WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF AUGUST 2, 2017 “Moncada, W. Garcia on mend after collision” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Tuesday's best: Ferguson turns it up to 11 for Quakes” … William Boor, MLB.com “Delmonico collects hit in first career game” … Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “White Sox rally falls short vs. Blue Jays” … Scott Merkin and Gregor Chisholm, MLB.com “Stroman-Anderson altercation clears benches” … Gregor Chisholm, MLB.com “Davidson's X-rays negative after HBP on wrist” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Holland ready to right ship against Blue Jays” … Fabian Ardaya, MLB.com “Nicky Delmonico gets opportunity to showcase himself with rebuilding with White Sox” … Scott Krinch, CSN Chicago “Coming off injury, Luis Robert blasts homer in first game back” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Phew: Scary collision might not keep Yoan Moncada out long” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Tim Anderson argued with Marcus Stroman after pitcher 'complains and cries like he always does'” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “Nick Delmonico's first hit was cherry on top of big league debut with White Sox” … Dan Hayes, CSN Chicago “White Sox's Yoan Moncada expects to miss 2-3 days after outfield collision” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox DH Matt Davidson exits with bruised wrist in 8-4 loss to Blue Jays” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox, Blue Jays benches clear after Tim Anderson-Marcus Stroman exchange” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “Rick Renteria says White Sox call-up Nicky Delmonico has 'it' factor” … Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune “White Sox put Willy Garcia on DL, promote Delmonico from Charlotte” … Madeline Kenney, Chicago Sun-Times “Yoan Moncada expects to be out 2 or 3 days” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Guillen’s advice on Moncada: ‘Just let him play’” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Benches empty, but White Sox go down quietly in 8-4 loss to Jays” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Smoak, Donaldson homer as Blue Jays beat White Sox 8-4” … Andrew Seligman, Associated Press “Chicago White Sox's Delmonico 'happiest boy in the world'” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Chicago White Sox's Moncada 'relieved' after collision”… Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “Players-only meeting shows Jose Abreu is taking leadership role seriously”… James Fegan, The Athletic “By the numbers: White Sox go down, but not quietly, in Nicky Delmonico's debut”… James Fegan, The Athletic

Moncada, W. Garcia on mend after collision By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | Aug. 1, 2017 CHICAGO -- When White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada collided with right fielder Willy Garcia on Darwin Barney's sixth-inning popup during Monday's comeback victory over the Blue Jays, Moncada feared the worst for both parties involved. Moncada's right knee connected with the side of Garcia's head, knocking Garcia unconscious and causing Moncada to leave Guaranteed Rate Field via a cart. Garcia ended up on the seven-day disabled list due to a concussion but felt better on Tuesday. Moncada was listed as day-to-day by manager Rick Renteria, with the injury actually being muscular above the knee, although Moncada was looking at more of a two- or three-day absence. "After the collision, I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain," said Moncada through interpreter Billy Russo. "But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I felt relieved. I didn't think anything specific, but I thought it was more serious." The injury was born out of hustle as both players were trying to make the play and extricate James Shields from a two-out, bases-loaded situation. Moncada saw Garcia at the last second but wasn't able to jump over him. Treatment for the top-rated prospect in baseball per MLBPipeline.com centers on icing and doing some squats, per Moncada. "We are all relieved that Yoan is fine and we are all relieved that Willy is also recovering. He took the brunt of the blow there," Renteria said. "We'll continue to monitor [Garcia] and go under the concussion protocol and make sure he's doing OK.

"Yoan, it's just a thump on the lower thigh. I actually just spoke to him when I was getting my shoulder work done. He's feeling much better today." Robert returns Luis Robert, the No. 26 prospect in MLB per MLBPipeline.com, returned to action for the White Sox Dominican Summer League team Tuesday with two hits, including his second home run. Robert also picked up his ninth stolen base. Robert was out of action since July 4 with an injury to his left meniscus. Engel out of action Center fielder Adam Engel had Tuesday night off after colliding with the right-center-field fence while chasing Josh Donaldson's first-inning home run on Monday. "He was a little sore today," Renteria said. "He came in and said he felt great. I shouldn't say great. He said he felt good. "I know he took a pretty good jolt. He's another one I think today is a good day to give him a little blow. I'm sure they all want to be available but we will take it as it comes."

Tuesday's best: Ferguson turns it up to 11 for Quakes By William Boor / MLB.com | Aug. 2, 2017 One start after notching double-digit strikeouts for the first time, Caleb Ferguson did it again. The Dodgers' No. 21 prospect set a career high with 11 strikeouts just five days after he fanned 10 for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. Ferguson was stuck with a no-decision, but the Quakes ultimately came through with a win, topping Modesto 2-1 in 12 innings on Tuesday. Not only did Ferguson pile up the strikeouts, but he also put together a dominant all-around game, throwing 66 of his 95 pitches for strikes across seven scoreless frames. He also issued two walks and yielded four hits. The 21-year-old lefty has now given up two earned runs or fewer in 11 straight starts and has seen his ERA plummet from 3.73 to 2.72 over that stretch. Ferguson, a 38th-round selection from the 2014 Draft, put together a solid season in 2016 as he posted a 2.68 ERA across 10 starts with Class A Great Lakes. Ferguson then got off to a shaky start this season, but he has come on strong recently and is 8-4 with a 2.72 ERA through 21 games (20 starts). Other top prospect performances from Tuesday's action: • No. 26 overall prospect Luis Robert (White Sox No. 4) hit his second professional homer as part of a 2-for-3, two-RBI effort with the DSL White Sox. Robert was appearing in his first game since July 4 as he had been out with a knee injury. • No. 46 overall prospect Blake Rutherford (White Sox No. 5) put together his third straight multi-hit game for Class A Kannapolis. Rutherford went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the game and is batting .625 (8-for-13) over the past three games. "I'm just looking for good pitches to hit and trying to help the team," Rutherford told MiLB.com. "It all starts with the guys hitting around me. They do a great job with taking pitches, which allows me the chance to be more comfortable when I step into the box. I've already seen a lot of what the pitcher has to offer as well as the swings my teammates take, which is always beneficial."

Delmonico collects hit in first career game By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | Aug. 1, 2017 CHICAGO -- Nicky Delmonico's first phone call as a Major Leaguer went unanswered. His mother, Barbara, didn't pick up the phone, so Delmonico called his brother instead. The news, which interrupted Delmonico's television-watching during Triple-A Charlotte's day off, left him beaming: The White Sox had promoted him to the big leagues.

