Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito is confident his team will meet sky-high exceptions during a big year for the club in 2021, and particularly for the pitching staff.
"We’re just really, really good, and we know we are," Giolito said, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "Especially me focusing on the pitching side, our rotation I think we’re super nasty. The bullpen is the best in the league. The expectations are high from outside sources, but also internally.
"We own that. We just know that we have to stay focused, we have to take it game to game."
The White Sox signed right-hander Liam Hendriks, the top reliever available in free agency, to a four-year, $54-million contract in January to bolster their bullpen. Touted prospect Michael Kopech is also returning to the club this season as a reliever to further strengthen the relief corps.
Additionally, the White Sox acquired veteran starter Lance Lynn in a December trade with the Texas Rangers.
Giolito, who was recently named the team's Opening Day starter for the second straight year, leads a rotation that's projected to include Lynn, Dallas Keuchel, Dylan Cease, and Carlos Rodon, with Reynaldo Lopez also among the options to start.
The 26-year-old Giolito has come into his own over the last two seasons following early-career struggles. After posting a 6.13 ERA with a 6.49 K/9 over 32 starts in 2018, he's gone 18-12 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 325 strikeouts over 249 innings (11.75 K/9) across 41 starts.
