Are the White Sox thinking big?
Of course they are. What’s the point of thinking small, Lucas Giolito says.
“If we don’t win the World Series then we’ve never really done what we came to do,” Giolito said Tuesday. “I thought that making the postseason was a good step in the right direction. But now that we’re here, why not go out and win the whole thing?”
It’s the mindset manager Rick Renteria wants and that shouldn’t come as shock, although if you’re among those who’ve followed the Sox since their last World Series in 2005, it’s still a bit jarring to the system hearing the Sox talk like this.
After all, it’s been 15 years, and 12 since the Sox were in the playoffs.
“Absolutely,” Renteria said. “You need to have a vision, you need to have a measurable goal, you need something to push you.
“We’re all on the same page with that.”
The Sox clinched a postseason berth last Thursday, and might find themselves matched against the Indians in a best-of-three first round next week. Right now, they’re in the middle of an important four-game series with playoff seeding ramifications the could lead to them matching up against each other in the best-of-three wild card next week.
In the featured matchup of the current series it’s Giolito vs. Shane Bieber, the AL Cy Young favorite and a Most Valuable Player contender with an 8-1 record, 1.74 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings, on Wednesday. Giolito, like Bieber an All-Star last season, is 4-3, 3.53 with 86 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings and has a 2.56 ERA in six career starts against the Indians and a 1.38 mark with 15 strikeouts against them in 13 innings this season.
The Sox are currently the 2 seed, the Indians 7, and Giolito and Bieber could oppose each other again in Game 1 of the playoffs, which would be the first taste of the postseason for Giolito and the majority of the Sox.
Playoff-tested veterans like Yasmani Grandal and Dallas Keuchel have shared that “there’s nothing like it,” Giolito said.
“The excitement at an all time high,” Giolito said. “For us, guys who haven’t been to the playoffs, it’s going to be a ton of fun. That’s what I’m focused on, just enjoying it. When it’s time to take the ball and pitch I know the job I have, just give it my 110 % and that’s pretty much how us younger guys are all viewing it. Just enjoy the experience despite it being different and weird. It’s going to be, hopefully, the first of many.”
Grandal hand still swollen, he’s day to day
Grandal, who left Monday’s game against the Indians after taking a foul tip off his right while catching, still had swelling Tuesday and was available in an emergency, Renteria said. He’s day-to-day, although with Giolito pitching likely wouldn’t catch in favor of James McCann Wednesday even at 100 percent.
“He’s doing fine, he’s doing good, it’s just about getting that swelling out of there,” Renteria said.
This and that
Right-hander Evan Marshall, who is expected to come off the injured list (shoulder inflammation) this weekend, “has been throwing and he’s doing well,” Renteria said.
*The Sox were 17-10 on the road (.630) through Monday after losing three of the first four games on the road trip, the third-best record in the major leagues behind the Dodgers (.733) and Tampa Bay (.655) and their best mark after 27 games since 2005 (18-9).