"There were some tears," said Delmonico, who was fifth in the lineup and playing left field on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. "Those phone calls, I've dreamt about them but I can't even put words to them. It was my mom at first, but I didn't get her on the phone. So I called my brother and got him on the phone. Then, from there, it was my mom, it was my other brother and my dad. "It's awesome. To be right in the middle and go out there, play my first game in front of my whole family. They're all here tonight so it's going to be special." He got a rude welcome to the Majors in Tuesday's 8-4 loss to Toronto, whiffing on a wipeout Marcus Stroman slider to go down on three pitches in his first career at-bat. After a pair of sharply-hit grounders, it was a blooper off the end of the bat that fell in for his first big league hit. "It was a dream come true," Delmonico said with a grin as the ball sat in his locker. "It was definitely awesome to do it in the first game, in front of my family. It was special." Delmonico, who had briefly graced the White Sox top 30 prospects list according to MLB Pipeline, hit .262 with 12 homers, 45 RBIs and a .768 OPS in 99 games with Charlotte. He was promoted as the White Sox placed outfielder Willy Garcia on the seven-day concussion DL following a collision with second baseman Yoan Moncada in the sixth inning of Monday's 7-6 win. Delmonico, typically a corner infielder, has worked to be flexible to increase his chances of a callup. The natural third baseman worked in the outfield at least one game each series with Charlotte, developing under the mentorship of former outfielder Aaron Rowand, now a Minor League instructor. "Nicky is a pretty energetic kid and full of energy," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "I think he's excited about trying to do anything he can to put himself in the conversation of being a part of a Major League ballclub." Stormy weather nearly interrupted Delmonico's big league debut at Guaranteed Rate Field, leaving the 25-year-old to claim, "I thought I was going to die" while he was out for early outfield work. It was the least of the obstacles he's overcome in his pro career. Delmonico was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 Draft, but found himself dealt as the lone prospect in a deal where the Orioles received Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez in 2013. His tenure with the organization went sour, with a 50-game suspension for Adderall and his eventual release in 2014. White Sox assistant general manager Buddy Bell and former Chicago farm director Nick Capra came calling. Upon arriving in Chicago on Tuesday, Delmonico made sure to stop in Bell's office. He'll be around Capra as well -- the former farm director now serves as the club's third-base coach. "It kind of flashes before your eyes, everything that you've done to get here," Delmonico said. "It was special to see that and how happy they are for me. For me to come a long way to be here, it was special." "I think he's one of those kids, he's worked through a lot of adversity and he's kind of the type of player that we want," Renteria said. "I've said it before, I think you can kind of count the 'it' factor. He's probably going to be a movie star after he finishes playing baseball, doing whatever he wants to do."

White Sox rally falls short vs. Blue Jays By Scott Merkin and Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com | Aug. 2, 2017 CHICAGO -- The Blue Jays built up a big lead over the White Sox Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, just as they did Monday night. Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak homered for the Blue Jays, just as they did on Monday. On Tuesday night though, Toronto held on for an 8-4 victory. Marcus Stroman earned the victory, allowing four runs on seven hits over seven innings, striking out five and walking one. The right-hander's August debut followed a July during which he posted a 2.03 ERA in five starts. "I thought he was good but it was a battle for him," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "I thought they had a good approach on him. They shot some balls the other way. They have a good young group that battles you. The White Sox have been tough on him the last couple of years but I thought he was really good. He hung in there seven strong innings and we scored some runs."

Donaldson homered in the first off of losing pitcher Mike Pelfrey, and added a sac fly in the third inning and an RBI double in the sixth. Smoak went deep in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie and move to 31 home runs and 73 RBIs on the season. Pelfrey yielded six earned runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings and fell to 3-9. "[I'm] just not throwing strikes for whatever reason. I have no idea," said Pelfrey, who has walked 44 over 89 1/3 innings. "But you can't keep falling behind obviously. Not at this level. I just wasn't very good." Omar Narvaez doubled home two runs in the fourth to tie the game and Kevan Smith launched a two-run pinch-hit homer in the sixth to cut the Blue Jays' lead to 7-4. Smith delivered the second White Sox pinch-hit home run of the season, batting for designated hitter Matt Davidson, who left with a bruised right wrist after being hit by a Stroman pitch in the fourth. X-rays were negative and Davidson is day-to-day. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Rally interrupted: Smith and Nicky Delmonico delivered one-out singles in the eighth off of Ryan Tepera, with Delmonico's being the first of his Major League career, putting the White Sox in business fo rally. Tyler Saladino followed with a soft single to center, but Smith had to hold to make sure the ball fell safely and was eventually thrown out at the plate by Kevin Pillar. The White Sox did not score in the frame. Defensive run saved: Alen Hanson kept the game deadlocked at 2-2 in the fifth when he took a home run away from Jose Bautista to open the inning. Hanson moved back toward the right-field wall and grabbed the ball just over the yellow line on the fence. Toronto would go on to score two in the frame on Smoak's home run. ANDERSON, STROMAN HAVE WORDS After Tim Anderson struck out to lead off the seventh, the White Sox shortstop and Stroman exchanged words leading to the benches and bullpens briefly emptying. Anderson was corralled quickly by White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson and the situation quieted down quickly. There were no ejections, and Stroman finished the seventh. "He's going to try to throw me off, so why not step out [of the batter's box] and try to throw him off," said Anderson, who added he felt disrespected by the comments from Stroman he claimed came during and after his strikeout. "It was one of those things. I stepped out and he just complains and cries like he always does. That's what it led to." "It seemed like [Anderson] wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out," Stroman said. "I got the ball back from Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I don't understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me." UPON FURTHER REVIEW Pillar led off the ninth inning by drawing a walk off David Holmberg, then tried to get into scoring position by stealing second base. Narvaez threw to second baseman Yolmer Sanchez, who applied the tag in time to initially rule Pillar out. The Blue Jays challenged, but the call on the field was confirmed. WHAT'S NEXT Blue Jays: Left-hander J.A. Happ will take the mound when this three-game series comes to a close Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. Happ has allowed three earned runs or less in all but one of his last nine starts. White Sox: Derek Holland makes his 21st start of the season and 10th at home in Wednesday's 1:10 p.m. CT contest to complete the homestand. Holland is 1-7 with a 8.54 ERA, 18 home runs allowed and a .347 (76-for-219) opponents average over his last 11 starts. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Stroman-Anderson altercation clears benches By Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com | Aug. 2, 2017 CHICAGO -- There's no rivalry to speak of between the Blue Jays and White Sox, but that did not stop a war of words from breaking out between Marcus Stroman and Tim Anderson on Tuesday night.

Anderson and Stroman exchanged words on the field which led to the dugouts emptying during the seventh inning. If that wasn't enough, the two players then traded barbs through the media after the game in a feud that could extend beyond Toronto's 8-4 victory. The incident began when Anderson called for time during his at-bat in the seventh. A couple of pitches later, Anderson struck out and stared toward the mound on his way back to the dugout. Stroman and Anderson then got into an argument as their teammates spilled onto the field. "It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out," Stroman said. "I got the ball back from [Josh] Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk. So, I asked him what he was saying and he continued to talk more so I walked to the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I mean, I don't understand why he would be running his mouth, walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me." Anderson clearly didn't see it the same way. The shortstop said he felt "disrespected" because of the way Stroman carried himself on the mound. He also accused Stroman of talking to him during the at-bat and following the strikeout. Anderson added that he had no regrets over the way he handled the situation and that he "stood up like I was supposed to." At the core of this dispute is Stroman's delivery. He frequently uses quick pitches and long pauses in his mechanics to upset hitters' timing. It's all within the rules but some have taken exception to the strategy in the past and it appeared to happen again Tuesday. Earlier in the at-bat, Anderson called time after Stroman had started his delivery. That upset Stroman and set in motion a series of events that led to the dugouts emptying. "He's going to try to throw me off, so why not step out and try to throw him off?" Anderson said. "It was one of those things. I stepped out and he just complains and cries like he always does. That's what it led to." Stroman has spoken out before about the lack of clarity from umpires surrounding what he is and is not allowed to do with his delivery. He was called for a balk earlier this year and there have been several instances where time was granted to a hitter after his delivery started. Stroman declined to speak about the issue Tuesday and instead said he was focusing on his next start. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons had a conversation with home-plate umpire Dave Rackley about the issue during the first inning. "My understanding, when a guy is in his delivery, and there's nobody on base, not in the stretch, once he starts his delivery you can't call a time out," Gibbons said. "Maybe I'm wrong but that's kind of what we all feel. But he's the umpire. I don't know."

