Lucas Giolito will start for the Chicago White Sox on opening day for a 3rd straight season
Circumstances factoring in the decision weren’t ideal, but Lucas Giolito is ready to take the ball opening day.
Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa named Giolito the starter for Friday’s opener against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. It’s his third straight opening-day assignment.
Giolito got the call a day after an MRI revealed a slight tear in a tendon by starter Lance Lynn’s right knee. Lynn could miss the first eight weeks of the season.
“It’s under tough circumstances with Lance, but I’d say that I feel ready, prepared, excited for the opportunity,” Giolito said Monday. “This is one of those things that I’ll never, ever take for granted. One of 30 guys around the league. It feels good.”
Giolito went 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 31 starts last season. He has received American League Cy Young Award votes in each of the last three seasons, tying for sixth in 2019, finishing seventh in 2020 and tying for 11th last season.
“The most important thing, the work that he did to get ready for this camp, it’s really been impressive,” La Russa said. “He came in ready to pitch. That’s what you look for at the top of the rotation. Lance did the same thing. Taking responsibility, they are accountable, classic stuff.”
Giolito allowed seven runs on six hits in 3⅔ innings in his first opening-day start in 2020 against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field. He allowed two runs on two hits in 5⅓ innings in last year’s opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.
“The first one was interesting because there were no fans (in the stands during the pandemic),” Giolito said when asked what he took away from the two opening-day experiences. “Just trying to set the tone the right way for the club. Coming out and just establishing in Game 1 what we’re all about. It starts with, for me, taking the ball, going out there and doing what I know how to do.”
Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech are scheduled to start the final two games of the series in Detroit. The rest of the rotation order hasn’t been finalized, with Dallas Keuchel in line for a start in the home-opening series against the Seattle Mariners on April 12-14.
Vince Velasquez and Reynaldo López are among the options while Lynn is out. Lynn suffered the injury during the fourth inning Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, hobbling off the mound after throwing a pitch to Corbin Carroll.
“There was a little pop,” Lynn said Monday. “Once you get a pop and a little burning sensation, you know something is not good.”
He was on the injured list from Aug. 29 to Sept. 10 last season with right knee inflammation.
“You look at the end of last year, it is what I was dealing with, it’s that exact same spot,” Lynn said. “Sounds like it was going to go eventually anyway, so better now than the middle of the season and then I’ll be ready for the playoffs. If we play our cards right, everything goes smoothly and we get back in the middle of the season and make a run.”
General manager Rick Hahn compared Lynn’s situation to one catcher Yasmani Grandal went through last season. Grandal was out from July 6 to Aug. 27 with a torn left knee tendon.
“You look at somebody like (Grandal), he had surgery, (second baseman Josh) Harrison had the same thing couple years ago, already talked to them about what you’re going to go through,” Lynn said. “It sounds like (I) have to stay on rehab process, take it slowly, make sure nothing bad happens or setbacks and you’re where you need to be.”
Injuries hit the Sox hard last season, with outfielders Eloy Jiménez (during spring training) and Luis Robert (early in the season) among the players who missed significant time. This spring, the pitching staff has been affected with Lynn out for an extended period and reliever Garrett Crochet sidelined for the entire season because of Tommy John surgery.
“It definitely hurts, it’s definitely a blow for the team, but we’re very well-prepared in that area,” Giolito said. “We experienced a lot of that last year. We know that we have a ton of depth. We know, despite losing key players here and there, we’re still very, very talented and we’re very focused on our goals.
“In Lance’s case, he’ll miss some time, but he’ll be back for a significant portion of this season and he’s going to be hugely important to our success. And so for him it’s all about getting right and getting healthy. In the meantime, we’ll pick up the slack where need be.”
The Sox announced two roster moves before Monday’s game against the Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, optioning infielder Romy Gonzalez and reliever Anderson Severino to Triple-A Charlotte.
The Sox have 34 players remaining in camp: 16 pitchers, four catchers, seven infielders and seven outfielders.
