GLENDALE, ARIZ. — The Chicago White Sox announced one-year deals for 23 players Wednesday.
With that, they’ve reached terms for 2022 with 39 members of their 40-man roster.
The one left is starting pitcher Lucas Giolito. When asked Wednesday morning if he was headed to arbitration, the right-hander said, “It’s looking like it.”
“Very frustrating,” Giolito said. “First of all, I love White Sox fans. I appreciate all the love (Tuesday) night on Twitter from those guys. It’s just very unfortunate. Disheartening.
“Honestly, I just love this team. You guys know how I feel about this team. For it to come down to, prior to the filing, a $50K difference, it’s like, come on. It’s just an upsetting part of the process, I guess. That’s why a lot of us don’t really enjoy that business side. Want to play the game and just be able to focus on the fun stuff, but that’s part of it, I guess.”
Giolito, 27, said the $50,000 difference was during the negotiating portion.
“That’s where it’s a little frustrating,” he said.
Because of the lockout, a possible arbitration case could take place during the season.
“At that point, it’s out of your hands and I’m able to focus on the team and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Giolito said. “Has no effect whatsoever. I’m always going to play 100% for all the guys behind me. We’re trying to do something special this year, so when it gets to that point, we have people hired for that.”
Giolito received American League Cy Young Award votes each of the last three seasons. He tied for sixth in 2019, finished seventh in 2020 and tied for 11th last season. He went 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 31 starts in 2021.
He was the opening-day starter each of the last two seasons and is under consideration along with Lance Lynn for that duty again this year.
Giolito is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season.
“Like I’ve always said about extensions and stuff, I absolutely love this team,” he said. “It’s just, for me, the more I play, the more I understand my value as a player and I just want fair. It’s always fair for me. And that’s where I’m at.”
Giolito was one of three arbitration-eligible Sox players this offseason. The team announced deals with pitcher Reynaldo López and outfielder Adam Engel, avoiding arbitration.
López agreed to a one-year, $2.625 million deal. Engel agreed to a $2 million deal.
The Sox also announced one-year deals with pitchers Jason Bilous, Ryan Burr, Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet, Matt Foster, Michael Kopech, Jimmy Lambert, José Ruiz, Anderson Severino, Bennett Sousa and Jonathan Stiever; catchers Zack Collins, Yermín Mercedes and Seby Zavala; infielders Jake Burger, Romy Gonzalez, Danny Mendick and Gavin Sheets; and outfielders Micker Adolfo, Blake Rutherford and Andrew Vaughn.
Cease and the Sox came to terms at $750,000. Kopech’s deal is for $730,000.
It remains to be seen how the process will shake out for the Sox and Giolito.
“Just want to get something fair done,” Giolito said, “and it’s unfortunate that this is the spot that we are in today.”