Davidson's X-rays negative after HBP on wrist By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | Aug. 2, 2017 CHICAGO -- White Sox designated hitter/third baseman Matt Davidson is listed as day-to-day after exiting Toronto's 8-4 victory in the sixth inning Tuesday with a bruised right wrist. Davidson, who leads the team with 22 home runs, was struck by a Marcus Stroman pitch in the hamate area between the wrist and the palm in the fourth inning. Davidson stayed in the game until his next at-bat, when Kevan Smith pinch-hit for him and launched a two-run home run. "It's pretty sore right now," Davidson said. "But you know all the X-rays are negative and everything structurally looks good. "Just kind of see how it bounces back. It kind of got me in the wrist so kind of swelled up pretty good right after I hit it. I just didn't really feel comfortable swinging. I had a lot of pain in there with the bending. We got some treatment on it and it's all good now." The plan for Davidson is to get to Guaranteed Rate Field early Wednesday before the afternoon series finale and get more treatment. He'll see how the wrist feels at that point and go from there.

"It kind of got worse as the swelling just kind of built up," Davidson said. "When I got hit, it was fine. It hurt, but I mean nothing that I thought was wrong. It just kind of swelled up in the area and didn't feel too good swinging off the tee, so I just made sure to get some treatment on it first." "I'll check him in the morning," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "It was sore enough for him to not get back there and hit again. It's more just a bruise but it's an uncomfortable situation. You need your hand to hit. We'll see [Wednesday] how he feels."

Holland ready to right ship against Blue Jays By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com | Aug. 2, 2017 A pair of struggling left-handers take the mound Wednesday as the White Sox send Derek Holland (5-10, 5.42 ERA) to face the Blue Jays' J.A. Happ (3-8, 4.15 ERA) in the finale of a three-game set at Guaranteed Rate Field. The game will be broadcast live for free on MLB.TV. Holland has fallen off since the end of May, when he led White Sox starters with a 2.37 ERA. In the 10 starts since the start of June, he has a 9.46 ERA and has allowed 17 homers. In his last start against Cleveland on July 28 -- where he allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings and allowed a homer for the fifth straight start -- he expressed some frustration with his performance as of late. "My execution is what killed me," Holland said. "That's what took me out of the game. I'm frustrated with the way I'm pitching. I have to do better. This is killing our bullpen. If we're going to point fingers, I'd rather they do them at me. It's my own fault. I've killed that bullpen for the past few starts." Happ is coming off a rough July in which he went 1-3 with a 5.00 ERA in five starts. He put together a quality start in his last outing, where he allowed three runs over six innings while taking the loss against the Angels. Compared with his first 10 starts of the season, Happ in his past four outings has seen his strike rate fall from 66.3 percent to 59.8 percent, according to Statcast. Happ has thrown just 23.7 percent of his pitches while ahead in the count, compared with 30.5 percent in his first 10 starts. He's looking to recapture some of his June magic, where he reeled off four consecutive starts for his best stretch of the season to bring his ERA down to 3.71. He's not gone deeper than six innings since that run ended June 29. Three things to know about the game • The White Sox will likely be without MLBPipeline top prospect and starting second baseman Yoan Moncada, who is day-to-day with a right knee contusion after running into teammate Willy Garcia chasing a fly ball in the sixth inning on Monday's 7-6 win over the Blue Jays. "I would classify him as day-to-day," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He was walking around pretty good. He said he felt pretty good. We are going to try to stay away from him [Tuesday] and if need be [Wednesday]. I think he's doing fine." • The White Sox and Blue Jays have each had their struggles on the mound. The White Sox had the highest ERA in baseball in July at 5.68, with the Blue Jays posting the second-highest mark at 5.53. • Happ will be making his fifth career start against the White Sox. He holds a 2-2 record with a 3.96 ERA against them. Toronto has been a problem for Holland, as he's posted a 6.99 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) against them.

Nicky Delmonico gets opportunity to showcase himself with rebuilding with White Sox By Scott Krinch / CSN Chicago | Aug. 1, 2017 The rebuilding White Sox have called up another one of their talented prospects. The White Sox announced on Tuesday they have purchased the contract of infielder/outfielder Nicky Delmonico from Triple-A Charlotte. Delmonico takes the roster spot of outfielder Willy Garcia who was placed on the seven-day DL with a concussion. Delmonico, 25, is slashing .262/.347/.421 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 99 games with Charlotte this season. Delmonico was named to the International League All-Star Team earlier this season.

Delmonico, who has no major league experience, was originally selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 6th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Tennessee. In 490 games spanning across six minor-league seasons, Delmonico has a .257/.341/.432 slash line with 61 homers and 248 RBI. Garcia was injured in Monday's victory after he collided with rookie second baseman Yoan Moncada tracking down a fly ball in short right field. The 24-year-old Garcia is slashing .258/.317/.441 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 40 games with the White Sox in 2017. The White Sox continue a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Coming off injury, Luis Robert blasts homer in first game back By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | Aug. 1, 2017 Luis Robert didn’t show much rust in his return to the White Sox lineup. The White Sox prospect homered and reached base three times in a Dominican Summer League game on Tuesday afternoon. Robert went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk in his first game since July 4. Robert, who received a $26 million signing bonus in May, had been sidelined with what the White Sox described as a minor injury to the meniscus in his left knee. Through 19 games, Robert, who MLBPipeline.com has ranked the No. 26 prospect in baseball, is hitting .273/.487/.455 with two home runs and six RBIs in 78 plate appearances.

Phew: Scary collision might not keep Yoan Moncada out long By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | Aug. 1, 2017 Though he initially feared the worst after a hard crash, Yoan Moncada suspects he won’t miss more than two or three days with a right knee contusion. The White Sox second baseman wore a large ice pack early Tuesday before declaring he felt much better than the night before when he and Willy Garcia left Monday’s contest early following a violent collision in the outfield. Garcia landed on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion but also reported feeling better. Despite losing two players to injury, the White Sox feel pretty fortunate given how uncertain everything looked at the outset. “I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I (felt) relieved. “I just thought it was something more serious. I didn’t think anything specific, but I thought it was more serious. But once the doctor gave me the X-ray and they told me it was nothing serious, I was really relieved. “It was above the knee. It was on the muscle, not in the bone. ... That’s why I’m kind of sore right now. “The treatment is just ice and doing some squats. But I think in two or three days I will be ready to play a game.” White Sox manager Rick Renteria is perhaps even more optimistic than Moncada, the top prospect in baseball. He described Moncada as day-to-day and is holding out hope he could perhaps play Wednesday. Garcia will continue to undergo concussion protocol after Moncada’s knee squarely hit him in the head. “We are all relieved that Yoan is fine, and we are all relieved that Willy is also recovering,” Renteria said. “(Garcia) took the brunt of the blow there. Obviously, that’s a pretty strong hit to him and we’ll continue to monitor him.” The White Sox are also without center fielder Adam Engel on Tuesday. Engel was sore after he collided with a fence post while trying to track down a Josh Donaldson home run. Engel managed to stay in the game but was understandably sore. “(Engel) said he felt good,” Renteria said. “I know he took a pretty good jolt. He’s another one I think today is a good day to give him a little blow. I’m sure they all want to be available, but we will take it as it comes.”

