Lucas Giolito was immediately dominant on Thursday.
It was the kind of ace-like performance he made common in 2019, when he transformed from the pitcher with the worst stats in baseball into an All Star earning his place at the top of the starting lineup of the South Side. He shot through the Detroit Tigers, knocking out 13 of them and was able to concede just three hits in seven shutouts.
This is the kind of Giolito the White Sox expect to see every five days.
‘He’s that man. I really do not need a conviction anymore, “said manager Rick Renteria back on Opening Day. “I hope my sense of who he is and what he is able to begin to become something in everyone’s eyes becomes very normal when they see him go out and they consistently expect these kinds of performances.”
Click to download the MyTeams app for the latest White Sox news and analysis.
An ace from the starting rotation is an important ingredient in every championship recipe, and the White Sox have one in Giolito.
In fact, the White Sox rotation has, on the whole, done pretty well lately. After a bumpy first spin through in the opening week of the season – even Giolito got rough for seven runs on Opening Day – South Side starters have a 2.80 ERA in their last 21 starts.
“The kind of quick and close friendships we developed during our rotation were very clear,” Giolito said of the recent success. ‘We do a very, very good job communicating with each other, letting everyone know if there is something we need to work on, and holding each other accountable. Credits the other guys in the rotation for helping me figure out and make this adjustment I needed for the first turn for this turn.
“We are very close and we know how to talk and respect each other, and it will continue to grow.”
But even knowing those good vibes and good numbers – which include a few scoreless bullpen outings by relief Matt Foster – the rotation is still read as an ongoing question mark, as the White Sox make a run on the franchise’s first playoff location in more than ten years. Giolito and Dallas Keuchel delivered a stiff 1-2 punch. But behind them, injuries and inconsistencies have made things a little more mysterious.
Reynaldo López and Carlos Rodón have been on the injury list for most of the season up to this point. Gio González struggles to give the team much length in his fulfilling role. Dylan Cease has a very nice ERA, but he has done his fair share of dancing out of trouble and leading the team with six allowed home points. Renteria has spent a couple of busy days, as the much-discussed depth of the pitch’s start to have been aroused in a hurry.
So how does the White Sox starting rotation bulk up for the pennant race and get deeper than its reliable top two?
RELATED: Why White Sox sent Dane Dunning down a day after his Premier League debut
The good news is that reinforcements are on the way. Renteria reported Thursday that López is close to recovering from the shoulder pain that has kept him out of action this season for just two outs. It is possible that he was able to fill in the ‘to be announced’ slot on Saturday in the second game of the White Sox series against the Cubs, although that is just a loaded gamble. Even once back to full health, López will have work to do to bounce back from a most sad 2019 campaign that saw a few flashes of glitter amid a bumpy ride that ended in a 5.38 ERA.
The same can be said for Rodón, who also figures to return to the starting line-up at some point, although Rick Hahn said earlier this week that Rodón is a bit behind Lopez in his own return from shoulder pain that preceded him excluded. He also has more to prove than just an ability to stay healthy.
And as much as we thought when the season started, how far the White Sox could go in 2020, could still hang on to the performances of López, Rodón and Cease the rest of the way and whether they really are the reinforcements that ‘. t the rotation past can deepen Giolito and Keuchel at the top.
Since you need more than just two boys in October to make some noise, let alone get there.
In a normal season, further bolstering could be done with external supplements. But don’t expect via trading before this year’s deadline at the end of the month – beyond a very specific type of supplement, that is. Hahn has not exactly been Bullish on the idea of much in the way of trading activity in this most unusual season, with teams just one month removed from Opening Hours by the time the trading date rolls. The general manager came out and said it is unlikely he will be in the market for rent.
What could potentially come, as several national reporters have said, are actions that see teams switch from one long-term to another. The White Sox have hesitated to share ways with their attractive young talent, and for good reason, because they have set themselves up for seemingly long-lasting success as they begin the controversial phase of their carefully crafted rebuilding project.
“We remain focused on the long term. We continue to focus on putting ourselves in the best position, not just this year, but in the long run, ‘Hahn said earlier this week. “By that I mean, in all likelihood, depending on prices, rent is probably not where we’ll be investing if we stop doing something. It will be more something that would help us both in ’20 and ’21 and beyond.
“Never say never. Eventually it will all come down to prices. If there is a way to get better and we were comfortable with that exchange that only makes us better in ’20, then of course we will consider it. But in terms of two-week philosophy (from the deadline) we remain concentrated on the long term. ‘
RELATED: Dane Dunning debuts, provides last reason why White Sox future is so bright
But while the White Sox pitching reinforcements are likely to come from within, that’s not strictly limited to the team that López and Rodón jump out of and cross his fingers.
It means what we saw Wednesday night, when Dane Dunning made his big league debut in a wonderful way. He lasted just 4.1 innings and threw just 73 pitches, the last of which was unpacked for a homer with three runs. But he looked otherwise great, beating out seven Tigers and showing that even with the high expectations generated by the talent that was already on the roster when the season started, there is even more on the way for this young White Sox.
Dumb figures to lock at a certain point on a consistent basis in rotation, but not directly. Two off days new week may allow Renteria to rotate with a bit of breathing space, and the next time Dunning is needed is a week of Sunday. But if he can act the way he did Wednesday, that did just the kind of midseason addition that this rotation needed.
And so a rotation that is quietly flourishing with López and Rodón on the IL is about to be made much more. López is expected soon, Dunning will rejoin the rotation if needed again, and Rodón should be back at some point. These are not traditional deadline acquisitions, but they will give the White Sox a complete complement of starting pitchers to use and, hopefully, make a playoff push.
“All those guys are very, very good pitchers,” Giolito said. ‘We’ve seen what Carlos and Lopey can do. I was very impressed with Dane last night, take the ball like that, command the zone with multiple pitches including several breaking balls. I look forward to seeing Dane back when the time is right.
‘Same for Lopey and Carlos. They have done everything they can to get back healthy, and they will join us, hopefully soon, to contribute. “
Sign up for the white SOX TALK PODCAST FREE.
