CHICAGO -- José Abreu truly appreciated the direct sentiment expressed by Dallas Keuchel to White Sox teammates immediately following Monday’s lackluster 5-1 loss to the Tigers, marking the team’s third straight setback.

But Abreu doesn’t believe there’s a direct cause and effect between the left-handed starter calling out the team, and then sharing the same ideas with the media in a postgame Zoom, and the White Sox bouncing back to win the final two games at Comerica Park.

“I think the conversation that we had with him, that he had with us, it didn’t really affect the way that we played the last two games. I think that we would do that either way,” said Abreu, through interpreter Billy Russo, during a Zoom on Friday. “He had some concerns, and he’s a veteran. He shared those concerns with us, and I appreciate that.

“It’s not a secret that the first game in Detroit wasn’t one of our best games, but it wasn’t because we didn’t want to do good. It just was one of those games where we couldn’t do better in that particular time.

“The next two days, we did perform, and we did what we were supposed to do,” Abreu said. “That’s why I think there’s no reason for people to put the spotlight on what Dallas said because we won the last two games. I think we would do it either way.”

Adding Tim Anderson from the 10-day injured list certainly helped the White Sox attack, as the driving force of the team’s lineup scored five runs from the leadoff spot in two wins. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnación also returned from an absence caused by shoulder soreness, while Luis Robert was back in the lineup after not starting Monday.

Nonetheless, Keuchel’s words might have guided the White Sox back in the right direction.

“Any time you have a peer trying to motivate you, it's a good thing, especially somebody who's been around a little bit,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “As we've talked about before over the last three or four years, at some point we want the players to go ahead and take ownership.

“We've had guys doing it subtly, you guys haven't heard about it. In this instance, you heard about it. And I hope it did have an effect.”

Cardinals return in Chicago
The Cardinals will resume play Saturday with a doubleheader against the White Sox, marking St. Louis' first competition since July 29 even with an 18th member of the organization testing positive for COVID-19 Thursday. Both games Saturday will be seven innings, following Friday’s postponement. Abreu expressed some qualified concern for the White Sox being the first Cardinals’ opponent.

“I don’t think that we are in a position to judge anybody,” Abreu said. “We have concerns, but MLB and all the protocols that have been put into place, with St. Louis, they are giving them the green light. That’s good. I think that we just have to take care of ourselves and protect ourselves and do the best we can under these circumstances.”

Abreu has worn a face gaiter, at times this season, while playing first. But he wouldn’t commit to using it again this weekend.

“It's really difficult to play with the face mask,” Abreu said. “It's not comfortable, and that’s something that you have to deal with on the field.

“I have to give some thought about that, probably today and early tomorrow to see what I can do. Definitely I will try to protect myself, we all have to. That's our responsibility.”

Third to first
• Renteria announced Lucas Giolito as the starter in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader. Game 2 will be a bullpen day, with the White Sox announcing the starter Saturday.

• Left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler has given up three hits and no runs over 9 1/3 innings this season, but he has thrown one inning and 12 pitches since Aug. 4. That absence is not injury-related, per Renteria.

“It has nothing to do with health,” Renteria said.

• Reynaldo López, sidelined by right shoulder soreness since his first start, was scheduled to throw a two-inning side session Friday at the team’s alternate training site in Schaumburg, Ill. There’s no timetable for a return for López or Carlos Rodón, who is on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder soreness.

He said it
“Every time I play against him, even if I'm tired or down or something, just the energy that brings me, the fact that I'm playing against one of the best, I'm playing against a fun guy as he is, I enjoy that.” -- Abreu on facing Miguel Cabrera, who he will see again for games with Detroit starting Monday