Pregame notes: Magic uniforms put to the test

Per the White Sox game notes--and my own checking, since I don't fully trust the notes--the team is 5-0 on home Fridays, which lines up with wearing their Bulls-inspired City Connect jerseys.

Surely they won't want to disappoint Flo Rida by breaking their streak this Friday night.

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Luis Robert Jr. has avoided the injured list so far for his ailing left hamstring, and Will Venable went so far as to say he's available off the bench Friday night.

Robert isn't a great pinch-hitting option in his current state, and with Mike Tauchman protecting his own lower body maladies, the Sox are short enough on outfield defenders that Ryan Noda is making his 12th career appearance (and second start) out there. But Venable is willing to deal with playing short for a little while.

"It does limit you," Venable said. "At the same time, I think every team goes through these stretches where you do your best to protect a guy and cover him in different areas, knowing that you're maybe a little short on your bench. But also not wanting to put someone on the IL if you know they'll be good in a couple days. So yeah, it's just part of managing the roster."

Visually, it doesn't look like Tauchman is close to being able to play the outfield regularly again, but what if he was?

"He's had a couple trips on the bases that I thought looked good," Venable said. "Obviously, there's times where he's clearly guarding himself, but I think that's by design. He knows what he needs to do to make plays out there and stay healthy. I think we're close. I'm going to ask him every day here, knowing that we need him out there in the outfield to be able to do what we need to do."

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If Jonathan Cannon's Tuesday rehab start at Charlotte put him in position to return to the White Sox rotation for his next outing, Sunday would find him at regular rest. Moreover, the Sox are TBA for their probable starter on Sunday.

Presented with this theory, Venable certainly didn't shoot it down.

"It might, right now, be too soon for me to say that officially," Venable said. "But he's in a good spot. We want him to be in there. We'll make a decision on the Sunday starter soon."

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Speaking of uncomfortable Venable answers, he was asked about the postgame Flo Rida concert.

"Yeah, he's got some jams, and he's been doing it for a long time. Gotta give Flo Rida some love."

First pitch: White Sox vs. Giants

TV: CHSN

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

Lineups: