St. Louis on Saturday that he dedicated to his late uncle. With the letters "PLACT" -- signifying the Notre Dame rallying cry of "Play Like A Champion Today" -- written on his cap, Lester went eight innings and allowed two runs on three hits. It was his second consecutive quality start after allowing 10 runs (four earned) in two-thirds of an inning against Pittsburgh in his last start before the All-Star break.

Pelfrey pitched well Saturday in Kansas City, allowing a run on two hits over five innings. It was his longest outing since June 30. The veteran right-hander has had issues turning over a lineup multiple times this season, allowing a 1.329 OPS when batters are facing him for the third time in a game.

Three things to know about this game

• Lester's fastball might be as good now as it has been all season. During his last outing, he induced a season-high 11 swings and misses on his four-seam and cut fastballs, according to Statcast. The last time Lester had that many swings and misses on his fastball was June 12, 2016.

• This will be Pelfrey's first taste of the Crosstown Cup, but he has made three career starts against the Cubs, going 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Lester is 6-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 career starts against the White Sox. He allowed five runs (four earned) in seven innings against them in their last meeting, the 2015 Crosstown Cup.

• The White Sox will be without the services of their lone 2017 All-Star, Avisail Garcia, as he is expected to be placed on the 10-day disabled list with a ligament strain in his right thumb. He is expected to miss a couple of weeks, according to general manager Rick Hahn. Garcia said he injured the thumb about a week ago but continued to play through it until he noticed it was altering his swing.

"I've been swinging too much with my shoulders," Garcia said. "Trying to force it. I don't have to force it. If something's wrong, I have to stop because I want to help my team. I don't want this to happen. But it happened. That's baseball."

Unheralded Sox trio making most of opportunity Davidson, Engel, Hanson look to prove they're part of Chicago's future By Phil Rogers / MLB.com | @philgrogers | July 26th, 2017

CHICAGO -- They aren't candidates for the cover of MLB Pipeline, at least not lately.

That's OK with Matt Davidson, Adam Engel, Alen Hanson and the rest of the advance guard of the White Sox rebuilding program.

They're happy where they are -- getting a chance to show they can be long-haul pieces on a winning team on the South Side.

Engel's homer into the left-field seats at Wrigley Field was the biggest blow in the White Sox 3-1 victory over the Cubs on Monday. All three were in the lineup for Wednesday night's edition of the Crosstown Cup at Guaranteed Rate Field, and general manager Rick Hahn was watching closely.

"I love the idea of us potentially down the road having to make difficult choices between a guy who has performed very well at the big league level and a top-tier prospect who is forcing the issue," Hahn said. "That's a good problem to have."

Davidson, Engel, Hanson and other 20-somethings to be added later this season may never get a better chance to establish themselves.

They have to make the most of the next season or two before Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Jake Burger and other prospects are deemed ready to join the recently promoted Yoan Moncada in the everyday lineup.

"These kids know," hitting coach Todd Steverson said. "They're not stupid. They [want] to be able to grasp the opportunity that they're being given because, hey, let's face it, at-bats in the big leagues ain't handed out everywhere.

Hanson, 24, was stuck behind Jordy Mercer, Josh Harrison and all the decorated outfielders in Pittsburgh before being claimed on waivers by the White Sox in June. He jumped at a chance to join a team that is embracing youth.

"I think I have a better opportunity here," Hanson said through White Sox interpreter Billy Russo. "This is a team that's in rebuild mode. There's an opportunity for young players here, and I think it's just a matter of me performing and taking advantage of the opportunities."

No newcomer to the White Sox roster is making more of this season than the late-blooming Davidson. He was 22 when he reached the Major Leagues with the D-backs in 2013, but was traded to the Sox the following winter. He had stalled in Triple-A before something clicked last season, and he now finds himself as a middle-of-the-order bat alongside Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia.

Davidson is a natural third baseman but served mostly as a designated hitter until Todd Frazier was traded to the Yankees last week. He has hit 19 home runs -- second to Aaron Judge among American League rookies -- and Steverson expects his batting average to climb over .250 as he plays more in the field.

"You've got to tip your hat and say hey, he's putting his best foot forward in the big leagues," Steverson said. "He's doing the best he can, and he's had to DH most of the year. … It's a lot to deal with on the mental side." Engel, 25, is one of 78 University of Louisville baseball players drafted since 2007. He used his speed and hard-nosed style to help the Cardinals reach the College World Series his junior year but wasn't drafted until the 19th round.

He has been playing regularly in center field since Leury Garcia went on the disabled list June 19 and has held his own, which shouldn't be a huge surprise since he turned an invitation to the Arizona Fall League into an MVP fall season.

