Pregame notes: Trade deadline limbo

They call it the MLB trade deadline, not Trade Deadline Week, as there's no guarantee of steady activity up until next Monday, and there's not real reason to reach conclusions until the dust has settled.

"I expect the deadline to come and go, and Chris [Getz] and the group to do everything they can to you know take advantage of the opportunity to make our team better," said Will Venable. "Which I think he's shown that he's done every step of the way here. So, I don't know what that means really, but I know that he's grinding every single day like from day one to make our team better. If there's a path to do that, I know he'll do it."

That doesn't exactly sound like a guarantee that the Sox will surely land the starting pitching and relief help, or the stopgap catcher they're seeking. And maybe there shouldn't be one, at least not of filling all three needs to satisfaction, when it's such an extreme sellers market that one NL scout described it to me today as "basically like 23 teams fighting for the same 20 players."

That two of those likely selling teams are AL Central rivals who are unlikely to swing a major trade with the White Sox also doesn't help a ton.

The White Sox haven't announced their starters for this weekend in Tampa yet, and even if they did, it's subject to change depending on trade developments. But pressed on the topic, Venable said the current plan is still another turn for Noah Schultz, who has a 6.75 ERA and is averaging slightly under 4 1/3 innings per start in his five outings since returning from the injured list.

"We’ll announce the next series rotation here in the next day or two and see where we’re at," Venable said. "The plan is for Noah to be on this team and in the rotation as we’re evaluating the next cycle."

Venable thinks it's inevitable that the trade deadline is a distraction for players, even ones who don't have their roster spot in question, but is hopeful that his club isn't uniquely consumed by it.

"We just try to keep guys focused on their job and their work, and hopefully that’s enough," Venable said. "I don’t hear a bunch of conversations about the deadline or anything. I hear conversations about what are we going to do to this pitcher tonight and how are we going to get better, whatever it might be. Those types of things, which gives me confidence they’re thinking about the right things. At the same time, who knows what they think as they move on from here during their days. I think they do a good job of staying focused."

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Munetaka Murakami is playing with a heavy heart after a recent 7.1 earthquake in his hometown of Kumamoto, Japan, and still has vivid memories of the quake that struck there 10 years prior. He told reporters Tuesday night that his family is safe and his parents' home is in good condition, but that he nevertheless plans to support relief efforts in the area. He also seems very set upon continuing to play.

"There’s concerns, but I think he took those to bed as we talked to him," Venable said. "We talked for whatever support we can give him, that’s a tough thing going on at home. But I know he’s doing all right, he’s in good spirits and handling everything he’s got to handle."

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Not only is Jordan Hicks unscored upon in his last 13 appearances, a career-high, but he hasn't so much as allowed a hit in his last eight. If only someone had written a breakdown of what he's changed during the nascent stages of his streak.

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Drew Thorpe's next rehab outing will be Thursday with Double-A Birmingham. It's scheduled to be around three innings in length, depending on pitch count, stress level and stuff of that nature.

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Inspired by Mike Vasil's effervescent dugout chicanery, the White Sox announced they're giving away wands to the first 20,000 fans on Sept. 4, and delivered the news in the form of a video where the front office successfully pranked the injured reliever.

"All I know is that I was supposed to call him in the office, and Getzy had something for him," Venable said. "It's hard to keep a straight face any time Vas is around, to be honest, but definitely in that case. To be honest, I'm not a great actor."

Maybe a slightly more important date for Vasil is Sept. 9, when he's scheduled to be cleared to throw a baseball for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery this spring.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Yankees

TV: CHSN, WCIU, Amazon Prime (Yankees), MLB Network (National)

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM, 107.9 FM La Ley (Spanish)

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