According to Bob Nightengale, the White Sox will not resign Lucas Giolito in the offseason. This comes as a slight surprise, as the White Sox will most likely be left with two rotation holes to fill, assuming they don’t resign Mike Clevinger.
A Bit Of A Surprise
Before the season, it seemed like a no-brainer to let Giolito walk, as the past two years have left much to be desired. But, Gio has pitched very well this year, as he has arguably been the White Sox’s most consistent pitcher.
So far Gio is 1-2 with a 3.67 ERA. He has 41 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. This is much more like the Giolito that was an all-star just a couple years ago. He looks more confident, and he has effectively used three pitches, which was one of his major weaknesses.
But, with the report coming today that they don’t plan on to resign him, that was a slight surprise. I can see if the Sox are still bad and he continues to pitch well then they would trade him, but if they are good enough to keep him through the year, I don’t see why he would be a bad piece to keep around.
It should all depend on the direction that the White Sox decide to go. If they want and try to compete next year, then he should be retained unless he is asking for too much money. Perhaps that is where the discrepancy is, but as of right now, if he were to be paid about 12-15 million a year, I would consider that to be a steal if he continues to pitch like this.
What further complicates the situation is the potential replacement. The White Sox have a lack of talent in the minor leagues, but they especially lack in the pitching prospect department. Minus Davis Martin, there would be nobody else to step in and contribute at a high level. I would imagine the Sox let Clevinger go after the season, so if Martin takes his spot, Gio would leave a big hole.
As frustrating as Giolito can be to watch, he has persevered through some very tough seasons and has looked much better this year. If the White Sox want to compete and the price is right then they should 100% bring him back.
On the other hand, if they are going in a different direction, they need to make sure that they trade him during the year so they don’t lose him for nothing. At this rate, I could see a team giving up a top 100 or fringe top 100 prospect for Gio, as pitching comes at a premium at the deadline.
Other Names Could Be On The Move
Bob Nightengale also noted that if the White Sox do decide to sell then Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman could be names on the move. Those names would not net the White Sox a huge haul but would be smart to unload if the team is not competing.
It will be interesting to follow how the White Sox handle the trade deadline, as they have been able to win a couple of games recently. One will wonder if that will inspire Rick Hahn to make a move to push this team to try and win. But, if they don’t look like they can compete, it will be interesting to see who is on the move.
He’ll be gone by the end of June…trade him now before he gets hurt.
I see where Giolito got the best grade of any of the Sox starters! I suppose that makes him too expensive for this penny pinching organization!
If the White Sox want to compete and the price is right then they should 100% bring him back.