"I call him a working man's player," Steverson said. "He's not conventional in terms of the look of what he does. He knows that and we know that. But he's got a lot of 'want to, get it done in any means possible,' and I'm OK with that."

Engel is enjoying his first taste of Chicago's crosstown series, especially giving the Wrigley Field bleacher fans a chance to return his home run ball to the playing field. His solo homer broke a 1-1 tie.

"That was pretty cool," Engel said. "It's a really competitive series. You feel it as soon as you step out on the field before the game starts."

With only about 40 days of Major League service, it's admittedly a little strange when Engel thinks about how much older he is than Robert, Blake Rutherford and others in the long line of prospects who will be trying to take his job away, assuming he can win a job.

"There's a joke going around that most of the guys are 20, so they're the younger generation," Engel said. "It feels like that. Being 25, man, when I was 20, I was still in college, playing the college game, worrying about class and all that stuff. These guys are 20 and in pro ball and making their way up here. You're excited for those young talents.'' If not in a hurry for them to arrive.

Yoan Moncada predicts home run is 'first one of many that are coming' By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 27, 2017

Wednesday’s homer may only have been Yoan Moncada’s first, but he predicts plenty more are headed this way.

The White Sox second baseman and baseball’s top prospect crossed off another first when he blasted a solo home run in Wednesday’s loss to the Cubs. Moncada’s 417-foot drive to center field sent Cubs starter Jake Arrieta to the showers, but it wasn’t enough as the White Sox fell to the Cubs 8-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field. The round-tripper came in the 47th plate appearance of Moncada’s young career and 27 th this season.

Acquired from the Red Sox in December, Moncada made his White Sox debut on July 18 and picked up his first hit on Friday.

“It means a lot because it was the first one of many that are coming, and I’m happy,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “It has been a nice week for me.”

Moncada had already walked and struck out looking by the time he faced Arrieta in the seventh inning. The rookie fell behind Arrieta 0-2 in the count but didn’t panic and belted an 0-2 curveball on the outside corner for a solo shot to center. The drive left Moncada’s bat at 105 mph and bounced off the green tin roof in straightaway center.

“He really put a good charge into that ball,” manager Rick Renteria said. “Right off the bat, too. I mean the ball really jumped off his bat. I think it was a breaking ball, too. Stayed on it, really good swing. I think his at-bats in general were pretty good. I think both sides probably got squeezed a little bit, but I think most of the guys put together some pretty good at-bats.”

Moncada has managed to put together a nice little memorabilia package in his first eight days in the big leagues. He received the lineup card from Renteria after he debuted against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday. Moncada also retrieved his first home run ball and hoped to get the lineup card from Renteria, too.

Arrieta was satisfied with his pitch but not the location. Still, the Cubs pitcher sounded impressed by the swing Moncada put on it and the result.

“It was a good breaking ball, but not in an 0-2 count where a guy’s in swing mode,” Arrieta said. “And he put a good swing on it, especially to hit it to dead center. Pretty balanced swing. You can tell that that guy is going to have a lot of potential. He’s pretty balanced in the box, but the pitch wasn’t supposed to be there.”

The offensive production hasn’t been there as much as Moncada would like early in the season. But, he suspects that will change.

“The results are going to come step by step,” Moncada said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and try to take advantage of the experience and the opportunity to play here. I’m just happy I’m having this opportunity here.”

Turning rebuild lemons into World Series lemonade, Cubs can provide hope, if not a template, for rebuilding White Sox By Vinnie Duber / CSN Chicago | July 27, 2017

There’s nothing fun about losing, as the White Sox are finding out first hand.

Wednesday night featured another defeat, this one coming at the hands of the visiting Cubs, the North Siders taking Game 3 of this edition of the Crosstown series by an 8-3 final score.

But should the White Sox need commiserators — and inspiration — they need look no further than the team across the field.

See, the Cubs have been where the White Sox are right now. Last season’s curse-smashing World Series championship was the fruit yielded by a lengthy rebuild on the North Side, one with a similar level of minor league focus and future expectations as the one currently underway on the South Side.

And as the Cubs and their fans well know, major league losing is a part of the process.

The White Sox dropped to 39-59 on Wednesday night, mired in last place in the American League Central. The Cubs spent five straight seasons in fifth place in the National League Central, methodically accruing top prospects with top draft picks.

The kind of nasty outing James Shields turned in Wednesday? The Cubs have seen that before, too. Wearing blue at the time were the likes of Rodrigo Lopez and Chris Volstad and Carlos Silva, the precursors to Shields, who hasn’t made it out of the fifth inning in four of his last six starts. The stories aren’t much different for the rest of the White Sox current rotation, with veterans like Derek Holland and Mike Pelfrey struggling most times out.

