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The two best pitchers in Chicago right now are Lucas Giolito of the White Sox and Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs. A no-doubter.

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Jon Lester, the second-best starter on the Cubs, began the season strong, but his last three outings have been disasters. Nobody on the White Sox even comes close.

“He’s done a nice job of growing, maturing and making the adjustments and now executing and going and doing his thing,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of Giolito. He’s very confident and maturing.”

Of Hendricks, manager Joe Maddon said: “When he gets on a roll, he normally stays on a roll. He has that kinetic energy that he demonstrates. … When he’s sharp and he’s starting to feel it, you just leave him alone.”

Let’s compare the two.

Season thus far

Giolito: He’s 7-1 over 60 innings pitched, with a 2.85 ERA and a 0.983 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched). His two complete games lead the American League. He has walked 20 and struck out 69.

Hendricks: He’s 5-4 over 70 innings pitched, with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.114 WHIP. He has one complete game, which was a shutout. He has walked 13 and struck out 61.

Month of May

Giolito: 5-0 (41.1 innings pitched) with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.823 WHIP. Remarkable. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 4.60.

Hendricks: 4-0 (44.1 innings pitched) with a 1.81 ERA and a 0.739 WHIP. Also remarkable. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 7.40 (5 walks and 37 strikeouts).

The last outing

Giolito: He matched a career high with 10 strikeouts as the Sox beat the Royals 4-3 Tuesday. He allowed a three-run homer to Alex Gordon in the first inning, then did not surrender another hit until the eighth. He retired 22 of the last 24 batters. He walked only one batter. Pitch count: 107.

Hendricks: Hendricks ended the Cubs’ three-game losing streak with an impressive blend of his fastball, changeup and curveball, as the Cubs beat the Astros 2-1 Wednesday in Houston. He gave up four hits and one run, striking out seven and walking just one. Pitch count: 108.

At home

Giolito: 2-1 at Guaranteed Rate Field with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.160 WHIP. He has given up three homers at home in 25 innings (versus only one dinger in 35 innings on the road).

Hendricks: 2-1 at Wrigley with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.800 WHIP. He has given up one homer at home over 35 innings pitched (versus five homers in 35 innings on the road).

On the road

Giolito: Unbeaten (5-0) away from Sox Park, with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.857 WHIP.

Hendricks: 3-3 with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.429 WHIP.

Next up

Giolito goes Sunday against the Indians at home. Hendricks is scheduled to pitch Tuesday against the Rockies at Wrigley Field.

Conclusion

Both pitchers are having remarkable seasons and had terrific Mays. But if we had to pick one right now to pitch a crucial game, it’s a split decision. (Sorry.) If the game were at Wrigley, it has to be Hendricks, based on his performances there. But on the road, we’d go with Giolito, who has been lights out. Best-case scenario: They face each other for one of the upcoming Sox-Cubs games (June 18-19 at Wrigley; July 6-7 at Guaranteed Rate).

Sources: baiduhai reporting, baseball-reference.com

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