The White Sox announced Wednesday that they’ve reinstated righty Lucas Giolito from the Covid-related injured list and opened a spot on the 40-man by transferring righty Lance Lynn to the 60-day injured list. It’s a procedural move that doesn’t impact Lynn’s timetable; he’s eligible to be activated on June 6, as the “60-day” minimum window is retroactive to his original IL placement — not today’s transfer.
Giolito was placed on the Covid list just last week but will return in a matter of days. The brief stint on the IL pushed back his start by a few days, as he’ll be taking the hill for the first time since May 10 when he does so in a few hours against the Royals. Giolito also missed 12 days earlier this season due to an abdominal strain, but he’s been characteristically excellent when on the active roster. In five starts (26 2/3 innings), he’s pitched to a 2.70 ERA with a 35.2% strikeout rate and an 8.6% walk rate. Dating back to his 2019 breakout campaign, Giolito has been Chicago’s most consistent starter, turning in 454 1/3 frames of 3.43 ERA ball and thrice receiving down-ballot Cy Young votes.
Lynn, 35, left his final Spring Training start with knee discomfort, and subsequent evaluations revealed a torn tendon that required surgical repair. He’s yet to embark on a minor league rehab assignment and isn’t even slated to face live hitters for the first time until Friday, so he wasn’t likely to return prior to June 6 anyhow. Assuming all goes well with his live batting practice session and his handful of minor league rehab outings, an early or mid-June return seems realistic.
The Sox inked Lynn to a two-year, $38MM extension with a third-year club option last July. He’d been set to reach the open market following the 2021 campaign and likely would’ve been positioned as one of the market’s top veteran arms, but he opted for the security of a new multi-year deal with a win-now club that’s just a few hours from his hometown in Indiana. Over the past three seasons, Lynn carries a 3.26 ERA with a 27.5% strikeout rate and a 6.9% walk rate in 449 1/3 frames.
With Giolito now back and Lynn perhaps not terribly far behind, the White Sox’ rotation is approaching full strength for the first time this season. They’ll have some decisions to make, barring further injuries, as Giolito and Lynn will join a starting mix that also includes Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, Dallas Keuchel, Vince Velasquez and Johnny Cueto, who blanked Kansas City over seven frames in an outstanding ChiSox debut this week. Of that group, Keuchel and Velasquez have struggled considerably, though Keuchel’s $18MM salary may earn him some additional leash. Kopech, meanwhile, could have his innings carefully monitored as he embarks on his first full season as a big league starter.
Kuechel is married to that women who does Quick Pitch, right? I wonder if she likes breaking down every beating he takes each start.
Kelly Nash doesn’t host QP as often as in the past but yes she is married to Dallas Kuechel
That’s her. I couldn’t remember which one but I vaguely remembered it being one of those ladies.
Yeah they are a lovely, deserving couple. I wonder which one, is higher maintenance. Their conversations must be really enlightening.
Dallas has gotten paid, I’m sure she gets over it pretty quickly.
.500 record is perfect reflection of this ballclub. Enough talent on offense to show bad teams who is boss at a decent clip, but same position players in no way make them a contender when they face the good AL teams (especially on the road) because they are bottom feeders nowhere near as good as they think they are. TA is the exception as a really good pure hitter…..and Robert has emerged. Moncada/Eloy even when healthy/Grandal/Abreu are the liabilities…..yes “I only hit in warm weather Abreu” is the posterboy. If you plan to be relevant or a leader for Chicago October baseball, work hard at your craft in cooler weather instead of lamenting it each season.
Moncada is worse than Abreu in cool weather.
And I saw Grandal dropped another throw from the OFer, the other day. $18M/yr for that stellar defense lol.
Going to be fun watching Dallas come up short of 160 inns then go ballistic as he holds a 5.50 era
The hell with these players feelings on vesting options, if you were any good today the team would have you blow past 160 with ease
Contracts mean something
Gonna be real interesting what they decide to do when Lynn is back. VV and Keuchel fighting for 5th spot, all while they are being clearly out pitched by 14th rd pick Davis Martin.
“Covid” LOL!