The White Sox bats did a whole lot of nothing against Jake Arrieta on Wednesday, silenced offensively the same way the Cubs were repeatedly a few years back, in seasons when guys like Marlon Byrd and Darwin Barney led the North Siders in Wins Above Replacement.

Heck, they even had the same manager. Rick Renteria skippered the Cubs in 2014, the final fifth-place finish before Joe Maddon took over.

“We’re just going to have to keep going,” Renteria said Wednesday night, sounding like an echo of himself when he used to helm the Cubs. “There’s no lamenting or anything. This is the situation we’re in, and I think the guys want the ball every time I give it to them and they want to do a good job. We’re going to try to keep it respectable as much as we can, and in some cases win some ballgames.”

Thing is, a look across the diamond Wednesday and once more Thursday in the Crosstown finale at Guaranteed Rate Field will allow the White Sox to see something else they share with those Cubs teams of the recent past: hope.

In the same way White Sox fans are currently gobbling up minor league reports on the organization’s fleet of highly ranked prospects, Cubs fans did that, too. They did it with Kris Bryant and Addison Russell. White Sox fans are doing it with Michael Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez. They’ll soon do it with Luis Robert and, a former Cubs prospect, Eloy Jimenez.

Yoan Moncada, the No. 1 prospect in baseball bringing Bryant-like hype to the South Side, gave White Sox fans plenty to smile about Wednesday night, smoking a 0-2 pitch from Arrieta over the center-field fence for his first career home run.

If you need a glimpse into the future of the White Sox, at what things should look like when the rebuild reaches its apex, go watch Moncada’s home run again. And again.

While the Cubs and their World Series rings own bragging rights that stand above all others, the White Sox can also look into the third-base dugout and know they’re going about things differently — and perhaps even better — than their North Side counterparts did.

While Theo Epstein built his farm system with much-hyped draft picks (in addition to a couple extremely meaningful trades) over the years, Rick Hahn has built his in what has seemed like one fell swoop. The lightning-fast pace of the White Sox rebuild could make the five years of fifth-place finishes the Cubs experienced a non-factor on the South Side. Hahn has built arguably baseball’s best farm system in a matter of months, trading All-Star caliber big leaguers to stockpile highly touted minor leaguers and acquiring other prospects through trades and the draft who provide depth to the system.

“It’s improved,” Hahn said of the depth of his farm system before Wednesday’s game. “It has absolutely been a goal from the start, not just a matter of getting as much potential impact talent as we can but trying to set up layer upon layer of that talent, trying to get to the point when inevitably some of these guys don’t develop the way everyone has projected them to develop or an injury occurs that we have other options, that we have guys that perhaps developed a little more quickly or improved beyond what we projected as their ceiling. And the only way you get there is by having a critical mass of prospect depth.

“I would say that while we are pleased with the strides we’ve made in the last year or nine months, however long you want to draw the line, we know we still have work to do. We know we’re going to have a really important draft in 2018 and before that, another few days before this (trade) deadline and then some offseason maneuvering to take place.”

The Cubs have forever been a symbol of hope for their fans, a team that no matter how sorry the finish would always have expectations and a new chance every spring.

Though White Sox fans are unlikely to embrace the team on the other side of town, they’d be well served to take a step back and look at what has happened there. Because the Cubs’ successful rebuild, one that ended in a World Series title, could provide hope for White Sox fans, too.

On night when James Shields gets knocked around by Cubs, future White Sox starters shine By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 26, 2017

Though the quest for a quality start continues in the majors, the White Sox have plenty going on in the minors.

While the Cubs knocked James Shields out of Wednesday’s game in the fifth inning, three White Sox minor leaguers dominated. Reynaldo Lopez, Michael Kopech and Dane Dunning all starred for the White Sox.

Kopech led the way with 12 strikeouts in six innings with a run and two hits allowed with two walks at Double-A Birmingham. Dunning struck out six and allowed six hits in seven scoreless innings at Single-A Winston-Salem. Meanwhile, Lopez, who is making it hard for the White Sox to not promote him, struck out 10 while he allowed two earned runs and four hits at Triple-A Charlotte.

“(Lopez is) forcing the issue,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “He’s had several starts in a row that have been very impressive. Lucas Giolito, as well, has been impressive in his recent starts, and at some point here they’re likely going to force our hand to get them here to Chicago and give them the opportunity to show what they can do at the big league level.”

Shields allowed five runs (three earned) and five hits in four-plus innings for the White Sox against the Cubs. He walked three and struck out four.

White Sox starting pitchers have made just 12 quality starts in their past 56 games, posting a 5.73 ERA in that span.

In midst of breakout season, Avisail Garcia sent to DL with right thumb strain By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | July 26, 2017

Avisail Garcia may need a guard to protect two fingers on his right hand, but he won’t need anything besides rest to heal them.