Tim Anderson argued with Marcus Stroman after pitcher 'complains and cries like he always does' By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | Aug. 1, 2017 Tim Anderson felt disrespected by Marcus Stroman on Tuesday night and decided to speak up about it. The White Sox shortstop said Stroman reacted and “mumbled something” when Anderson stepped out of the batter’s box to disrupt the pitcher’s timing during the seventh inning. After the at-bat ended, Anderson kept his eyes trained on Stroman as he walked back to the dugout. But Anderson reacted to Stroman before he reached the dugout. Stroman responded to Anderson, which led to both benches clearing, though no fight ensued. “Just the way he carried himself, I felt like I felt disrespected,” Anderson said. “I had to do what I had to do. Just, when I stepped out when he was going slowly, he said a few words. I kind of let it go, and then after he struck me out, he mumbled something else. “He’s going to try to throw me off, so why not step out and try to throw him off. It was one of those things, I stepped out and he just complains and cries like he always does. That’s what it led to.” Stroman told Toronto reporters: “It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out. I got the ball back from (Josh) Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I don't understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me.” Afterward Anderson said he was glad to have defended himself in the situation and had no regrets. “No, I’m OK with it,” Anderson said. “I don’t regret anything I did. I stood up like I was supposed to and it happened.”

Nick Delmonico's first hit was cherry on top of big league debut with White Sox By Dan Hayes / CSN Chicago | Aug. 2, 2017 Nick Delmonico earned this proud achievement, and it couldn’t have gone any better. The newest member of the White Sox arrived on Tuesday afternoon and made his major league debut in an 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Promoted from Triple-A Charlotte in the wake of Willy Garcia going on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion, Delmonico went 1-for-4 in the losing effort. But even the final score wasn’t enough to take away from a banner day for the White Sox rookie after everything he endured to reach this point. Delmonico’s arrival in the big leagues comes nearly two and a half years after he quit baseball entirely. “It kind of flashes before your eyes, everything that you’ve done to get here,” Delmonico said. “It’s just a great moment. I’m trying to take everything in. I tried to text all the people that I could text. And then you’ve got to worry about a game tonight. “It feels amazing. It’s something that I can’t describe. I’m the happiest boy in the world right now.” The promotion is an equally proud moment for third-base coach Nick Capra and assistant general manager Buddy Bell. The pair took a chance on Delmonico in 2015 when they convinced the White Sox to sign him to a minor league deal. Delmonico had asked for his release from the Milwaukee Brewers in 2014. He had previously served a 50-game suspension while with the Brewers for using Aderall. Delmonico didn’t start playing for the White Sox until June 2015 at Class-A Kannapolis but performed well every step of the way since. That included making a strong impression on the White Sox this spring, where manager Rick Renteria said Delmonico had an infectious personality. “Nicky is a pretty energetic kid full of energy,” Renteria said. “I think he connects with all of his teammates very, very we ll. He’s a gamer. I think we saw that in the spring. He worked extremely hard.” Part of that work involved Delmonico moving around the diamond to provide versatility. A third baseman his entire career, Delmonico played first base and left field this spring. The White Sox also liked his left-handed bat and the power he can provide. Delmonico backed up his spring performance at Charlotte, hitting .262/.347/.421 with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in 429 plate appearances. When he arrived at the park on Tuesday he met with Bell in his office and then spoke to Capra, who previously was the franchise’s farm director.

“When we brought him in we knew he had the talent,” Capra said. “I don’t know if we were quite sure that it would happen. But with all the hard work and effort and diligence he has gone through, he deserves it. “It’s a terrific story. The kid came a long way from where he was and he had a lot of ambition to get this done and he’s done it. “It’s just amazing to see the transformation from the moment we got him to now. Obviously in the clubhouse, as a teammate, in the field, putting up the numbers, to be able to get here, we couldn’t be happier for this kid.” Delmonico only perfected his debut in the eighth inning when he dumped a one-out single to center field for his first major league hit. The hit in his fourth at-bat broke an early streak of bad luck. The left-hander grounded into a fielder’s choice in the fourth inning on a ball that had 39 percent chance of being a hit, according to BaseballSavant.MLB.com. Delmonico said Toronto first baseman Justin Smoak patted him on the back and apologized after taking the hit away. Two innings later, Delmonico grounded out hard to second base, a ball that had a 52 percent chance of being a hit. It wasn’t until he parachuted a Ryan Tepera pitch into center field in front of a charging Kevin Pillar that Delmonico picked up the hit. Delmonico, who played in front of a number of friends and family, got a standing ovation for his hit from the home crowd. “The whole game, from start to finish, it was awesome,” Delmonico said. “It was a dream come true. I’m very fortunate to have this day and to have my family out to watch.”

White Sox's Yoan Moncada expects to miss 2-3 days after outfield collision By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | Aug. 1, 2017 White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada said he expects to miss two to three days after suffering a bruised right knee and lower quad in an outfield collision with right fielder Willy Garcia on Monday night. The prognosis is a relief for the Sox and Moncada, who originally thought the injury was more serious when he was carted off the field. The more serious injury was to Garcia, who went on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion Tuesday. "After the collision, I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain," Moncada said through a team interpreter. "But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I feel relieved. "I was really concerned at first for (Garcia) because I knew that it was his head, and when you hit the head it's very dangerous." In the sixth inning of a 7-6 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday, both players charged a hit to right field. Garcia slid to try to make the catch. Moncada said he tried to jump over Garcia at the last moment, but it was too late and his knee hit Garcia in the head. Garcia said Monday night he lost consciousness. "We are all relieved Yoan is fine, and we are all relieved that Willy also is recovering," Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He took the brunt of the blow. Obviously that's a pretty strong hit to him. We'll continue to monitor him and go under the concussion protocol to make sure he's doing OK." Moncada said the impact was just above the knee on his muscle, helping him to avoid a more serious injury. "The treatment is just ice and doing some squats," he said. "But I think in two or three days I will be ready to play a game." Team meeting: Jose Abreu helped lead a players-only meeting in Kansas City late last month and he said Monday night he felt pride in seeing some of the points made are being put into use. Abreu mentioned the meeting when talking about the recent performance of rookie Matt Davidson, who had back-to-back walk-off hits Sunday and Monday and had homered in three of his last four games. "We talked about how we can do things better on the field," Abreu said through a team interpreter. "(Davidson) has been taking advantage of that situation, using the whole field and that's something that lets you know the kids are trying to take any piece of advice you give them. That's good. That makes you feel proud because you see that they are trying harder."

He's back: Sox No. 4 prospect Luis Robert returned from a meniscus injury in the Dominican Summer League on Tuesday and went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs, a walk and a strikeout. He had been out of game action since July 5 and was the designated hitter Tuesday instead of playing his normal position in center field.

