Column: Tony La Russa stuck with Lucas Giolito too long — and it cost the Chicago White Sox

Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune
·3 min read
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The Chicago White Sox went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position in their 5-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, grounding into four double plays and failing to capitalize on five Tigers errors.

Yasmani Grandal hit into two of the double plays and saw his average drop to .122. Tim Anderson made an ill-advised attempt to steal second in the seventh after a leadoff walk, when the Sox were trailing by two runs. Billy Hamilton (.214) was allowed to hit for himself in the eighth with two on, one out and the Sox trailing by three — and promptly struck out. Leury Garcia (.176) was allowed to hit for himself next and also struck out, ending the threat.

It was a night when nothing worked for the White Sox, whose loss to the worst team in the division ended their four-game winning streak.

But the focus was on manager Tony La Russa’s decision to leave starter Lucas Giolito in the game in the fateful seventh inning even as Giolito admitted afterward he “didn’t have much left in the tank.”

La Russa seemed shocked during his postgame teleconference when apprised of Giolito’s remark.

“Is that what he said?” he asked.

It was, a reporter replied, repeating the quote.

La Russa admitted he should have “recognized” that Giolito was tired but added he was confident Giolito would get the third out. There was only one out when Giolito served up the tying double to Wilson Ramos and a two-run homer to Niko Goodrum on a slider on the next pitch.

Goodrum’s homer hit the top of the right-field fence and bounced over as right fielder Adam Eaton stumbled at the wall. Adam Engel, who is on the injured list, might not have made the catch but likely would’ve made a leaping attempt, and robbing opponents of home runs is his specialty.

After inducing a flyout and walking a hitter, Giolito finally was pulled for Codi Heuer, ending his day at 114 pitches — 60 more than in his last start, the Patriots Day shelling at the hands of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. He later cut his middle right finger on a glass water bottle, delaying his return by two days.

So La Russa’s faith in Giolito went unrewarded, and, as with any manager, his decision-making was questioned after.

But La Russa is not just any manager. He is the chosen one.

It makes sense, then, that he would be more scrutinized when things go wrong. Naturally he was beaten up on Twitter within moments of the Tigers’ outburst.

If Michael Kopech were warming up, would La Russa have entrusted him to bail out Giolito? We’ll never know because Kopech threw five innings Sunday in a spot start and wasn’t available.

Should Giolito have admitted his tank was empty? Probably, but we all know he’s not going to do that, so it was up to the manager to make the determination. He also has a pitching coach, Ethan Katz, who knows Giolito as well as anyone. Whether Katz had any sway in La Russa’s decision-making wasn’t known.

“I don’t blame anyone for focusing on one inning,” La Russa said. “But where was the game lost? It was lost because we didn’t add runs.”

Either way, La Russa takes the “L” on Twitter despite the offensive letdown.

The Sox move on and hope to pick up the pieces Wednesday night with Carlos Rodón on the mound.

Before Tuesday’s game, I wrote Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf should be satisfied his plan was working out and that all the commotion over the La Russa hiring had faded like a pair of old jeans.

A few hours later, the commotion returned and La Russa was under fire again.

Sometimes it’s OK to blame the messenger.

Mea culpa.