An MRI taken Wednesday revealed that the White Sox outfielder has a ligament strain. Garcia, who three hits in his previous 22 plate appearances, is headed for the 10-day disabled list. Though frustrated, the All-Star knows rest is important given how much the injury affected the way he has handled the bat.

“I’ve just got to give it some time, let it heal and let’s see how I feel in the next couple days,” Garcia said. “No surgery. It’s not too serious. I’ve just got inflammation. It’s bad because I grab my bat like this and the inflammation is right here (Garcia pointed to the inside of his thumb). So that’s why it hurts. It’s nothing serious. I thank God for that.”

Garcia had been in the original White Sox lineup for Wednesday but was scratched after visiting a team doctor, general manager Rick Hahn said. Prior to the All-Star break, Garcia dealt with inflammation on his right middle finger. That finger still hasn’t recovered the outfielder said. Both cases are the result of getting jammed by pitches, Garcia said. Garcia also strained his knee last month and was sidelined for several days.

Garcia said he had felt some tenderness prior to Tuesday’s loss, but didn’t think too much about it. But Hahn said Garcia’s injury worsened Tuesday when he went 0-for-5, which prompted Wednesday’s visit.

“I feel a big difference,” Garcia said. “That’s why I decided to go to the doctor today because I couldn’t swing the same way that I have to swing. You could see yesterday, 0-for-5. I’ve been swinging too much with my shoulders. Trying to force it. I don’t have to force it. If something’s wrong I have to stop because I want to help my team. I don’t want this to happen. But it happened. That’s baseball. Anything can happen so I’ve just got to take care of this and be back and ready.”

The White Sox weren’t ready to announced Garcia’s replacement, though one is expected to arrive for Thursday’s series finale against the Cubs.

The White Sox also announced that utility man Leury Garcia is ready to start his rehab assignment in Arizona. Hahn also said outfielder Ryan Cordell, acquired for Anthony Swarzak on Tuesday, would visit team doctors in Chicago. Cordell is on the DL with a back strain and Hahn suggested it could take several more weeks.

“There’s a chance that we don’t see him in action till closer to instructional league,” Hahn said. “But in terms of long-term prognosis, this injury should be a non-factor in his development, and we look forward to having him in action.”

White Sox trade reliever Dan Jennings to Rays for minor-leaguer Casey Gillaspie Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 27, 2017

The White Sox made their fourth trade in 15 days Thursday when they sent left-handed reliever Dan Jennings to the Rays for minor-league first baseman Casey Gillaspie.

Gillaspie, 24, was ranked the 10th-best prospect in the Rays organization by MLB.com and started the year as Baseball America’s No. 74 overall prospect. The brother of former Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie was a first-round draft pick in 2014.

He was hitting .227 with 15 doubles, nine home runs, 44 RBIs and 45 runs scored in 95 games this season with Triple-A Durham. He will be placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Charlotte with a broken right big toe suffered Tuesday when he fouled a ball off the foot and is expected to miss one or two weeks.

“Casey is a recent first-round pick who has shown a quality approach at the plate with some power throughout his minor- league career,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “He gives us yet another highly touted hitter who has stood out at every level in the Rays system and increases our organizational depth as we continue to add prospects to the system.”

Jennings is 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA, 38 strikeouts and seven holds this season, his third with the Sox after being acquired from the Marlins for Andre Rienzo in 2014.

He spoke Wednesday of the possibility of being traded.

“I've been traded once before, totally unexpected,” Jennings said. “You really try to push that to the side. Even if you get traded or you're here, it's still the same game. It's still pitching and I've always taken pride in taking the ball whenever, in any situation. I just hope to continue to do that.”

The Sox must announce two roster moves Thursday to fill the spots left open by Jennings and Avisail Garcia, who will be placed on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his right thumb.

Hawk Harrelson says John Lackey is ‘full of (expletive)’ Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 26, 2017

White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson didn’t back down from comments he made Tuesday that Cubs pitcher John Lackey deserved retaliation from the Sox after Lackey hit four batters in the game — including three in the fifth inning to load the bases.

During the Cubs’ 7-2 victory at Wrigley Field in Game 2 of the City Series, Harrelson watched Lackey hit Jose Abreu for the second time in the game and said on the air, “That’s enough of that B.S. Let’s see which one of your boys is going to get drilled — or maybe you.”

He backed up his words before the third game of the series Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“I was hoping that they would drill his ass big time because he’s an idiot,” Harrelson said. “At that point, the game was not the issue. It was Lackey. He’s in the pennant race. This is a big-boy game. There’s no bull(expletive) here. He’s putting (Kris) Bryant and (Anthony) Rizzo in jeopardy.”

