No matter the distance, White Sox ready to make a run

After so many years of being so noncompetitive, the White Sox just want to race.

Back in early March, the Sox were finally feeling good about the upcoming 162-game marathon and their chances to not only finish the season with a winning record for the first time since 2012, but to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Much has changed since the coronavirus shut down play on March 12, but the White Sox's outlook generally remains the same.

"I think the winability factor's extremely high,” said Lucas Giolito, the Sox's No. 1 starting pitcher.

“Obviously, we have a lot of talent, bolstered by some of the signs this offseason, some of the younger guys coming up and being a part of this club now. I have high expectations for this team, we all do for ourselves.”

Giolito makes his first season-opening start Friday night when he takes the mound at Guaranteed Rate Field to oppose Jose Berrios and the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.

New Sox starter Dallas Keuchel debuts Saturday afternoon vs. veteran lefty Rick Hill and Reynaldo Lopez starts against Kenta Maeda Sunday night to close out the three-game series against Minnesota – the defending AL Central champions.

It's a big series regardless of the calendar, but even more important with COVID-19 trimming the regular season back to 60 games.

"It's going to be a battle all the way to the end,” said Giolito, who pitched in the All-Star Game last year before finishing seventh in Cy Yong Award voting. “It's a 60-game sprint. Every single game means a lot more than (in) a regular season. Obviously, even in a 162-game season, you want to win every single game and each game is very important.

“But more so now, where the records are going to be a little bit closer, it's really going to take a team getting hot early and riding that out. And that's what we're looking to do here."

As Giolito mentioned, the White Sox shifted from rebuild mode into contender status following the 2019 season.

They added Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez to the starting rotation, although the latter veteran left-hander is going to open the season in the bullpen. The Sox also signed a proven relief pitcher, former Cubs workhorse Steve Cishek.

General manager Rick Hahn's best winter work came on the positional side of the roster.

All-star catcher Yasmani Grandal was the first free agent to sign, followed by designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion.

New right fielder Nomar Mazara, who is on the 10-day injured list for undisclosed reasons, came over in a trade from the Rangers.

They join a rising young core of players headed by Yoan Moncada, Giolito, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease and, of course, Luis Robert, the overwhelmikng favorite to claim AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Add in veteran holdovers Jose Abreu, Alex Colome, James McCann and a healthy Carlos Rodon, and the White Sox look like a group that should have optimism entering the short race.

Health is always a big concern and that is doubly true this season. Moncada has only been back a week since returning from the coronavirus and Mazara is likely to be out for at least another week.

Nick Madrigal was reassigned to the Sox's taxi squad Thursday, but the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft should be the starting second baseman at some point relatively soon.

There are some big bats in the White Sox's lineup, which is undoubtedly the team's strong point.

“Our lineup is as good as anybody's in baseball,” Keuchel said. “We just have a lot of young guys who need to prove some things.”

The starting rotation is much more of a concern with Michael Kopech opting out of the season, Gonzalez opening in the bullpen, Rodon returning from Tommy John surgery and Lopez trying to bounce back from an abysmal 2019 campaign.

“Sixty games is a very small window that we have to put everything together,” said Grandal, widely rated the second-best catcher in the majors behind the Phillies' J.T. Realmuto. “So it's going to be either really good or it's going to be really bad, just because you don't have the time to kind of take them by the hand and go from there. In 162 games, you're able to do that.”

Let the 60-game race begin.