Lucas Giolito’s final start of 2021 stuck with him.
The Chicago White Sox right-hander allowed four runs on three hits while walking five and striking out four in 4? innings in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros.
“That’s one start that was in the back of my mind through the entire offseason and training and getting ready for this year,” Giolito said last week. “You get to the postseason, you’re facing the best teams, so it’s time to be ready in all facets of the game.”
Giolito was back at it Tuesday, making his first Cactus League start this spring against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one in three scoreless innings.
Giolito, who was credited with the win in the 4-3 victory, struck out the final two batters of a 1-2-3 first and the first two batters of the second.
Giolito described the outing as “solid.”
“I thought the stuff was pretty good,” he said Tuesday. “All my pitches were working. A couple of hiccups falling behind in the count. Made the adjustment quickly, good to feel that early on.”
Giolito went 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 31 regular-season starts last season. He added about 20 pounds of mass in the offseason with more strength and stability in mind.
“Especially with the last couple years having those minor (health issues), the hamstrings,” Giolito said, “just having that strength and stability surrounding it so that I can feel strong and pitch to the best of my ability and maintain health throughout the season.
“If I throw harder, that’s great. But I already like how I pitch, my repertoire. I didn’t go into the offseason like, ‘Oh, I want to go out and throw 100.’ It’s just a matter of … getting stronger, finding the areas that need to be tightened up and tightening them up. I think a big one for me was putting on a little more mass and having that stable body.”
Pitching coach Ethan Katz said Giolito was sitting at 96-97 mph during a recent live bullpen session.
“He’s in a great spot,” Katz said last week. “The (offseason) mass has been a positive. Now the conversations I’ve had with him is, ‘Are you going to be able to keep the mass on?’
“He’s going to have to wake up a little bit sooner and get some calories in and not sleep in and make sure he keeps that on. Good maintenance is going to be beneficial.”
Giolito sat at 94-95 mph Tuesday.
“Right where I want to be,” he said. “All the other pitches playing off of it. Getting swings and misses is always welcomed.”
Giolito said he was able to get into a “nice schedule” in an offseason that included live bullpens. Manager Tony La Russa noticed the work.
“We’re encouraged, he and (Lance) Lynn have done a lot to get ready,” La Russa said before Tuesday’s game. “Sure (there are) other pitchers, top-of-rotation guys on other clubs that felt the responsibility to be accountable. Our guys are.”
Giolito said he felt some differences from the offseason work Tuesday.
“I feel stronger, I feel more stable,” he said. “When I do misfire one, I can quickly get back to where I need to be. … Coming out of the gate here and throwing good sliders. I didn’t hang any, I didn’t get behind any.
“That was a huge issue in the first half last year and we almost had to relearn to throw the slider at the midpoint, whereas now I feel that pitch is coming out very nice, good velocity, good break. And the curveball as well.”
In another encouraging sign, Giolito felt ready for a longer outing Tuesday.
“I could have gone out for more,” he said, “but we’re just going to go step by step.”