Harrelson said he was “protecting my Sox.” When told Lackey said he hadn’t hit the Sox players on purpose, Harrelson balked.

“He’s full of (expletive), and you can print that,” Harrerlson said. “He’s full of it. He always has been.”

Harrelson said he didn’t know if the score was settled after Sox reliever Chris Beck hit Ian Happ with a pitch in the bottom of the inning.

“I hope not,” Harrelson said. “4-for-1 is not very good math. Let’s see how the game goes. Sometimes you might even file it until maybe — I don’t think he will be, but if he’s back with them next year — maybe file it until next year.”

Sox manager Rick Renteria said Tuesday afternoon he thought “everything was taken care of between the lines,” and he was asked Wednesday if he thought the games would be more civil the next two nights.

“If you’re playing it a certain way, it’s very competitive,” Renteria said. “There’s a lot of energy. There’s a lot of emotion involved, and they get after it. That’s just the nature of competition. You try to do it the right way, that’s all. We’ll all try to do it the right way.”

White Sox to place Avisail Garcia on disabled list Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | July 26, 2017

The White Sox will be without their lone All-Star for a couple of weeks after Avisail Garcia was diagnosed with a strained ligament in his right thumb Wednesday before a City Series game against the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The injury will send Garcia to the disabled list, and the Sox planned to make a corresponding move soon to fill his roster spot.

Garcia said he has been dealing with the injury for about a week, and it continued to worsen. He had a sprained middle finger on his right hand before the All-Star break and said that finger also is inflamed. He said he feels it where he grips the bat.

“I feel a big difference (in hitting),” Garcia said. “That’s why I decided to go to the doctor (Wednesday) because I couldn’t swing the same way that I have to swing. You could see yesterday, 0-for-5.

“I’ve been swinging too much with my shoulders, trying to force it. If something’s wrong, I have to stop because I want to help my team.”

General manager Rick Hahn said there is no indication Garcia will need surgery.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn and Avisail Garcia on Garcia's thumb injury White Sox general manager Rick Hahn and Avisail Garcia discuss Garcia's thumb injury. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune) Cordell alert: The player called up won’t be new outfield prospect Ryan Cordell, whom the Sox officially acquired from the Brewers for reliever Anthony Swarzak on Wednesday.

Cordell is on the disabled list with a back strain, and Hahn said they expect it to take at least a few weeks to heal. He said Cordell might not be back in action until instructional league.

“Scouts are very enthusiastic about his ability, his diverse skill set,” Hahn said. “He has some power, some speed, some versatility on the field.”

Petricka’s back: The Sox reinstated right-hander Jake Petricka from the DL to fill Swarzak’s spot. Petricka had been out since June 29 with a right elbow strain.

Petricka also had a right lat strain earlier this year and has made just nine appearances, with a 9.28 ERA.

Manager Rick Renteria said Petricka could be an option for late innings, along with Tyler Clippard and Dan Jennings.

“If anything this is the best case,” Petricka said. “(Swarzak) got moved somewhere in contention, and we didn’t have to send somebody out. It’s kind of a win-win even though we lost a guy. He’s in a place where he can still excel and do well.”

Lopez watch: Hahn indicated Triple-A Charlotte right-hander Reynaldo Lopez could be getting close to his first call-up. Hahn said Lopez is “forcing the issue” and also said teammate Lucas Giolito has impressed. Lopez entered a start Wednesday against Columbus with a 3.65 ERA.

“Over the last few months, (Lopez) has been commanding all his pitches, being very aggressive within the zone and showing that he’s getting close to needing to be here to show what he can do against big-league hitters,” Hahn said.

Staying in majors: As shortstop Tim Anderson struggles in his second season, Hahn said he didn’t think sending Anderson to Triple A would accomplish much. He said Anderson has been affected by off-field issues, which included the shooting death of a close friend.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a player in my time with the club that has been as affected by off-the-field occurrences as Timmy has this year,” Hahn said. “Everything he has had to deal with, both with the league adjusting to him and the off-the-field issues that he has had to endure, has made it a tough year for him. But the talent is still there.”

White Sox trade lefty Dan Jennings to Rays for prospect Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 27, 2017

The White Sox fire sale continued Thursday with yet another trade, this one sending left-handed reliever Dan Jennings to the Tampa Bay Rays for switch-hitting first base prospect Casey Gillaspie.

Jennings has pitched to a 3.45 ERA over 44 innings in his third season with the Sox. He owns a 2.86 ERA over six major league seasons.

Gillaspie, 24, is batting .227 with nine homers and 44 RBI for the Class AAA Durham Bulls. Gillaspie, a first-round Rays draft pick in 2014, is rated by MLB.com as the No. 10 prospect in the Tampa Bay organization.

