White Sox’ Lucas Giolito doesn’t need contract year for incentive — but it can’t hurt

GLENDALE, Ariz. — This very could well be Lucas Giolito’s last season in a White Sox uniform.

There’s no avoiding the reality of that probability, and that Giolito will be pitching for a new contract as he hits free agency after the season. For the Sox, that might be a good thing, knowing Giolito will be motivated to the nines knowing a nine-figure contract would be in reach should he return to his staff ace form of 2019-21.

But knowing Giolito is to also know he’s not the sort who needs a contract year for incentive. Giolito beat himself up after every poor outing of his disappointing 2022 season, when he posted an 11-9 record and 4.90 ERA.

“He’s the type of guy if something he’s not happy with, he’s the first one in my office the very next day,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said. “He’s very hard on himself. And he works extremely hard and that’s why he’s probably so hard on himself. He wants to be really good and he wants the results now.”

Believing a bigger body would benefit him, the 6-6 Giolito gained 20 pounds came to camp at a bulked up 280 pounds last spring. He suffered a lower abdominal strain on Opening Day.

Wanting to be “more athletic” this season, Giolito ate better, cutting down on fatty foods and hit the gym.

“His body is in a much better spot than it was last year after everything we went through,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said. “That was the goal, to get it back to where it’s been. And he’s in phenomenal shape. His strength numbers are as good as they were last year with all that weight.”

Now it’s a matter of the Sox making sure Giolito doesn’t overwork himself during camp.

“He’s coming in great shape. He looks the part,” Katz said.

Whether it translates into a cleaner delivery and mechanics and upticks in velocity remains to be seen. There are numerous factors involved.

“It’s still early. Guys are still building up,” Katz said.

The Sox collectively say they’re motivated after last season’s 81-81 disappointment. Giolito is part of large pack of individuals in that regard.

“I just took last year’s failure as big time motivation,” said Giolito, who finished sixth, seventh and 11th in America League Cy Young voting in 2019, 2020 and 2020, “so I worked really hard in the gym, kind of revamped, just the focus and attention to every little area when it comes to getting my body in the correct shape so my muscles are strong, loose, and I’m able to explode when I want to.”

As for the next contract, Giolito — who will be paid $10.4 million this season — isn’t dwelling on it.

“If that’s something that’s on my mind I can start to add pressure on myself that I don’t really want to add,” he said. “We already have enough in the sense of what we want to do as an organization, as a team, coming after such a disappointment last season.

“Looking around camp, seeing so many guys show up in great shape and watching bullpens and just unreal stuff right now, our focus is on righting the ship from last year and going out and playing really good White Sox baseball. If I do my part doing that, then everything else will take care of itself.”

Manager Pedro Grifol, who is eyeballing the Sox roster up close for the first time, says Giolito looks very confident in camp. On Saturday, Giolito pitched to live hitters.

“He toed that rubber and he was in command,” Grifol said. “He did a great job this offseason in putting himself in tremendous shape. He looks strong, he feels strong. Now it’s just a matter of building his work capacity up, and his baseball work capacity. He’s going to be in a really good spot.”