White Sox DH Matt Davidson exits with bruised wrist in 8-4 loss to Blue Jays By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | Aug. 1, 2017 White Sox designated hitter Matt Davidson left Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays with a bruised right wrist after being hit by a pitch. Davidson was hit toward the outside bottom of his hand on a fourth-inning pitch from Marcus Stroman. X-rays were negative, and he said he will see how he feels Wednesday before the Sox decide if he can play in the series finale against the Blue Jays. Davidson had walk-off hits Sunday and Monday and had homered in three of four games entering Tuesday night. “We’ll just kind of see how it bounces back,” Davidson said. “It kind of got me in the wrist, so it just kind of swelled up pretty good right after I hit it. I just didn’t really feel comfortable swinging. “I had a lot of pain in there with the bending. We got some treatment on it, and it’s all good now.” On the mound: Sox right-hander Mike Pelfrey gave up six earned runs over 5 2/3 innings, and the Sox couldn’t catch up as they broke a two-game winning streak. Josh Donaldson gave the Blue Jays the early lead with a solo home run with two out in the first inning. After Darwin Barney doubled in the third inning, Donaldson also hit a sacrifice fly for a two-run lead. Blue Jays 8, White Sox 4 Photos from the White Sox-Blue Jays game at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Justin Smoak added a two-run homer in the fifth off Pelfrey, who left two on base when he exited in the sixth inning. Reliever Gregory Infante took over, and after a walk, Russell Martin hit a bases-loaded single to drive in two runs. Donaldson added an RBI double. "I was just not throwing strikes for whatever reason,” Pelfrey said. “I have no idea. But you can't keep falling behind obviously, not at this level. "I've been trying to throw strikes. Even sometimes in games, I'm trying to throw it down the middle, and I still miss. Just not very good. That's what it boils down to. I just haven't been very good.” At the plate: The Sox put a runner on base in each of the first three innings against Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, but they couldn’t score. Omar Narvaez hit a two-run double to right field in the fourth to briefly tie the game at 2-2. Kevan Smith hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the sixth. Benches cleared: The Sox and Blue Jays benches cleared in the seventh inning after Sox shortstop Tim Anderson exchanged words with Stroman following a strikeout. Hitting coach Todd Steverson held Anderson back, and players from both teams met along the third-base line. But there wasn’t much physical contact, and nobody was ejected. A first: In his major-league debut, Sox left fielder Nicky Delmonico recorded his first career hit in the eighth inning off Blue Jays reliever Ryan Tepera. The single to short center field gave the Sox two on base with one out. Tyler Saladino followed with a single, but Smith was thrown out at the plate, and the Sox didn’t score. Delmonico was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a strikeout.

Up next: Blue Jays, 1:10 p.m. Wednesday

White Sox, Blue Jays benches clear after Tim Anderson-Marcus Stroman exchange By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | Aug. 2, 2017 As White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson slowly walked back to the dugout after a seventh-inning strikeout Tuesday night, he glanced back at the mound several times and directed a few words at Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman. Stroman began to walk toward Anderson shouting, and both the Sox and Blue Jays benches cleared. As relievers ran in from the bullpens, the teams met along the third-base line while Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson held Anderson back. No fight materialized, and players and coaches returned to their respective dugouts without further incident or any ejection in the 8-4 Sox loss at Guaranteed Rate Field. Afterward, Anderson said the incident started when Stroman commented when Anderson stepped out of the box during his at-bat. He said Stroman also “mumbled something else” after he struck out, and Anderson felt disrespected. “He’s going to try to throw me off, so why not step out (of the box) and try to throw him off,” Anderson said. “It was one of those things I stepped out, and he just complained and cried like he always does. That’s what it led to.” Stroman told reporters afterward that he didn’t know what the altercation was about. “It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out,” Stroman said. “I got the ball back from (Josh) Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I don't understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me.” Anderson said he felt like he was standing up for himself and didn’t regret his words. “I’m OK with it,” Anderson said. “I don’t regret anything I did. I stood up like I was supposed to and it happened.” Sox manager Rick Renteria said he didn’t ask Anderson what the argument was about. But he acknowledged it could have been frustrations surfacing as Anderson has hit .139 with 10 strikeouts over his last 10 games. “At the end of the day we’re all professionals and we’ve all got to do our job and continue to compete,” Renteria said. “I think in general today we still competed.” Stroman allowed four earned runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Anderson was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Rick Renteria says White Sox call-up Nicky Delmonico has 'it' factor By Colleen Kane / Chicago Tribune | Aug. 2, 2017 To Nicky Delmonico, it felt as if every other day recently a Triple-A Charlotte teammate received another call-up from the rebuilding White Sox. The 25-year-old corner infielder/outfielder knew there was always a possibility he could be next, but it still was emotional when he received the call while watching TV on his couch Monday night. Delmonico became the latest youngster to receive his first shot, making his major-league debut as a left fielder in an 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. He took the roster spot of Willy Garcia, who was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion, and he recorded his first major-league hit in the eighth inning when he dropped a single into short-center field against reliever Ryan Tepera. "My heart was beating the whole game," said Delmonico, who was 1-for-4 with a run scored. "You dream about this moment your whole life, and it was just very special." Delmonico had some bumps to navigate early in his career before reaching his first big-league at-bat, a strikeout on three pitches against Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman. In 2014 in the Brewers system, he was suspended 50 games for testing positive for an amphetamine. In 2015, the Brewers released him after the organization said it lost contact with him and he latched on to the Sox on a minor-league deal.

He has rebounded to be productive in the Sox system, earning his first promotion to Triple-A Charlotte last year and his first invitation to big-league spring training this year. He was hitting .262 with 18 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 45 RBIs and 55 runs scored over 99 games with Charlotte this season. Sox manager Rick Renteria said he was an energetic, hard-working "gamer." "He has worked through a lot of adversity and he's the type of player we want," Renteria said. "I've said it before, I think you can kind of count the 'it' factor. He's probably going to be a movie star after he finishes playing baseball." First he has some major-league dreams to fulfill. Delmonico is able to fill the Sox's roster hole because he began to play the outfield along with first and third base last year. He worked with minor-league outfield instructor Aaron Rowand to hone his skills. "Something new at first, it's going to be different, but I stayed with it," Delmonico said. "I felt like (Rowand) got me right." He played left field without incident Tuesday as right-hander Mike Pelfrey gave up six earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak homered off Pelfrey in the first five innings to give the Blue Jays an early lead. Delmonico reached base against Stroman in the fourth on a fielder's choice before Omar Narvaez's two-run double briefly tied the game. Kevan Smith hit a pinch-hit home run against Stroman in the sixth while filling in for Matt Davidson, who left the game with a bruised right wrist after being hit by a pitch. Stroman and Sox shortstop Tim Anderson exchanged words in a seventh-inning incident that cleared the benches, but not much physical contact was made and nobody was ejected. Anderson said afterward he felt disrespected by Stroman, who he said commented when he stepped out of the box during the at-bat and after he struck out. He said he didn't regret anything he did because he felt he was standing up for himself. "I stepped out, and he complained and cried like he always does," Anderson said. "So that's what it led to." Before the game, Delmonico already had received some tips on facing Stroman. Delmonico's father, Rod, was the baseball coach at Tennessee from 1990-2007, and Delmonico often served as his batboy. Former major-league catcher J.P. Arencibia played at Tennessee, and he offered advice to Delmonico about Stroman, who was in the Blue Jays' system when Arencibia was there. "He was the one who called me and told me some stuff about him," Delmonico said. "So that was cool."

White Sox put Willy Garcia on DL, promote Delmonico from Charlotte The White Sox put outfielder Willy Garcia on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion and called up Nicky Delmonico. By Madeline Kenney / Chicago Sun-Times | Aug. 1, 2017 The White Sox put outfielder Willy Garcia on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion and promoted his replacement. Garcia was injured in Monday night’s game after colliding with second baseman Yoan Moncada in the outfield. The White Sox announced Tuesday that it purchased Nicky Delmonico’s contract from Class AAA Charlotte. This is Delmonico’s first major-league call-up. He’s batting .262 with 18 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 45 RBI. The 6-3, 230-pound Delmonico, who bats left-handed, was named to the International League All-Star team and played in 73 games at third base, 13 in left field and three in right. Delmonico is a career .257 hitter with 119 doubles, 61 homers, 248 RBI and 243 runs scored in 490 games over six minor-league seasons.