“Casey is a recent first-round pick who has shown a quality approach at the plate with some power throughout his minor- league career,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “He gives us yet another highly touted hitter who has stood out at every level in the Rays system and increases our organizational depth as we continue to add prospects to the system.”

Gillaspie, a younger brother of former Sox infielder Conor Gillaspie, is a career .259 hitter with 51 home runs, 198 RBI, 190 runs scored and a .349 on-base percentage in 377 games over four minor-league seasons in the Tampa Bay system.

Gillaspie is expected to miss the next week or two because of a broken toe. He will likely report to AAA Charlotte. Jennings, 30, is tied for second in the American League lead with 48 appearances this season.

“You really try to push that out of your head,” Jennings said Wednesday about the possibility of being traded. “I’ve been traded once before, totally unexpected. You really try to push that to the side. Even if you get traded, or you’re still here, it’s still the same game.”

The Sox, in full rebuild mode, are operating with a razor thin bullpen after they traded Anthony Swarzak to the Brewers Tuesday and David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Yankees last week.

“We’re just going to have to keep going,” manager Rick Renteria said after the Sox, who own the third-worst record in baseball at 39-59, lost to the Cubs 8-3 Wednesday night. “There’s no lamenting or anything. This is the situation we’re in, and I think the guys want the ball every time I give it to them and they want to do a good job. We’re going to try to keep it respectable as much as we can, and in some cases win some ballgames.”

Jake Petricka is the only Sox reliever left from the Opening Day roster. Nate Jones and Zach Putnam are out for the season with injuries.

The Sox will make two roster moves later today to replace Jennings and Avisail Garcia, who will go on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his right thumb.

Reynaldo Lopez forcing his way into White Sox’ rotation Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | July 26, 2017

Yoan Moncada is here, trying to show what he can do.

Who’s next on the who’s who of up-and-coming future White Sox stars? Probably right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who has been dealing at Class AAA Charlotte.

“Getting close; he’s forcing the issue,’’ general manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday before the Sox played host to the Cubs in the third game of the Crosstown Showdown. “He’s had several starts in a row that have been very impressive.’’

Lopez, who came to the Sox with right-hander Lucas Giolito and Class A Winston-Salem right-hander Dane Dunning from the Nationals — the three of them are ranked sixth, seventh and 10th, respectively, among Sox prospects by Baseball America — in the Adam Eaton trade, looked closest to major-league-ready among Sox prospects during spring training and still looks that way.

Reynaldo Lopez delivers a pitch for the White Sox during a Cactus League game in spring training. The 23-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, who had a 4.91 ERA in 44 innings for the Nats last season, had 10 strikeouts in five innings Wednesday night against Columbus, allowing two runs. He has a 1.96 ERA in his last six starts, with 49 strikeouts and eight walks in 36‰ innings. Although Hahn didn’t say, it’s not out of the question that he joins the Sox’ rotation as soon as his next fifth day, which would come Monday against the Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field.

There seems to be no reason to wait any longer.

There’s plenty of room in the Sox’ rotation for auditions. The Sox went into Wednesday with a 5.71 ERA in the last 55 games, making only 12 quality starts (six innings or more, three earned runs or fewer) during that stretch. Miguel Gonzalez, who beat the Cubs on Monday at Wrigley Field, was the only Sox pitcher to make one in the last 15 games (he did so twice) and the only Sox pitcher to work seven innings or more in the last 31.

Mercy.

At the torrid clip Hahn is trading pieces away for prospects, Gonzalez might be the next to go. The trade deadline is Monday at 3 p.m.

“Huge interest,’’ Hahn said with an exaggerated grin when asked if other teams are inquiring about his bunch of veteran back-end starters, which also includes Derek Holland, James Shields, who started Wednesday, and Mike Pelfrey. “They better call quick.’’

More seriously, Hahn said, “we have guys who — based on their [contract] control and based on their track record — conceivably could be moved to help a contender. We’ll see over the next four or five days that are left whether we’re able to line up.”

Hahn said the Sox remain open for business.

“Deadline’s Monday,’’ he said. “We’re still having conversations on a couple of different fronts.’’

Outfielder Melky Cabrera, who becomes a free agent after the season, was batting .339 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in his last 40 games.

But the rumor mill has been quiet on the Melky front. Experienced switch hitter with World Series experience, anyone?

“Obviously, I think we’ve probably made our major moves up to this point,’’ Hahn said. “But we’re still having some conversations, and something may well materialize here between now and Monday.”

Perhaps Lopez will be here by then.

“He had a very good spring and arguably could’ve forced his way onto the Opening Day roster,’’ Hahn said. “Once he got to Charlotte, he sort of took that understandable half-step back before he got into a routine of pitching every fifth day for the Knights. Over the last few months, though, he’s been commanding all his pitches, being very aggressive within the zone and showing that he’s getting close to needing to be here to show what he can do against big-league hitters.”

