‘It’s not done until it’s done’: José Abreu stresses belief as the Chicago White Sox attempt a playoff push

José Abreu looked on from the dugout Friday after another disappointing evening for the Chicago White Sox, who had just lost 7-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Less than 40 games remain in the regular season as the Sox entered Saturday with a .500 record and in third place in the American League Central, four games behind the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians.

Belief and unity were on the veteran first baseman’s mind Saturday as the Sox try to make a push for a third straight playoff appearance.

“If we truly believe we can do it, then we’ll do it,” Abreu said through an interpreter before Game 2 of the weekend series against the Diamondbacks. “It’s just a matter for us to believe it. It’s baseball. We have been dealing with a lot of injuries and other stuff, but that’s baseball.

“We just have to believe that we’re able to do that, that we’re able to get into that really good stretch and compete. But we have to believe in that. We have to believe in ourselves.”

The Sox have been searching for consistency all season. They won five straight from Aug. 12-16 but lost seven of their next nine.

“It’s just part of baseball,” Abreu said. “You’re going to face good things, bad things. You’re going to experience good and bad things, but you have to get over that and keep going.

“You have to face those challenges with love and with passion for yourself and for the game. That’s the only way that you can approach that and try to overcome that.”

Abreu leads the American League with 146 hits and is third with a .307 average but said “this probably hasn’t been my best season, but I still believe in the thing I can do and how I can perform. I know I can perform at a really high level.”

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Asked why he thought it wasn’t his best season, Abreu said: “My stats, especially RBIs (59) and homers (14), aren’t where I want them to be. And because I think I could have done more for this team. But you prepare for having better results, you can’t force them.”

Abreu continues to aid off the field. Teammates such as Liam Hendriks said Abreu’s message during a meeting in the previous homestand that included manager Tony La Russa and members of the leadership group stood out.

“My point in that meeting was if we believe that we can do it, we can do it,” Abreu said. “The success is in the unity of a team.”

And he believes the team believes.

“Of course,” Abreu said. “If it wasn’t that way, we wouldn’t be here. I think we believe it. It’s just a matter of we have to keep believing it. There is a saying in Cuba that it’s not done until it’s done. Until that happens, we’re going to keep fighting and believing it.”

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It’s a similar message, Abreu said, La Russa has provided to the team.

“Everybody knows how the old guy is and what he represents,” Abreu said. “We all love him. His sense of unity and his sense of family is something that is around us, is around this team. It doesn’t matter what the people from the outside say, the fans can say whatever they want to. It doesn’t mean that what they say is true.

“We support Tony. We appreciate Tony and the effort he put to put us in the best position to succeed. The message is just one, and it’s the same message for everyone.”

La Russa on Saturday used his 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, who trailed the Atlanta Braves by 10½ games in late August for the National League wild-card spot, as a positive example.

“Ten back with 30 to play, and we got in and won the whole thing, so it’s entirely possible,” La Russa said. “Just don’t ever give in and never give up.”

Added Abreu: “We have to keep grinding and keep finding ways to try to win games and do it in a consistent basis.”

The Sox placed third baseman Yoán Moncada on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, one of four roster moves announced before the game Saturday.

The team also reinstated Leury García from the IL, recalled pitcher Davis Martin from Triple-A Charlotte and placed starter Lance Lynn on the bereavement list.

Moncada suffered the injury Thursday in Baltimore. His IL stint is retroactive to Friday.

“We just can’t play short (a player) all week,” La Russa said about the Moncada move. “It’s not healing. I might have one of those games where we run out of players and he’s got to go out there. It’s not worth risking. Fortunately, Leury is healthy and ready to go.”

García had been on the IL since Aug. 17 with a lower back strain. Martin started Saturday, filling in for injured right-hander Michael Kopech (left knee strain).