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Norris gets first start as Tigers host Royals

Duane Burleson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers got an unscheduled day off during the holiday weekend. They'll be back in action on Easter Sunday.

Their game on Saturday was postponed due to steady rain in the Detroit area. It will be made up on August 6 as part of a day-night doubleheader.

Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire decided to move everyone in the rotation back a day instead of skipping left-hander Daniel Norris' turn. Norris (0-0, 4.32 ERA) will make his first start this season.

"He needs to pitch," Gardenhire told the Detroit News on Saturday. "We can't keep messing around with this kid. He needs to pitch and I want him to pitch."

Norris began the season in a long relief role but injuries have altered that plan.

Norris is replacing Matt Moore in the rotation. Moore, who started three games, underwent knee surgery on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season. Norris was originally scheduled to pitch the series opener on Thursday but had his start pushed back to the weekend.

In his last outing on Sunday, Norris gave up one run on six hits in three innings at Minnesota.

The 25-year-old Norris made eight starts during an injury-marred 2018 campaign. He'll be seeking his first win since Sept. 28, 2017. He's 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA in five career outings, including three starts, against the White Sox.

Norris has relied on his fastball and slider as a reliever. He'll mix in more change-ups and curveballs as a starter.

"I like to use all my pitches," he told the News. "Obviously, starting, I will be able to do that."

White Sox manager Rick Renteria is taking the opposite approach regarding his rotation. Ervin Santana was Saturday's scheduled starter. His turn will be skipped, according to MLB.com, and right-hander Reynaldo Lopez will start the series finale.

Lopez (1-2, 8.84 ERA) got off to a rough beginning this season, allowing 18 earned runs in his first three starts. He settled down on Tuesday, holding Kansas City to one run on five hits in six innings while recording his first win.

Lopez is 1-1 with a 3.22 ERA in seven career starts against Detroit.

The White Sox won 7-3 on Friday behind another impressive display of power from second baseman Yoan Moncada. He crushed a 458-foot homer in the first inning.

"Honestly, I didn't even know where the ball hit," Moncada told MLB.com. "It wasn't until I got to the dugout that I asked the guys 'Where did the ball land?"

Moncada has six homers after going deep 17 times in 149 games last season. He's turning into the offensive threat the White Sox were seeking when they dealt ace Chris Sale to Boston for Moncada and three other prospects in December 2016.

"He's attacking earlier and he's also defending late," Renteria said. "He's not necessarily chasing out of the zone late. He's putting balls in play that normally he might just take. They are manageable, hittable pitches. He's now trusting he can do something with that pitch that might be borderline."

--Field Level Media

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