White Sox to put Avisail Garcia on disabled list Daryl Van Schouwen / CSN Chicago | July 26, 2017

All-Star right fielder Avisail Garcia will go on the disabled list with a ligament strain in his right thumb, which has bothered him for about a week, he said.

The injury is not considered serious, but Garcia, who was wearing a splint on the thumb Wednesday, will be out for at least a couple of weeks. The White Sox will bring an outfielder up from Class AAA Charlotte before the game against the Cubs on Thursday.

“It’s a matter of letting the thumb heal and him getting back out there,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “He’s been fighting through this for a little while.”

Garcia missed two games in Colorado before the All-Star break with a sprained middle finger in his right hand, which is still not completely well, he said. He also missed five games in early July with inflammation in his left knee.

Chicago White Sox' Avisail Garcia will be placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday or Thursday. | David Zalubowski/Associated Press Garcia, hitless in nine at-bats in the first two games of the Cubs series, said the thumb has affected his swing.

“You could see [Tuesday at Wrigley Field], 0-for-5,’’ he said. “I’ve been swinging too much with my shoulders. Trying to force it. I don’t have to force it. I’ve just got to take care of this and be back and ready.’’

Garcia is batting .157 in his last 18 games, dropping his average from .342 to .303.

Alen Hanson started in right field against the Cubs.

Petricka recalled

After announcing the Tuesday trade of right-hander Anthony Swarzak to the Brewers for outfield prospect Ryan Cordell, the Sox filled the vacancy in the bullpen by returning right-hander Jake Petricka from his injury-rehabilitation assignment at Charlotte.

Petricka, who had 14 saves for the Sox in 2014, and left-hander Dan Jennings are the only pitchers from the Opening Day bullpen on the Sox’ 25-man roster. David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Swarzak have been traded, and Nate Jones and Zach Putnam are out for the season with elbow injuries.

Petricka, 29, made five rehab appearances with Charlotte after being put on the DL on June 29 with a strained right elbow. He was on the disabled list from April 5 to June 8 with a right lat strain and appeared in only nine games last season because of hip surgery.

“It has been a mental grind,’’ Petricka said, “especially with the hip injury last year. So, if anything, I’ve just learned a lot more about myself off the field than on the field. And now it’s time to re-establish myself on the field.’’

The latest prospect

In the 6-4 Cordell, 25, the Sox added the Brewers’ No. 17 prospect to their growing stable.

“Scouts are very enthusiastic about his ability, his diverse skill set,’’ Hahn said. “He’s got some power, speed, versatility on the field. He can play all three outfield positions. He does have some history of playing third base as recently as this year.’’

Cordell, though, will be sidelined with a back strain for several weeks.

“There’s a chance that we don’t see him in action till closer to instructional league [September],’’ Hahn said. “But in terms of long-term prognosis, this injury should be a non-factor in his development.’’

A Leury sighting

Leury Garcia, who has had one at-bat since June 11 and has been on the disabled list since June 19 with a sprained finger on his left hand, finally began a rehab assignment in the Arizona League.

Moncada hits first major-league homer in latest Chicago White Sox loss Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 26, 2017

General manager Rick Hahn traded another successful veteran Wednesday, sending 31-year-old reliever Anthony Swarzak to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfield prospect Ryan Cordell.

The rebuild is really on, not that Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria even notices. "We're trying to play as well as we can," Renteria said. "It would be nice to get us a victory here with the hometown fans, for sure. That's what we're going to try and do. We're going to execute and if we go out and do what we need to do, just like any other ballclub, we give ourselves a chance and an opportunity to win a game."

The Sox (39-59) lost another game Wednesday night, an 8-3 decision to the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field. It was their 11th loss in the last 12 games, but there was one significant highlight.

In the seventh inning, Cubs starter Jake Arrieta hung an 0-2 breaking ball and Yoan Moncada hit it over the center-field fence for his first major-league home run.

Moncada, who was working out nearly an hour after a game that ran 3 hours and 53 minutes, got the traditional silent treatment when he returned to the dugout.

Miguel Gonzalez, Yolmer Sanchez, Jose Abreu and the rest of his new teammates eventually piled on.

"He really put a good charge into that ball," Renteria said of Moncada's 409-foot drive. "The ball really jumped off his bat."

Renteria is never one to make excuses or plead for sympathy, but losing Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, David Robertson. Tommy Kahnle and Swarzak to trades over a two-week stretch has removed what little starch these rebuilding Sox had to begin with.

With the season going nowhere, the remaining White Sox are trying to make the best of a dire situation.

