Chicago White Sox will have to wait another day to clinch the AL Central. ‘We have 11 games left, so 11 chances to practice that competitive edge,’ Tony La Russa says.

Rain washed away any chance the Chicago White Sox had of clinching the American League Central title Wednesday.

It also meant the team would have to wait a day for a chance to get back going in the right direction.

Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park was postponed because of inclement weather. It will be made up at 12:10 p.m. Monday in Detroit.

The Sox entered the day with a magic number of two to clinch the division. They’ll look to secure a playoff spot Thursday with a doubleheader in Cleveland.

Reynaldo López, the starter last season when the Sox clinched their first playoff berth since 2008 with a victory against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, is slated to go in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader.

The Game 2 starter is to be determined.

“We’re going to look at how the first game goes and make that decision,” manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday.

Dylan Cease is scheduled to start Friday, with Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito slotted for Saturday and Sunday, La Russa said. Dallas Keuchel will start Monday’s makeup game.

The Sox need one win in Cleveland to clinch the division. They’ll look to rebound after two tight losses in Detroit.

The Sox haven’t been at their sharpest recently while losing five of seven.

“When that time comes (for the playoffs), I know we’ll try our best, but I’d like to see all three phases put together,” Keuchel said after Tuesday’s 5-3 loss.

La Russa used his 2006 St. Louis Cardinals as an example of a team that lost games late in the regular season — they dropped nine of their final 12 — but found a stride in the playoffs and won a World Series title.

“In ‘06, we just started putting our team back together again,” La Russa said. “We had a lot of health problems in the last two months of the season. By the time we got to the last several days, all of a sudden (Jim) Edmonds is playing, (David) Eckstein is playing, (Albert) Pujols.

“In ‘06, even though we lost some tough games, we were competing. The two games we lost here (in Detroit), they were there to win. Base hit here, base hit there. As long as we compete, we’ll be ready. The thing is you never take that for granted. We have 11 games left, so 11 chances to practice that competitive edge.”

La Russa said team meetings are not necessary to get that message through.

“If you look at us playing every day for six months, you can have a meeting that ends up being meaningless. They just tune you out,” La Russa said. “We have a meeting before every series, how you’re going to pitch, how you’re going to hit. If you have too many meetings, you’re not a very good club. ... Our goal is to compete with the guys who are playing, and if there’s any drop-off, you say, ‘Let’s go get back on it.’

“If we compete like we competed, the numbers will take care of themselves. Then your confidence is moving into the postseason. The goal is to be the best you can be and respect your opponent and see who plays the best.”

That process has gotten the Sox to 19 games over .500 and on the verge of a division title.

“I wish we could have played (Wednesday),” La Russa said. “Use the 11 games to get ready for Game 1.”

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