Gonzalez gives White Sox another quality start

MINNEAPOLIS – Rick Renteria said he was surprised Miguel Gonzalez hadn’t been traded to a contender yet, and Gonzalez showed everyone why.

The 33-year-old right-hander with postseason experience entered Thursday’s White Sox game against the Twins with 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA over his last four starts — the best in the AL since Aug. 4 – and he tacked on a quality start to go with that, pitching six innings of three-run ball.

“He’s pitched against some of the top clubs in the big leagues in his last four or five starts and has done a nice job keeping us in ballgames and minimizing damage,” Renteria said. ” He has done a great job. I wouldn’t be surprised [if he gets traded]. It’s still not midnight yet so if today is the day, I wouldn’t be surprised if something would happen.”

Gonzalez will be a free agent after the season, making him expendable for the rebuilding Sox. The deadline for waiver deals was 11 p.m. Thursday.

“Not thinking about it, honestly,” Gonzalez said after pitching six-plus innings for the seventh time in his last eight starts. “If something happens then it’s meant to be. But if it doesn’t than I’m here all the way with the White Sox. Just keep grinding.”

Abreu, Anderson out

Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson missed the series finale against the Twins, Abreu with a sore right elbow and Anderson nursing a minor left hamstring issue. Abreu banged into second baseman Yolmer Sanchez on a cutoff and relay Wednesday “Timmy has a little minor tweak in his hammy,’’ Renteria said. “Figured we’d give them both a day since it’s a quick turnaround [day game after night] — give them both an opportunity to get treated and keep moving forward as we get back home [Friday].”

Renteria said he was hopeful Abreu and Anderson would play Friday against the Rays.

Abreu fan club includes Tony Oliva

Former Twins great Tony Oliva chatted with Abreu, a fellow Cuban, on the field before the series as he often does.

“I would like to have him on my team,” Oliva said. “He can hit, he can play. He does his job working with the other guys.”

Oliva, a lifetime .304/.353/.476 hitter during his career from 1962-76, all with the Twins, likes how Abreu looks over the infield and often beat shifts or alignments set up to defend him.

“He’s a smart hitter,” Oliva said. “He can hit the ball any place he wants. He can hit it out of the ballpark, too, but if he wants a base hit, he’ll hit the ball in the hole. He can hit the ball to right field, left or up the middle. He makes the adjustment.”

Abreu, who is batting .301 with 80 RBI, is batting .400 with seven homers, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored over his last 18 games.

Moncada resting

Yoan Moncada stayed in Chicago during the brief three-day trip to Minneapolis to rest his bruised shin.

“We want to make sure we don’t re-aggravate it,’’ Renteria said. “From all signs he’s improving and feeling better.”

September call-ups

The Sox are not expected to make many additions when September rosters are expanded Friday. Renteria wasn’t revealing who they would be.

“We have very few. Most of the guys are already here,” Renteria said of call-ups made in the last month or two.

Class AAA Charlotte right-hander Tyler Danish and perhaps another pitcher to add innings down the stretch are possibilities.

Probables for Rays

Friday: Blake Snell (2-6, 4.29) vs. Reynaldo Lopez (0-1, 6.97), 7:10, CSN, 890-AM

Saturday: Chris Archer (9-7, 3.66) vs. Carlos Rodon (2-5, 4.27), 6:10, CSN, 890-AM

Sunday: Matt Andriese (5-1, 3.38) vs. Lucas Giolito (1-1, 2.77), 1:10, Ch. 9, 890-AM