"It's a little sad," said relief pitcher Dan Jennings, who is aware he could be the next White Sox veteran to be moved. "You see friends and teammates go but you don't want to sit here and say it's the end of the road because we still have a lot of games to play and we're still going to do our best to win every game.

"That term seller gets thrown around a lot and you never want to think of it that way because whoever is here, whoever that may be, is going to do everything in their power to win every game despite the situation."

The Sox are obvious sellers, and they flipped Swarzak for Cordell, the Brewers' No. 17 overall prospect while batting .284 with 18 doubles, 5 triples, 10 home runs, 45 RBI, 49 runs scored and 9 stolen bases in 68 games with Class AAA Colorado Springs this season.

Cordell has been on the disabled list since June 27 with a strained back and is likely out until the White Sox begin their Instructional League in September.

"We feel we picked up another interesting prospect in Ryan," Hahn said. "Scouts are very enthusiastic about his ability, his diverse skill set. He's got some power, some speed, some versatility on the field, can play all three outfield positions. He does have some history of playing some third base as recently as this year."

Does Cordell's injury worry the Sox?

"We're going to have him examined by our doctors in Chicago, but we feel like this is probably going to take another few weeks to resolve," Hanhn said. "In terms of long-term prognosis, this injury should be a nonfactor in his development."

Thumb injury lands Chicago White Sox all-star Garcia on DL Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | July 26, 2017

Colorado has not been kind to Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia.

Just nine games into the 2014 season, Garcia tore the labrum in his left shoulder trying to make a catch against the Rockies at Coors Field.

He had surgery and was out for more than four months.

The Sox were back at Colorado right before the all-star break, and Garcia hurt his right thumb.

"I've been feeling it in games every time, but I wasn't paying attention to it because that's something that happens," Garcia said. "Now I have inflammation. Hopefully it's for 10 days. It's not too serious. Let's see what happens."

Garcia was able to play in his first All-Star Game after the Sox wrapped up the first half of the season at Colorado, but the pain persisted and he landed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday.

Garcia, who leads the White Sox with a .303 batting average, also has been dealing with a sore middle finger on his right hand.

"I still have inflammation from the same finger and now from this finger," he said. "My hand is a little bad, so I've got to relax and give it some time to heal."

The White Sox are expected to bring back outfielder Willy Garcia from Class AAA Charlotte to replace Avi Garcia.

More trades?

Since July 13, Sox general manager Rick Hahn has traded Jose Quintana to the Cubs, Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Yankees and Anthony Swarzak to the Brewers.

Does Hahn expected to make any more deals before Monday's nonwaiver deadline?

"We're still having conversations on a couple of different fronts," the GM said. "Obviously, I think we've probably made our major moves up to this point. But we're still having some conversations and something may well materialize here between now and Monday."

Lopez watch:

After reliever Anthony Swarzak was traded to Milwaukee on Wednesday, there was some speculation Reynaldo Lopez was coming up from AAA Charlotte to start, pushing Mike Pelfrey from the White Sox's rotation to the bullpen.

Jake Petricka returned from his rehab assignment and took Swarzak's spot, but Lopez is just about ready to join the Sox.

Starting against Columbus on Wednesday night, Lopez pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 10. The 23-year-old righty has a 3.65 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 111 innings.

"Getting close," GM Rick Hahn said. "He's forcing the issue. He's had several starts in a row that have been very impressive.

"Lucas Giolito, as well, has been impressive in his recent start and at some point here they're likely going to force our hand to get them here to Chicago and give them the opportunity to show what they can do at the big-league level."

Robert update:

Out since July 4 with a left-knee injury, top outfield prospect Luis Robert is close to returning to the Dominican Summer League White Sox.

"He hasn't played in games yet, but he has participated fully in pregame," Rick Hahn said. "He's gone through batting practice, running and fielding drills and all that. It's just a matter of another few days until he's back in action."

MLB trade news: Rays acquire LHP Dan Jennings for prospect Thomas Lott / Sporting News | July 27, 2017

Sometimes it's the small moves that can be the difference between making and missing the postseason.

The Rays have acquired left-handed reliever Dan Jennings from the White Sox for minor-league first baseman Casey Gillaspie, the team announced Thursday morning.

Tampa Bay's 4.34 bullpen ERA is 19th in the majors this season, but with the addition of Jennings, the Rays are getting one of the best lefty-on-lefty pitchers in baseball.

In 44 1/3 innings pitched this year, Jennings has a 3.45 ERA, but left-handers have just 12 hits in 72 at-bats (.167) against him and he has struck out 19 of the lefties he has faced.

In return, the White Sox get Gillaspie, a former first-round pick and brother of Conor Gillaspie, who played with the White Sox from 2013-15.