Pregame notes: Take a chance on me

Luis Robert Jr. still has such an impressive array of tools, and the White Sox league reputation is still so poor, that it's easy to imagine some enterprising team at least seeing the center fielder as an intriguing buy-low option on the trade market.

However, some are more preoccupied with the career-worst .186/.281/.308 batting line.

"Right now as my season is going I don't think anybody is going to take a chance on me," Robert said via interpreter. "I just focus on trying to get better. I can't think of anything else."

Once perhaps the purest grip-and-rip it hitter in the league, Robert's struggles to think about things other than his lack of success at the plate is now what the White Sox hope he can shed.

"You see a guy that has one mentality on the bases and in the outfield and that’s an aggressive one, and then maybe a little in between at the plate,"said Will Venable. "For me, it’s just about making sure he felt supported. At the same time, we’re challenging him to do all the right things that he needs to do to make adjustments to get better and he’s doing those things. I think he knows where he’s at."

Does he ever. When The Score's Bruce Levine brought up players of previous generations trying to break up slumps by binge drinking to get out of their own head, Robert was genuinely amused.

"I'm not that kind of person," Robert said via interpreter. "I'm more laid back. Maybe I need that, but I'm not going to try to do that."

The longer Robert's struggles persist, the more it presses a question that seemed like it already might represent the issue at the end of last season. If his work to chase out of the zone less is getting him out of the timing and mindset that made Robert effect, are they really gains after all?

"I think I'm thinking the pitches that are balls instead of pitches that are being thrown as strikes," Robert said via interpreter. "I've been feeling good with my strike zone. The [matter is I've been missing the pitches that I'm not supposed to miss. That has been the bigger issue."

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Adrian Houser is finally officially here on a one-year, $1.35 million deal and starting Tuesday night. His last outing at Triple-A Round Rock before he requested his release from the Rangers, fell an out shy of a nine-inning shutout. Surely he's ready to improve upon that while throwing to a rookie catcher after being signed earlier this afternoon.

"Obviously, he’s starting tonight," Venable said. "His stuff has ticked up this year. He’s got experience, over 100 starts in the major leagues, so happy to slot him in and he’s going to put the ball on the ground against righties and got some different ways to get lefties out."

Venable made it clear that Houser will be in the White Sox rotation going forward, and that Bryse Wilson will be returning to the bullpen. Yoendrys Gómez was designated for assignment for the third time this season.

"You see relievers largely depend on their strengths," Venable said of Wilson, who had a 6.86 ERA as a starter/bulk guy. "They go into game plans and attack modes with their strengths. For starters, they mix in a hitter's weaknesses a little more. For Bryse, he might have just gotten away from him and what he does well. I know they’re working on some stuff and excited to get him back in that role and comfortable pitching out of the bullpen."

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--The Mariners are using right-hander Casey Legumina as an opener before 37-year-old Casey Lawrence serves as the bulk guy, so Venable explained that the lineup shuffling was more about pushing his left-handers to the top than some statement on Robert and Andrew Vaughn's struggles.

--It is raining. It will rain. It might rain for a while. This game will be delayed if it's even played at all. Officially, the game will at least begin in a delay.

[UPDATE: 8:15pm CT first pitch estimated]

First pitch: White Sox vs. Mariners

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, WRTO 1200 AM (Spanish)

Lineups: