Giolito to start Sox opener; Cubs' Rizzo encouraged by progress
When asked again about who is going to start for the White Sox in Friday night's season opener, manager Rick Renteria answered without actually giving an answer.
"I don't know," he said on a Zoom call with reporters before the Sox played an exhibition game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. "I'll let you guys kind of figure it out."
With that, Renteria wryly held up a Lucas Giolito bobblehead.
It was a decision the White Sox's brain trust likely made months ago, and now it's official.
Giolito is more than qualified to pitch Opening Day against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.
"He has grown immensely over the last couple of years," Renteria said. "He's much more comfortable in his own skin. He's going to continue to be able to do some of the things he's been doing now and have a nice long positive career with the Chicago White Sox, helping us try to do what we want to do moving forward."
Giolito broke out big last season, a year after recording the highest ERA (6.13) in the major leagues.
After overhauling his mechanics and making a mental adjustment, the 26-year-old righty went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA while piling up 228 strikeouts in 176⅔ innings.
Giolito also pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game and finished seventh in American League Cy Young Award voting.
Earlier Sunday, before Renteria gave him the opening nod, Giolito said he is ready to roll.
"Getting the pitch count up, logging some (intrasquad) innings (Saturday) night, I feel prepared," Giolito said. "I feel prepared for my first start, getting the pitch count up there in the 100 range. I know my routine. I know what I need to do to put myself in a position to be successful, so I just need to stick to that."
Rizzo update:
He's been bothered by lower back tightness for most of summer camp, but first baseman Anthony Rizzo is still hoping to be in the Cubs' starting lineup Friday night when the Cubs open the season against the Brewers.
"I feel like with how I felt today, how I was moving today, it's definitely in the right direction to being reality," Rizzo said. "We pushed it a little (Saturday) but today really pushed it and it feels great. I was hitting today with really no pain at all."
Bombs away:
Luis Robert struck out on three pitches in his first at-bat against the Cubs' Kyle Hendricks Sunday night, and the White Sox's wunderkind was thrown out trying to steal second base after singling in his second trip to the plate.
The performance paled in comparison to Robert's monster Saturday night, when he hit 2 homers in the Sox's intrasquad game that likely traveled a combined 850-900 feet. Robert did add an RBI double in his third at-bat vs. the Cubs.
"I see myself as a complete hitter," Robert said through a translator. "I don't see myself as just a home run hitter. Sometimes when I think of hitting homers I get too anxious and that's not good for my game. Right now, I'm just trying to make good and solid contact with the ball."
The White Sox's 22-year-old rookie center fielder realizes it's going to be a learning experience hitting against opposing pitchers who have great off-speed stuff, pitchers like Hendricks.
"Just recognize them and be able to let them go," Robert said. "If there is a breaking ball and it's not in the strike zone, I'm just going to take it. I think that's going to be my approach. There's nothing else I need to do."