The Chicago White Sox are a team that is mostly set up for failure. Tony La Russa is the worst manager in Major League Baseball right now. He hinders his team’s chance to win on a regular basis. However, two things can be true. Lucas Giolito was not at his best on Saturday.
He even admitted it after the game. We know how good he can be and he knows it too. That just wasn’t good enough on Saturday afternoon against the Texas Rangers.
He was fine through four innings as he didn’t allow a single run. In the fifth inning though, things got pretty ugly. He allowed four runs to come across the plate which decreased a five-run lead to a one-run lead.
Eventually, Giolito’s win went out the door as La Russa ruined the game with his bullpen management but that would have never happened if Giolito didn’t implode in the fifth. It happens from time to time but the manager made it look worse.
As much blame as Tony La Russa also deserves, they need Giolito to be able to get through five innings a bit easier than that. Most of the starters on this team have had that problem at different points of the season.
Lucas Giolito felt the blame should go his way today:
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) June 11, 2022
"I’m disgusted in myself for today. That’s all I can really say. I go out and perform like I know I can, and we’re talking a lot differently right now.”
The Chicago White Sox certainly needed a better outing from Lucas Giolito.
This doesn’t have to be the definition of him this year though. He is still one of the best pitchers on a very good pitching staff. With Michael Kopech on the mound on Sunday, there is a chance that the White Sox make amends and win themselves a series.
We like to blame Tony La Russa for a lot of things. He deserves it. The White Sox will likely win nothing of significance in the playoffs as long as he is the manager. With that in mind, there is still a chance to win in spite of him but they need guys like Giolito to be at their best.
The offense is really heating up and that has been a problem all season long. Now is not the time for the ace of the staff to have an otherwise good outing capped off like that. He will be fine but this one inning ruined a whole game for the team.