Giolito joins Lynn, Anderson on White Sox injured list
If the regular season was ending in a week or two, White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said he'd likely still be in uniform.
Since there is just over a month left on the schedule, Giolito said he's fine going on the injured list.
Before the Sox played the Royals on Friday night at Kansas City, Giolito landed on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring. The move is retroactive to Sept. 1 and the White Sox recalled reliever Ryan Burr to take Giolito's roster spot.
"I've progressed pretty well," said Giolito, who was injured in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's start against the Pirates. "I never like to be on the IL, like at all. If it were toward the end of the year, I probably wouldn't do the IL and just progress through.
"But we are in a spot right now where we have time on our side, so that was the choice that was made."
Early in the 2019 season, Giolito missed two weeks with a left-hamstring strain. He said the current one isn't as bad.
"That one was worse than this one," he said. "After I came back, I made a conscious effort to be more smooth with my finish, and that really worked for me. I felt like I was pitching well, and the ball was coming out, I didn't change anything about my stuff.
"I guess that over the years, I've gotten back to kind of letting that slide and getting too aggressive, a little too stiff. So I think that's maybe what contributed to this happening. Luckily, it's super mild, so I'll probably make a similar type of adjustment. It's not difficult to do."
It's been another tough week on the injury front for the White Sox.
Ace starter Lance Lynn went on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right-knee inflammation and all-star shortstop Tim Anderson went on the IL Wednesday with a left-hamstring strain.
The starting rotation is a growing concern as the playoffs approach. In addition to Lynn and Giolito being down, Carlos Rodon is trying to build back up after missing nearly three weeks in August with a sore throwing (left) shoulder.
In two starts since coming back, Rodon has allowed 3 runs over 10 innings against the Blue Jays and Pirates.
"I feel like I'm going to be good," Giolito said. "I know Lance is moving along pretty nicely, he just needs to clear up what he's got going on. Carlos got a little break and he's feeling good now.
"I think we just have our little build up here the last month and then we're all ready to go."