Notes: Keuchel determined to find form

CHICAGO -- Dallas Keuchel certainly has the pitching pedigree and resume to warrant consideration for the White Sox playoff roster, let alone the playoff rotation, assuming the American League Central leaders hold on for their first division title since 2008.

But the 33-year-old veteran also has a 7.34 ERA over his last seven starts, including the six runs (five earned) allowed in one-plus inning to the Cubs on Friday. He has some work to do in September but understands the challenge and is eager to make the adjustments to pitch better.

“I definitely think that's fair to say. I'm open and honest with everything that I say and do. And shoot, I've been probably -- not probably -- I have been the weakest starter in the rotation for much of the year,” said Keuchel during a Saturday Zoom call. “That just speaks volumes to the advancement of [Dylan] Cease and [Carlos] Rodón being the guy that everybody expected him to be.

“[Lucas] Giolito and [Lance] Lynn have been themselves, and it's just me kind of bringing up the rear. Of course, I think about it. It's what everybody plays for. Once you get a taste of the postseason, that's all you want to do from there on out.”

Keuchel’s abbreviated effort against the Cubs, cut short after Frank Schwindel’s leadoff single in the second and a first-pitch strike to Patrick Wisdom, completed a miserable August with a 7.43 ERA in five starts. It followed a five-start effort in July in which he posted a 6.26 ERA.

When he takes the mound, Keuchel pretty much expects perfection from himself. So when things go wrong, he always looks inward first to see where he can improve. Keuchel pointed to his lack of two-seam command down and away to right-handed hitters as one of the things hindering him all season.

“My motto's always: 'Outlast the other starter.' That's the key to success in this game is outlast the other starter and to limit the damage to what we put up,” Keuchel said. “I got lucky last night with a lot of runs in the first inning and then we came back and put a football score up on them.

“But that's what I always look at first is myself. I know I can be better, and I'm going to need to be better in September, that's for sure.”

If Keuchel is better in September, it presents manager Tony La Russa and the White Sox another experienced mound option to tackle playoff baseball.

“So I've definitely thought about it, but letting myself get rolled up into that idea is the least of my worries right now,” Keuchel said. “I've just got to make sure that I'm myself come Oct. 3, the last game of the year, and whatever happens, happens.

“I've always been a team-first guy. So if it doesn't work out, I'm going to be as mad as whoever else isn't on it. But at the same time, if you're not getting the job done, you don't expect a spot if you're not putting up the numbers and doing your job.”

Grandal ends with an ejection
Yasmani Grandal made an emphatic return to the White Sox lineup Friday with four hits, including two home runs, and matching a career-high with eight RBIs. In his first game since July 5, Grandal became the first catcher in Major League Baseball history -- and 13th MLB player since 1920 -- to record at least two eight-plus RBI games in his career, per STATS.

But Grandal’s departure from his injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday also was eventful, as he was ejected after striking out in the bottom of the first. A smiling Grandal explained the scenario postgame Friday.

“Actually it goes back to Tuesday. They had, the umpires just had a really bad game,” Grandal said. “After the game as they were walking down the tunnel, I just let them know: ‘Hey, you guys had a really good day today.’ Guy that was at third base apparently really didn’t like it. He was behind the plate [Thursday].

“I struck out, I turned around, didn’t look at him, and I told myself that that was a really bad at-bat, not quite that way, but I didn’t scream it out loud, I said it under my breath. He thought I was talking to him and that’s why he threw me out. From a player’s perspective, if I’m not really looking at you, I’m not really talking to you, so the only reason you think I’m talking to you was because your sole purpose was to throw me out."

Whether it’s the Minors or Majors, Grandal looks at the situation as defending his staff and a byproduct of his competitive nature.

“The fact that he threw me out was kind of crazy,” Grandal said. “I didn’t even know he threw me out until I got to the dugout because I wasn’t even really looking at him.”