The legend of Jose Abreu continues to grow, but the enormous early achievements for the rookie have yet to translate into an overall level of success for his Chicago White Sox. Ryan Castellani Jersey . Abreu his and teammates shoot for back-to-back wins for just the second time since June 11 on Saturday as they battle the Toronto Blue Jays in the third of a four-game set. Trying to slow down Abreu for the Jays is rookie hurler Marcus Stroman, a product of Duke. The right-hander, making his first-ever appearance against Chicago, managed to break a minor two-game slide on Monday as he allowed just a single run on three hits, striking out seven, over eight innings against the New York Yankees at home. Stroman has appeared in four day games this season already, but the results have been somewhat hard to swallow, even though he has a record of 1-1 in such games. He is also carrying a lofty 5.65 ERA in those 14 1/3 innings. Chicago, which is alone in last place in the AL Central, has the second- highest team ERA in the league at 4.40 and is the only club yet to register a shutout on the campaign. Conversely, Toronto is second in the AL with 10 shutouts, although the Jays are 11th in overall ERA with a 4.09 mark. Chicagos first baseman posted two more home runs on Friday as the Sox slipped by Toronto in a 5-4 decision. The victory snapped a brief two-game slide for a Chicago club that is 10 games below .500 (16-26) on the road. Abreu, though, now has four multi-homer games through his first 67 contests, becoming the first player since Atlantas Bob Horner in 1978 to achieve such a feat. Abreu is also tied with Torontos Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz of Baltimore for the Major League lead in home runs with 25. "Im glad hes on my team," said White Sox starter John Danks, who picked up his seventh win of the campaign. "Im glad I dont have to face him." Danks made it through six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, two of those being home runs. A host of relievers handed the game to Jake Petricka who picked up his second save of the season by recording just a pair of outs in the ninth. Former Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey was saddled with the loss as he was hammered for four home runs, five runs overall on just five hits. The knuckleballer did strike out nine and walk only one through six innings, but it just wasnt enough. "I felt very good with it, tonight was a very bizarre outing," Dickey said. "I dont know how else to explain it, to give up five hits and four of them being home runs. To walk one guy and strikeout nine and leave the game after six innings giving up five runs, thats a bizarre outing." Encarnacion, who is second in the league in RBI with 65, delivered on his 25th home run, a solo effort, while Colby Rasmus and Dioner Navarro also went deep for a Toronto team which is still holding down first place in the AL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore entering play today. After missing almost the entire month of March, Chris Sale is now aiming to come up with his seventh win in eight decisions as he heads to the mound for the White Sox this afternoon. The left-hander pitched on Monday against Baltimore on the road but failed to earn a decision as Chicago was handed a 6-4 loss. Sale made it through just six innings for the second game in a row, permitting a mere two runs as he scattered a season-high 11 hits and struck out three. Now in his fifth season in the majors, Sale has pitched against Toronto four times previously but is still awaiting his first favorable outcome (0-2), although he has been credited with a save in one of those contests. Vinny Castilla Jersey . - Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has signed with WME-IMG, saying the sports management powerhouse will help maximize the value of my brand. Jeff Hoffman Jersey . And former Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly knows his pain. "Its pretty hard to coach there without allowing some of these things to kind of affect you," Wilson told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in his ESPN. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/ . A lawmaker is hoping the buzz from California Chromes run for the Triple Crown might build support for a bill that would place the U.FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Boston Red Sox right-hander Ryan Dempster plans to take this season off, a decision that surprised teammates and will cost the 16-year veteran $13.25 million in salary. Dempster said Sunday he is stepping away for physical reasons and to spend more time with his family. But he left a slight opening to play in 2015. "I had an incredible run, a chance to play 16 years in the major leagues and be around a lot of great teammates, made a lot of good friendships, great friendships," Dempster said one day before the first formal spring training workout for pitchers and catchers. "Im totally comfortable with it. Im at peace with my decision." Dempster, whose contract expires after this season, finished his only year with the Red Sox with an 8-9 record and a 4.57 ERA and didnt get a start during their post-season run to a World Series title. "The past few years have been tougher and tougher," he said. "As you get older, going through some things, some issues I have with my neck that have made it harder and harder to throw a baseball and throw it like Im accustomed to throw it" contributed to his decision. And, he said, "Ive got three amazing children that I want to watch grow up and be around." The Red Sox still have a solid veteran rotation with Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront, and several promising young starters. If theyre seeking a veteran to add depth, they could consider right-handed free agents Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez. "I like the staff that we have," manager John Farrell said. Several teammates watched as Dempster made his announcement, including Lester, Buchholz, Lackey, Peavy, first baseman Mike Napoli, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, catcher David Ross and reliever Andrew Miller. "Everybody wants to soak in their last moments of being around him," Miller said. "Hes a great guy. He left quite his mark and will be remembered fondly around here." The decision, Miller said, "was a shock to everybody." Dempster said he spoke with the club a few weeks ago about taking the season off. And what about 2015? "I dont know yet," he said. "If something changes then, obviously, something changes, but I dont see that changing." Dempster pitched with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Red Sox. He is 132-133 with a 4.35 ERA annd made the All-Star team in 2008 when he went 17-6 with a 2. Yonathan Daza Jersey. 6 ERA with the Cubs. He was Chicagos closer from 2005-07, totalling 85 saves. He began the 2012 season with the Cubs then went to the Rangers at the trade deadline. Boston signed Dempster to a $26.5 million, two-year deal before last season. He will lose half that amount by sitting out this year. "The money was not that much of a difficult decision," he said, but "Im a little sad that I wont be around" his teammates as they try to defend their championship. "There arent too many people who could say that the time is right to walk away from a game that I love, thats treated me so well," Red Sox reliever Craig Breslow said, "and particularly when theres a pretty sizeable amount of money thats being left on the table." General manager Ben Cherington said Dempster told him of the decision about 10 days ago. "It came out of left field," Cherington said. Players didnt find out until Sunday. "At first I didnt really know what to say. It caught me off guard," Napoli said. "Thats how everyone wants to go out, on their own terms." Dempster was praised for his upbeat personality that helped the Red Sox recover from a collapse at the end of the 2012 season and transform the clubhouse into a positive place. Farrell also admired the way he accepted his demotion from the rotation for the post-season. "A consummate team player," Farrell said. While Dempster struggled at times on the field last year, he kept the clubhouse loose. "His comedic value will be sorely missed," Miller said. Dempster pitched just one inning in the World Series, a scoreless ninth in Bostons 8-1 win over St. Louis in Game 1. He ended it by striking out Matt Adams. "If this is the end, then this is the end, and what a great way to go out," Dempster said. Notes: The Red Sox signed right-hander Francisco Cordero to a minor-league contract with an invitation to the major-league camp. A closer for most of his career, he didnt pitch last year after struggling in 2012. In 14 seasons with six teams, he is 47-53 with a 3.38 ERA and 329 saves. ... Miller and the Red Sox agreed to a one-year contract worth $1,903,125, avoiding arbitration. Miller had asked for $2.15 million and had been offered $1.55 million. He made $1,475,000 last year. Boston has no remaining players in arbitration. ' ' '