Randal

Grichuk

With left-hander Parker Messick taking the ball for the Guardians, Antonacci will begin this one on the bench for the White Sox. Fellow left-handed hitters Andrew Benintendi and Tristan Peters will also take a seat for the Southsiders. Here’s how Will Venable’s club will line up as they look to punch their ticket to the ALCS on Thursday: Chase Meidroth (2B), Randal Grichuk (LF), Miguel Vargas (3B), Munetaka Murakami (1B), Tommy Pham (DH), Brenton Doyle (CF), Kyle Teel (C), Braden Montgomery (RF) and Colson Montgomery (SS).

The Guardians are starting Daniel Espino as an opener, but Foster Griffin, who is a left-handed pitcher, will follow him, so the White Sox will bench the left-handed-hitting Benintendi for Randal Grichuk. Chase Meidroth will move up in the batting order and hit fifth, while Grichuk starts in left field and bats eighth, which makes it likely his first at-bat will not be against the right-handed Espino.

Antonacci was not in the lineup for Game 1 with the Guardians throwing left-hander Parker Messick, and he mentioned after the game that he was eating an ice cream cone when Munetaka Murakami hit his game-deciding home run. Antonacci will replace Randal Grichuk in the lineup on Monday, and Chase Meidroth, who hit leadoff in Game 1, will move down to eighth in the order.

Meidroth receives some additional time off to rest and recover with Chicago having already punched their ticket to the postseason. The 25-year-old infielder remains out for the second straight contest due to left hamstring discomfort. It’ll be rookie Sam Antonacci moving to second base with Randal Grichuk entering the lineup in left field.

White Sox’ skipper Will Venable noted that Meidroth has been playing through several minor injuries, with the hamstring issue ranking at the top of the list. He’s expected to be available off the bench on Friday and should return to the starting lineup on Saturday. Sam Antonacci will cover second base in his absence while Randal Grichuk will draw a start in left field and will bat seventh against Rockies’ right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano.

Grichuk mashed lefty starter Andrew Abbott as he was expected to do, but was removed for Andrew Benintendi when Abbott left the game. The 34-year-old platoon player is hitting .293/.339/.578 against lefties this year.

The issue is believed to be minor and the White Sox anticipate Meidroth returning to the lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against the Reds. Sam Antonacci will cover second base in his absence on Sunday with Randal Grichuk starting in left field and batting cleanup against Guardians’ southpaw Joey Cantillo.

Randal Grichuk will start in left field and bat fourth, while Everson Pereira will start in center field and bat sixth. Both Antonacci and Tristan Peters will head to the bench, and both players seem to be falling into strong-side platoons. It makes some sense since Antonacci has hit .200/.288/.231 in 74 plate appearances against lefties this season.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine day of rest for the 24-year-old second baseman. Sam Antonacci will cover second base in his absence while Randal Grichuk draws a start in left field and will bat seventh against Blue Jays’ right-hander Trey Yesavage.

Antonacci takes a seat with Athletics rookie lefty Gage Jump toeing the rubber for Saturday’s showdown in Chicago. The 23-year-old went 1-for-5 with an RBI and his 13th stolen base of the season during Friday’s series opener. He’s emerged as the White Sox primary table-setter, slashing .288/.380/.409 with 47 runs scored, five homers and 26 RBI across 299 plate appearances over 74 games. It’ll be veteran lefty-masher Randal Grichuk in the leadoff spot to kick off Saturday’s tilt.