The White Sox announced Friday that they’ve avoided arbitration with right-hander Lucas Giolito by signing him to a one-year deal worth $7.45MM. The two sides recently exchanged arbitration figures, with Giolito’s camp submitting at $7.5MM and the Sox at $7.3MM. The Sox will settle a bit north of the midpoint to avoid a hearing with their top young starter.
Giolito, 27, is in his second season of arbitration eligibility after earning $4.15MM in his first trip through the process. The Sox and Giolito discussed extension scenarios prior to the 2021 season, but Giolito reportedly turned down a four-year deal worth a guaranteed $50MM plus a fifth-year club option. In turning down the deal, Giolito bet on himself and, at least through the first year of that bet, looks to have done well.
The 2021 campaign saw Giolito post a career-best 178 2/3 innings while pitching to a 3.53 ERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate against a similarly strong 7.2% walk rate. The former first-round pick made 31 starts for the South Siders, marking the third time in four years since being traded over from the Nationals that he’s started at least 29 games. The lone exception was the shortened 2020 season, during which Giolito started a full slate of 12 games.
After a dismal first season with the ChiSox in 2018, Giolito broke out to the tune of a 3.41 ERA through 176 2/3 frames the following season. He’s largely matched that performance each year since, solidifying himself not only as Chicago’s most consistent starter but also one of the better young arms in the American League.
The jump from $4.15MM to $7.45MM represents a raise of nearly 80% for Giolito, and if he’s able to achieve a similarly sized boost next year, he could see his salary vault into the $12-13MM range in what would be his final season before free agency. At that point, assuming good health, Giolito would be poised to reach the open market in advance of his age-29 season and with nearly $25MM in arbitration earnings already in his pocket. Viewed through that lens, it’s easy to see why Giolito wasn’t swayed by the team’s $50MM offer, which could’ve kept him from reaching the market until he was set to enter his age-31 season.
Three sox posts in a row? We’re not used to the notoriety
Steady performer, smart move, some big years ahead for Lucas.
But only 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. RIP, Meat Loaf.
You guys will be seeing the Braves in the World Series.
Someone check on Dogbone. He’s probably going into Sox hate overload.
Dogbone’s internet in his mom’s basement is not working!
Am I the only one who thinks that is just an obscene bargain? His agent needs to get them to buy out his arb years and start making the money he should be making.
It takes 2. Giolito unlikely to forego a shot at FA in 2yrs (age 29) unless the WSox extend him for the long haul at big guarantee of minimum $150mil well into his 30s. No bad guy in someone rolling the dice as a player or a club not keen to dish out monster deal to pitchers who often drop off quick.
underpaying him doesn’t lend himself to wanting to stick around. I say he’s gone at first opportunity cuz the sox are cheap especially with pitchers not named Liam.
He’s not underpaid for his arb years. He doesn’t want to extend unless it’s for a massive guarantee. If he reaches FA, yes it’s a near given any number of deeper pocket teams will outbid them.
This is not the NFL. He bet on himself and provided he stays healthy, looks like he will be rewarded. However, not everyone who bets on himself becomes a happy camper (i.e. a certain ex-Met RFer). Team payroll also plays a roll. Money is managed and payrolls are projected.
Sounds like you want a time machine, unfortunately this is the silly collective bargaining that the players association has been fighting for decades now.
…off topic….I want a time machine…
The clubs that want to keep their top talent will lock them up as soon as possible. That is the anti-reinsdorf thing to do. Giolito will be a yankee soon.
@Moneyballer
Let’s see. Jimenez, Robert, Moncada, TA.
And in the past, Sale, Quintana, Eaton (which led to some nice returns in those trades).
You sure that’s the anti-Reinsdorf thing to do?
Yankees? No moves. Brett Gardner.
You can add Aaron Bummer to the list of current young players the White Sox extended. They also signed ace Lance Lynn to a 2yrs/$39MM contract extension that includes another $18MM option for the 2024 season. Lynn could have been a free agent this past offseason after having one more year of team control when the White Sox acquired him from the Rangers for top SP prospect Dane Dunning two offseasons ago.
“Ace!?” That’s a stretch.
That FO gets no credit for this better late than never move. They deserve all the scorn they have received and will continue to receive for their tone-deaf and penny pinching ways.
The one case of them all that I think took way too long to resolve.
Ya know when arb is submitted neither player nor team knows what the other will offer. This is actually really close and why they settled.
The Sox need to sign this guy to a real 2-3 year contract if he performs well. Can’t believe we are paying Dallas at all at this point. Lock this guy up if he does well this year, and move on.
Extend Keuchel. He’ll sign easily, and for ‘Reinsdorf type’ money.
Yes!!!! Now extend him to a five year $80 million contract.
That would be a record breaker for Jerry, but Giolito is going for the big dough in a couple of years.
Good Jerry, stay 50k below what he’s asking for (fair value) and piss him off so that he doesn’t want to stick around long term. Completely arbitrary saving. Smh.
Y’all just having a good time in the front office!
A lot of White Sox news today, more good than bad. With today’s new roster moves (soxon35th.com/white-sox-update-lucas-giolito-agree…) I’m guessing the front office isn’t done with their ‘tweeks’ before opening day. Hopefully they will include something significant like another quality SP, most likely from the A’s in a trade. With AJ Pollock now a regular in the White Sox lineup and outfield, the front office might be more amenable to moving Gavin Sheets in a trade for LHP Sean Manaea. It would probably take Andrew Vaughn to centerpiece a deal for Frankie Montas, something I would not like to happen. Hopefully the optioning of Zack Collins to AAA today means the White Sox are also looking to add a veteran backup catcher to their roster. They could also use another southpaw in their bullpen to supplement Aaron Bummer with the bad news regarding Garrett Crochet.
Here we go again for those that dont get the process:It’s not about cheap owners not willing to pay someone what their worth. SO IF the team had paid him(or any other player) what THEY think they’re worth-does NOT help the team when it comes to a player hitting FA or an extention.
“oh the team paid me well during arbitration, so I’m gonna give them a deal on an extention…”!
IT does not work that way. Arbitration is business. And the neither side should hold a grudge if they lose.
A good player has the right to get as much as he can, and not get ticked when he get shorted afew $100k in arbitration. Cus when they become a FA and have a choice; money talks- just ask Kris Bryant:)
The process is already understood. No one should expect Giolito to take some sweetheart deal after his arbitration years because he was paid what he initially asked for. But it doesn’t hurt to have good relations throughout each arbitration year. Both sides are basing their compensation conclusions on Giolito’s peers who have similar scenarios and statistics. And the gap in desired money is almost non existent. This looks petty from Reinsdorfs position. No need to fuel a potential PR problem.