Yoan Moncada expects to be out 2 or 3 days Outfielder Willy Garcia goes on 7-day disabled list with concussion. By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | Aug. 1, 2017 A day after he was taken off the field on a cart following a nasty collision with right fielder Willy Garcia, second baseman Yoan Moncada said he expects to be out only “two or three days” with a bruised right quad.

Moncada’s knee hit Garcia on the right side of his head as they converged on Darwin Barney’s blooper that popped out of Garcia’s glove for a three-run double, giving Garcia a concussion and putting him on the seven-day disabled list Tuesday. “After the collision, I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain,” Moncada said Tuesday through interpreter Billy Russo. “But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I feel relieved.” Manager Rick Renteria said Moncada, the No. 1 ranked prospect in baseball who was called up to the Sox from Class AAA Charlotte on July 19, is “day-to-day.” “We are all relieved that Yoan is fine and we are all relieved that Willy is also recovering,” Renteria said. “He [Garcia] took the brunt of the blow there. Obviously that’s a pretty strong hit to him and we’ll continue to monitor him and go under the concussion protocol and make sure he’s doing OK. “Yoan, it’s just a thump on the lower thigh. I actually just spoke to him … He’s feeling much better today.” Moncada appeared relaxed sitting by his locker with a large ice wrap around the knee area, joking with teammate Jose Abreu. “The treatment is just ice and doing some squats,” he said. “But I think in two or three days I will be ready to play a game.” Garcia said he felt “better” Tuesday. “I was really concerned at first for him because I knew that it was his head,” Moncada said, “and when you hit the head it’s very dangerous. But then I saw him here and I saw he was OK, and I was relieved.” The Sox complete a three-game series at home against the Jays Wednesday afternoon before going to Boston to play the Red Sox Thursday through Sunday.

Guillen’s advice on Moncada: ‘Just let him play’ White Sox’ prized prospect expected to miss two or three days after outfield collision. By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | Aug. 2, 2017 Ozzie Guillen flashed back to 1992, when, as a White Sox shortstop, he collided with left fielder Tim Raines on a fly ball and suffered a season-ending knee injury. Guillen was in an announcers booth Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field doing a Spanish broadcast of the Sox’ game against the Blue Jays when, in the sixth inning, second baseman Yoan Moncada and right fielder Willy Garcia collided going for a fly ball in short right. The crash, with Moncada’s knee hitting Garcia in the head and putting him on the seven-day disabled list (concussion), looked more serious when Moncada was taken off on a cart. But the No. 1 prospect in baseball said Tuesday that he expects to miss two or three days with a bruise above his knee. Manager Rick Renteria called Moncada day-to-day. Guillen, like most everyone else, has been impressed with Moncada’s talent. But he liked that Moncada and Garcia were going all-out. “It’s nice to watch kids playing hard, no matter what,’’ said Guillen, manager of the Sox’ 2005 World Series championship team. It was nice for the Sox to know that this phase of Moncada’s major-league development, which began July 19 with his call-up from Class AAA Charlotte, won’t be impeded by what looked like a serious injury. Guillen would like to see Moncada bat second in front of Abreu to get more protection, but he said the most important thing for Moncada right now is to not be overcoached. “He looks good around second base,’’ Guillen said. “Good speed, good power. Just don’t change him. Just let him play. If he goes 0-for-8, don’t say, ‘Start doing this and do that.’ If a guy strikes out a few times, all of a sudden he starts [pressing and] swinging at the first pitch. Let him play, especially now.’’ Moncada is 4-for-38 with a home run, six RBI and 16 strikeouts, so the concern is that he changes a patient approach that has generally looked good. Guillen also hopes Moncada isn’t too hard on himself.

“I do worry about Cuban players because they’re so proud,’’ Guillen said. “When they do bad, to get them out of there is impossible. I had El Duque [Orlando Hernandez], [Jose] Contreras, the Missile [Alexei Ramirez]. Every time they had a bad week or bad month, they didn’t even want to come to the park because they were embarrassed. They feel like they’re not doing their job. Contreras once said, ‘Don’t pay me this month because I didn’t pitch good.’ ’’ There seem to be no such alarms sounding near Moncada. “You can press, especially being here for the first time,’’ second-year catcher Omar Narvaez said. “I remember my first game, my knees were shaking. You have so much energy and want to do everything right. But Moncada will show up, so much talent. We’re not worried.’’ The Moncada watch has been put on hold, but only for a couple of days, it appears. “We were running full speed,’’ Moncada said. “At the last minute I saw him, and I was trying to avoid him, and I tried to jump, but it was too late and I couldn’t do anything. “After the collision, I was concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain. But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I feel relieved. The treatment is just ice and doing some squats. But I think in two or three days I’ll be ready to play a game.’’

Benches empty, but White Sox go down quietly in 8-4 loss to Jays Tim Anderson and Marcus Stroman exchanged words, but no punches were thrown between the Jays and White Sox. By Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun-Times | Aug. 2, 2017 Benches cleared, but no punches were thrown after shortstop Tim Anderson struck out against right-hander Marcus Stroman in the seventh inning of the Blue Jays’ 8-4 victory Tuesday against the White Sox. Anderson, who was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Stroman and 0-for-4 overall, walked toward the dugout but looked over his shoulder and had words for Stroman while wagging his bat. The two exchanged words before Anderson and Stroman moved toward each other, but the Sox’ dugout, led by hitting coach Todd Steverson, quickly moved to prevent a more involved conflict. Both bullpens also emptied, but cooler heads prevailed, and players returned to their dugouts and bullpens. There were no ejections. Anderson had called time on a 1-2 pitch, prompting Stroman, who on occasion uses the quick pitch to keep hitters off-balance, to raise his hands after time was granted by plate umpire Dave Rackley. “He’s going to try to throw me off, so why not step out and try to throw him off?’’ Anderson said. “It was one of those things where I stepped out, and he just complains and cries like he always does. That’s what it led to.’’ Words were exchanged during the at-bat. “Just the way he carried himself, I felt like I was disrespected,’’ Anderson said. “I had to do what I had to do.’’ Stroman (10-5, 3.19 ERA) allowed four runs, seven hits and a walk and struck out five in seven innings. Anderson, who is having a disappointing second season in the majors, saw his average dip to .232. “It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out,’’ Stroman said. “He was stil l continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I don’t understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me.’’ Stroman was ejected from his previous start against the Athletics for arguing balls and strikes. Davidson exits with bruised wrist Matt Davidson suffered a bruised right wrist after being hit by a pitch from Stroman in the fourth inning and is day-to-day. “It just kind of swelled up pretty good right after,’’ Davidson said. “I just didn’t really feel comfortable swinging. We’ll see how it responds [Wednesday].’’

