Ricky Speaks on Eloy not DHing: "You need to be able to run"
Ricky Renteria's pregame media session was relatively brief, but sill fun, and a little spicy.
First, the Eloy Jiménez update:
"He’s still about the same, the usage is about the same, so maybe a pinch-hit at-bat," Renteria said. "Still treating him up to see if they can calm down the soreness. He’s about the same. No worse."
As for those who cry out for Eloy to DH, if he's healthy enough to pinch-hit? "You need to be able to run."
In a sense, the trickle-down of Eloy not playing means Edwin Encarnación is back in the lineup in spite of a poor regular season. Renteria offered a sunny, but tepid, endorsement:
"We’re going to take a veteran who’s been in this dance before," he said. "He hasn’t had positive outcome in the past vs [Oakland A's starter Chris] Bassitt, but he’s had good at-bats."
Finally, there was a end-of-session tag-team to get a little intel on a possible Game 3 starter. I started by asking whether Renteria was married to the idea of either Dylan Cease or Dane Dunning as his starter, or whether a more novel opener approach might be in the offing, featuring Garrett Crochet or Carlos Rodón.
"All those things are possible, Brett," Renteria said. "Truth is even it is Dane, or Dylan, it’s all hands on deck."
The Athletic's James Fegan then swooped in for an obvious follow-up, on whether Ricky was ready to name a Game 3 starter.
"Still TBA, James, Good try."
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Ricky Renteria footage courtesy of the Chicago White Sox.