Ever since he labored through five innings against Minnesota with what was described as a stomach bug, it's been hard to know just how much Dallas Keuchel has been hurting. He departed after just five innings against Kansas City on Sunday with back stiffness, after which the White Sox relegated him to "TBA" status. Each subsequent "A" hasn't been heartening. On Wednesday, Rick Renteria said that Keuchel would be skipping a start, borrowing a phrase from the COVID-19 PR handbook by saying it was out of an "abundance of caution."
Today, the White Sox placed Keuchel on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sept. 7 with back spasms.
All of these developments might be ways of restating the premise. He could have had a stomach bug, independent of his persistent back issue. This latest flare-up might only cost him a start, because he can return for next week's Minnesota series. He might indeed be feeling better, but it's more helpful to have another arm at Renteria's disposal, even if it's attached to the person of Reynaldo López, who didn't get much time to reexamine his situation in Schaumburg. With the White Sox still 99.9 percent likely to make the postseason, but the postseason being less than three weeks away, the club only has a limited window where time is a luxury.
Keuchel's absence mostly introduces the biggest element of uncertainty. All the other pitching injuries have somehow been absorbed to this point. Carlos Rodón isn't particularly missed because White Sox fans are so accustomed to missing him, and because Dane Dunning solidifies his status with every turn. Aaron Bummer and Jace Fry's absences could have dealt a fatal blow to the bullpen, but the White Sox righties have arsenals that also work against lefties.
The integrity of the greater White Sox pitching staff can be waved away because of the near-certainty of postseason baseball, and because said postseason only requires three useful starters, with an emphasis on the first two. Lucas Giolito and Keuchel have made it easy to not worry about that core to a postseason drive, but now here we are, considering it. Attrition has caused the White Sox to shed their fat, and they've lost a bit of muscle in the process. God save the bones.
(Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)