Kevan Smith pinch-hit for Davidson, the designated hitter, and hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Concussed Garcia on 7-day DL Willy Garcia was put on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion suffered in his collision in the outfield with Yoan Moncada on Monday. Garcia took a knee from Moncada while attempting to make a sliding catch near the right-field line. Garcia said he felt better Tuesday after saying he wasn’t aware of what happened on the play until he saw a replay. Delmonico debut Nicky Delmonico, called up to take Garcia’s roster spot, played left field in his major-league debut. He singled and scored a run. “The whole game, from start to finish, it was awesome,’’ Delmonico said. “It was a dream come true. I’m very fortunate to have this day and to have my family out to watch.’’ Another rough start Mike Pelfrey, trying to finish six innings for the first time since he went six and beat the Jays in Toronto on June 17, came up an out short, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing six runs, all earned, seven hits and three walks. Pelfrey, who was 0-3 with a 7.07 ERA in his last six starts, hasn’t won since June 17. Pelfrey (3-9) threw 103 pitches, 58 for strikes, and gave up homers to Josh Donaldson in the first inning and Justin Smoak in the fifth.

Smoak, Donaldson homer as Blue Jays beat White Sox 8-4 By Andrew Seligman / Associated Press | Aug. 1, 2017 CHICAGO -- Justin Smoak hit his 31st homer, Josh Donaldson homered and drove in three runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 on Tuesday night. Smoak and Donaldson each connected for the second straight night and third time in five games. Donaldson also had a sacrifice fly and RBI double. Marcus Stroman (10-5) went seven innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. He was winless in his previous three starts despite a 1.89 ERA in that stretch. Toronto came out on top after dropping three of four and snapped a four-game road losing streak. Chicago's Kevan Smith hit a two-run homer batting for injured designated hitter Matt Davidson in the sixth. But the White Sox lost for the 18th time in 22 games. Benches and bullpens emptied when Chicago's Tim Anderson appeared to exchange words with Stroman after striking out to lead off the seventh. Tempers quickly cooled and there were no ejections. Donaldson connected in the first and added a sacrifice fly in the third to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead. Chicago's Omar Narvaez tied it with a two-run double in the fourth, but Smoak's two-run drive just beyond a leaping center fielder Leury Garcia with two outs in the fifth made it 4-2. The Blue Jays added three more in the sixth while chasing Mike Pelfrey (3-9) after he retired the first two batters. Russell Martin hit a two-run, bases-loaded single off Gregory Infante, and Donaldson drove an RBI double off the center-field wall to make it 7-2. Pelfrey gave up six runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. BLUE JAYS MOVE Toronto designated LHP Brett Oberholtzer for assignment to make room for OF Nori Aoki, who was acquired Monday in a trade that sent left-hander Francisco Liriano to Houston. TRAINER'S ROOM

White Sox: Davidson is day to day with a bruised right wrist after being hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. ... Top prospect Yoan Moncada expects to miss two or three games after bruising his right knee in a frightening collision with OF Willy Garcia. Garcia, meanwhile, was put on the seven-day disabled list because of a concussion. The White Sox purchased infielder/outfielder Nicky Delmonico's contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. UP NEXT Toronto and Chicago wrap up a three-game series, with J.A. Happ (3-8, 4.15 ERA) starting for the Blue Jays and Derek Holland (5-10, 5.42) pitching for the White Sox in a matchup between left-handers. A 20-game winner last season, Happ is 0-3 in his past four outings. Holland has an 8.54 ERA in his past 11 starts.

Chicago White Sox's Delmonico 'happiest boy in the world' By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | Aug. 1, 2017 He's going to have good days and bad, but Tuesday's overall experience might be as good as it ever gets for Nicky Delmonico. "It feels amazing," Delmonico said after getting called up from Class AAA Charlotte and making his major-league debut with the Chicago White Sox. "It's something that I can't describe. I'm the happiest boy in the world right now." Delmonico replaces outfielder Willy Garcia, who is on the disabled list with a concussion after colliding with teammate Yoan Moncada on Monday. In the Sox's 8-4 loss at Guaranteed Rate Field, Delmonico struck out on three straight pitches from Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman in his first at-bat. The 25-year-old left fielder grounded out in his next two at-bats before getting his first hit -- a single in the eighth inning. "It was good to get it behind me," Delmonico said. "It was definitely awesome to do it in the first game, in front of my family. It was special." In the seventh, both benches cleared after Stroman struck out White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. As he walked back to the bench, Anderson glared at Stroman, the two exchanged words, and the Sox and Jays spilled out of the dugout. No punches were thrown, and Anderson and Stroman remained in the game. After the game, Anderson had no regrets. "Just the way he carried himself, I felt like I felt disrespected," Anderson said. "I had to do what I had to do." Stroman is animated on the mound, and he likes to quick pitch. Anderson started getting angry before he struck out. "He's going to try to throw me off, so why not step out and try to throw him off?" Anderson said. "It was one of those things where I stepped out and he just complains and cries like he always does. That's what it led to." Said Stroman: "It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out. I got the ball back from (third baseman Josh) Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. "I thought he had a problem. I don't understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me." The bad blood quickly cooled, and Delmonico still was beaming when the game ended. Reaching the majors is difficult for most players, but Delmonico had to overcome a tough stretch in the Brewers' farm system, when he took a leave of absence and was later suspended 50 games for amphetamine usage. Delmonico was taking Adderall for his attention-deficit disorder, and he was released by Milwaukee. White Sox assistant general manager Buddy Bell knew Delmonico and his father, Rod, who was the University of Tennessee's head coach for 18 seasons.

That led to a minor-league contract with the Sox in February of 2015, and Delmonico was batting .262 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 99 games with Charlotte this season. Now he's with the White Sox. "It's unbelievable, the feeling," Delmonico said. "My heart was beating the whole game. You dream about this moment your whole life, and it was just very special."

Chicago White Sox's Moncada 'relieved' after collision By Scot Gregor / Daily Herald | Aug. 1, 2017 After surviving it, Yoan Moncada watched the video. "I saw it a few times," Moncada said through a translator. "It was a very, very hard crash." Moncada, a huge piece of the Chicago White Sox's future, collided with right fielder Willy Garcia in Monday night's win over the Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field. Sprinting out into short right from second base trying to catch a Darwin Barney flyball, Moncada struck the right side of Garcia's head with his right knee. Garcia was knocked out on impact, and Moncada tumbled to the grass and clutched his knee. X-rays were negative, and Moncada might be back on the field as early as Wednesday. "It was above the knee," Moncada said. "It was on the muscle, not in the bone. That's why I'm kind of sore right now. After the collision, I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain. But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious and I feel relieved." Garcia on DL: Willy Garcia was able to get up on his feet and walk off the field after Monday's scary collision with Yoan Moncada. Before Tuesday night's game against the Blue Jays, Garcia was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion. Manager Rick Renteria said neither Garcia nor Yoan Moncada were to blame for failing to communicate before running into each other. "That has nothing to do with communication," Renteria said. "Those are two guys coming after a ball. That's a Texas Leaguer and both of them are aggressively charging to try to make the catch. Honestly, Moncky almost was able to get over him. "His knee ended up lagging and hitting him as he was going down. Those plays happen. I wish I could tell you it would take more communication, but when two guys are going at a ball that's in between both of them, every now and again those occur." Night off: Center fielder Adam Engel also was out of Tuesday's White Sox lineup after slamming into the fence trying to catch Josh Donaldson's home run the night before. "He was a little sore today," manager Rick Renteria said. "He took a pretty good jolt. He's another one, I think today is a good day to give him a little blow." Robert returns: Out since July 4 with a knee injury, top outfield prospect Luis Robert returned to the Dominican Summer League White Sox's lineup Tuesday. Batting third as the designated hitter, Robert was 2-for-3 with a 2-run homer.

