MLB insider’s latest update hints White Sox could reunite with fan favorite starter

The MLB hot stove has been lukewarm at best so far this offseason, and the White Sox transactions have gotten off to a slow start. The White Sox added Anthony Kay to their starting rotation following a successful stint in Japan, and figure to still be in the market to add to their pitching staff. ESPN’s Jeff Passan mentioned the White Sox as a team that has been aggressively pursuing the mid-tier free agent pitchers. While he didn’t tie the team to any specific pitcher, Passan listed several options, including an old friend. 

The White Sox first acquired righty Lucas Giolito in a trade that sent OF Adam Eaton to the Nationals before the 2017 season. Despite a strong seven start sample with the White Sox in 2017, Giolito struggled mightily in his first full big league season in 2018. Between 2018 and 2019, though, a switch flipped. Giolito improved his ERA from 6.13 to 3.41, cut his walks down nearly in half, and struck out 103 more hitters. Giolito established himself as a rotation anchor over the next three seasons, but he hit a wall in 2022. He seemed to be getting back on track in the first half of 2023, but got torched in 12 starts to finish the season after a deadline trade. 

After signing a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, an injury wiped out Giolito’s entire 2024 season. He returned in 2025 looking like his old self, with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts. An elbow injury cost Giolito the Postseason, but he’s back to being fully healthy and looking to cash in on his strong season in free agency. 

Giolito may have exactly the arsenal the White Sox are looking for

Giolito’s upside may be the highest of any of the pitchers in the “mid-tier” class, so a pursuit makes sense from the White Sox perspective. Former White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz was Giolito’s high school pitching coach, but with that connection no longer present, it’s unclear whether Giolito would have any interest in a return. The best three-year stretch of Giolito’s career came in a White Sox uniform, but he was also around when the previous core crashed and burned, and his experiences may have left a sour taste in his mouth. The White Sox have a new regime in charge, with a nearly entirely different coaching staff and roster, so Giolito may be willing to give the organization another chance. Reunions of the sort are rare, but not unheard of. The Diamondbacks recently re-signed RHP Merrill Kelly after trading him at the July trade deadline.

Giolito’s bread-and-butter is his changeup, which could make him of particular interest to White Sox pitching director Brian Bannister, who has emphasized developing changeups. Bannister helped Giants pitchers Logan Webb and Hayden Birdsong develop strong changeups during his time in San Francisco and has done the same for Davis Martin and Shane Smith in Chicago. The ability to control his changeup has always been the key to Giolito’s success, so the White Sox may approach a pursuit with confidence that they can get the best out of him. 

It remains to be seen whether or not Giolito will be a player of interest to the White Sox, but he certainly fits their need for an established veteran to produce productive innings. The organization is highly familiar with Giolito and a transition back to Chicago could make a ton of sense. The White Sox could certainly do worse. If the White Sox are able to attract a free agent of Giolito’s caliber, it could be a very positive sign of things to come.