The Chicago White Sox know that they have a lot of really good pitchers. However, things would be so much better for them if Lucas Giolito took yet another step. He is already a top ten pitcher in the American League but he has the potential to be one of those top three guys.
2021 started off rough for him and recency bias allowed people to think that Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon were more valuable than him. They were better for the entire season as a whole but Giolito really turned it on after the first month or so.
Now, Rodon is gone and we can only hope that Lynn isn’t ready for regression yet. That leaves Giolito and a bunch of other young guys to join them. He got his spring exhibition season started on Tuesday and to say it went well would be an understatement.
Lucas threw three innings which is kind of a lot for a guy making his spring debut. In those three innings, Giolito allowed no runs on one hit and one walk. He struck out four as well so it was a really nice start for him. He seems to be on the right path despite not having full spring training.
Lucas Giolito is going to be the ace of the Chicago White Sox staff in 2022.
We really need to see Giolito come out firing this year. He has been a top 11 Cy Young vote-getter in each of the last three seasons which is marvelous. This is the year for him to really push forward and help this team do great things.
This is the guy that you want to see on the mound on Opening Day and in game one of the postseason. He has the skills and the intensity to get the White Sox to where they need to go early in a game or a series. It is up to him to go out there and do it.
When the 2022 Major League Baseball season is over, expect Giolito to be in the conversation for the Cy Young Award. There are some great pitchers out there but he deserves to be named among them. If he is, the White Sox could be even better than we thought.
There is a long way to go in spring training before all of the pitchers are ready to go for the season but this is a great start. With Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, and Michael Kopech ready to stand behind him, expect Giolito to lead an outstanding pitching staff.