Players-only meeting shows Jose Abreu is taking leadership role seriously By James Fegan / The Athletic | Aug. 2, 2017

Jose Abreu saw the approaching media horde coming into the clubhouse Monday night and took it upon himself to play the role of team spokesman. In a locker room now lacking the loquacious Todd Frazier, who else was better suited to provide an update on the status of “his boy,” Yoan Moncada, after a scary collision? “Very good!” Abreu hollered in English, holding out two thumbs up as he strove to drive away any subtlety from his message. “Moncada very good.” A day later, Moncada himself provided more details on his right quad, which was wrapped in what looked like 10 pounds of ice Tuesday afternoon. He expects to be out for two to three days with no disabled list stint, and after many initially feared a catastrophic injury, looks like he might very well just have a bad bruise. But providing injury updates and serving as the first medic on the scene for his prized pupil are not the only tasks Abreu has taken on during the last few weeks, and his increased outbursts in English don't seem limited to riffing with the press. The July 18 trade of Todd Frazier, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson to the Yankees came in the midst of a nine-game losing streak and turned a rambunctious Sox clubhouse into a reserved one. After getting knocked around during a three-game sweep in the miserable heat of Kansas City, Abreu saw a low point that served as an opportunity. Multiple players and manager Rick Renteria confirmed Abreu called a players-only meeting that emphasized how the White Sox wanted to play down the stretch and included specific conversations with position players on how to raise their performance going forward. It will take more than a conversation to turn the 2017 White Sox into the 1927 Yankees, or even the first-half 2017 White Sox, but after back-to-back walkoff hits from the suddenly red-hot Matt Davidson, who was in the deepest depths of a strikeout-plagued slump in Kansas City, Abreu pointed to the meeting and touted its results. “I think we had a good players-only meeting and us individually as position players talked about what we needed to do together as a position players,” Davidson said. “I think it’s good for the chemistry and we’ll continue to do it going forward.” Renteria made it clear this wasn't the first players-only meeting the Sox have had throughout the year, and in general he's happy to see some self-regulation to take a tiny piece of the burden off the coaching staff, but noted the importance of Abreu calling his first one. “I think it's solid. I think it's one of those things you're hoping will ultimately develop over time,” Renteria said. “When they start taking hold of it, it doesn't relieve me completely of, you know, at times if I have to say something, say something. But I think it's really good when it comes from each other as players, as teammates. It's a good thing.” At 30 years old, Jose Abreu is the oldest position player currently on the White Sox's roster. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) The arrival of starry-eyed swingman Nicky Delmonico, who called himself “the happiest boy in the world” after getting roused off his couch Monday night for his first trip to the major leagues, marks the beginning of a wave of a new arrivals. As the White Sox's roster continues to change, Abreu will be not only one of the senior members of the clubhouse, but likely one of its most vocal and active. If he's truly going to be a long-term fixture, his mentorship of Moncada is going to be a central role, but early signs show he's not going to stop there. “I think the meeting was good,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “It was good for him to call the meeting. I think that for me it’s just to get a little extra motivation because you see what the guys here are trying to do. They are trying to fight every out, every day, every inning. That’s something that pushes you to the limits to try to do your best, no matter what the situation is. That’s something that for sure gives you a little more motivation.”

By the numbers: White Sox go down, but not quietly, in Nicky Delmonico's debut By James Fegan / The Athletic | Aug. 2, 2017 Team meetings don’t make you invincible. After a pair of invigorating walk-off wins that briefly snapped the sliding White Sox (41-63) out of their second-half doldrums, they fell 8-4 to Toronto in a game full of the pitching breakdowns that have typified their descent to the bottom of the standings. Mike Pelfrey pitched 5 2/3 innings in what was his longest start since June, but he allowed six earned runs, with the final two coming on Russell Martin's two-out, two-run single off Gregory Infante in the sixth. Tim Anderson’s 0-for-4 night at the plate included a brief argument with Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman. The altercation cleared the benches and bullpens and Anderson was restrained by hitting coach Todd Steverson.

“He’s going to try to throw me off, so why not step out and try to throw him off,” Anderson said, explaining that he thought stepping out of the box mid at-bat started their disagreement. “It was one of those things, I stepped out and he just complains and cries like he always does. That’s what it led to.”

*** 29: The rough number of seconds that the argument between Anderson and Stroman’s lasted, with Stroman saying, “What are you talking about, why are you looking at me?” That the entire 25-man rosters of both teams managed to get out on the field in this short span of time is truly impressive. “I don’t regret anything I did. I stood up like I was supposed to and it happened,” Anderson said. “Just when I stepped out when he was going slowly, he said a few words. I kind of let it go and then after he struck me out, he mumbled something else.” “It seemed like he wanted to talk the entire way back to the dugout after striking out,” Stroman said. “I got the ball back from Donaldson after throwing the ball around, and he was still continuing to talk, so I asked him what he was saying. He continued to talk more, so I walked toward the dugout. I thought he had a problem. I don't understand why he would be running his mouth walking back to the dugout. It made zero sense to me.” Tuesday night's altercation came after Marcus Stroman was ejected in his previous start for arguing balls and strikes. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images) 1: For the first time in 12 games, the White Sox played without Yoan Moncada, leaving us to focus all of our prospect obsessiveness on Nicky Delmonico, who collected his first major league hit in the fourth at-bat of his debut. The bloop single dropped in front of Kevin Pillar, giving his family in attendance something to cheer about. “The first one I put in play, definitely. [Justin] Smoak grabbed me on the back and said sorry,” Delmonico said of his second at-bat of the game, which ended in a crisp groundout to first. “The whole game, from start to finish, it was awesome. It was a dream come true. I’m very fortunate to have this day and to have my family out to watch.” .356: Omar Narvaez’s team-leading on-base percentage, which is only slightly better than his career mark of .355 in what is now 306 career major league plate appearances. The highlight of his night was a two-run double smacked into the right-field corner that tied the game at 2 in the fourth, but the man seems to know how to get aboard in general, which is an unusual skill to see from a backstop. 106: Home runs allowed by White Sox starters this season, which puts them behind only the Reds and the Mariners, who have somehow not realized they play in Safeco Field. The two bombs off Pelfrey Monday night came from Josh Donaldson and Smoak, who each took James Shields deep the previous night. “Not very good. Command wasn't very good,” a frustrated Pelfrey said. “I was behind a lot and stuff wasn't very good. Made a lot of mistakes and I got hit. Simple as that. The same crap that's been going on a month now. Frustrated and upset and didn't get the job done.” 30: Doubles for Jose Abreu, which matches the second-highest total of his career and pushes his isolated power to .226, also the second-highest mark of his career. The guy who cracked 29 home runs during the first half of 2014 is never really coming back, nor is the insane loft he got on everything, but he still drives the ball to all fields. 201: American League-leading number of inherited runners for White Sox pitchers this season. Despite Infante letting both of the runners Pelfrey left him score on Martin's single looped over the leaping grasp of Anderson, the White Sox have allowed only 27.9 percent to score. But the volume is too high for that rate to matter. 2: Career home runs for backstop Kevan Smith after he launched a two-run shot to left-center in the sixth, the first pinch-hit homer of his career. He was subbed in after Matt Davidson was hit by a pitch on the right wrist. Davidson’s X-rays were negative, but his ironman streak of 16 straight games played is in doubt. “I think we will just see how it feels tomorrow,” Davidson said. “And it’s pretty sore right now. But you know all the X-rays are negative and everything structurally looks good. Just see how it bounces back. It kind of got me in the wrist so just kind of swelled up pretty good right after I hit it. I just didn’t really feel comfortable swinging.”