GLENDALE, Ariz. — After pitching in a game for the first time with the pitch clock Sunday, right-hander Lucas Giolito said he can see it helping him in 2023.
‘‘When I get to a really good rhythm, I go quicker,’’ Giolito said. ‘‘The pitch clock forces you into that faster pace, which can be a good thing. Like, ‘Boom, get the ball, pitch, pitch, pitch.’ It doesn’t give you too much time to think or overanalyze.’’
Giolito’s analysis of Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ home run leading off the first inning was that Betts hit a well-located pitch. Giolito allowed two runs and three hits, walked no one and struck out three in two innings in the Dodgers’ 8-4 victory.
‘‘Velocity doesn’t matter too much right now, but I was pleased with it,’’ Giolito said. ‘‘The differential with the fastball around 92 or 93 [mph] and changeup down to, like, 79 or 80, that’s always good. The changeup was getting a lot of swings-and-misses.’’
Clevinger’s first outing
Matched up against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw in a ‘‘B’’ game, right-hander Mike Clevinger also pitched two innings in his first game action of spring training.
The results were mixed. Clevinger elevated a slider and allowed a homer to minor-leaguer Yusniel Diaz, walked one and struck out three. He threw 43 pitches and allowed two runs.
‘‘I feel more prepared in this camp than I have my whole time playing,’’ he said.
The outing was about ‘‘getting into the flow of sequencing’’ and ‘‘getting back into the flow of the game,’’ Clevinger said.
Great start, but work to be done
Cuban prospect Oscar Colas is playing every day and making the most of it as he tries to win the right-field job. Colas entered the game against the Dodgers with seven hits in 18 at-bats and a stolen base.
Six of his first seven hits were singles, spread to all fields.
‘‘If they throw me inside, I’m going to keep my hands inside of the ball and pull the ball,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m just going to take advantage of the whole field.’’
Playing every day ‘‘means they are giving me the chance to earn a spot in the major-league roster, and that’s what I want,’’ Colas said. ‘‘That’s what I’m here for.’’
He is far from a finished product, however.
‘‘He’s got a lot of work to do on the bases,’’ manager Pedro Grifol said. ‘‘I’ve spoken to him about it. We’ve had our meetings.
‘‘He’s one guy that we talk about daily on the fundamentals and the details of the game. The bat is the bat, right? Everybody sees that part of it. We want to refine everything else to his game.’’
Ex-Sox pregame, postgame host dies
Rays broadcaster Dave Wills, a native of Oak Lawn who worked 11 seasons on the White Sox Radio Network with John Rooney and Ed Farmer as a pregame and postgame host, died at 58. He had served as a Rays broadcaster since 2005.
DODGERS 8, SOX 4
• Designated hitter Eloy Jimenez went 2-for-2 before leaving the team to join the Dominican Republic for the World Baseball Classic. Jimenez is 8-for-16 (all singles) with two walks and two strikeouts and is ready to face teammates Lance Lynn and Kendall Graveman of Team USA, if necessary. ‘‘They are on the other team, so they are my enemy,’’ Jimenez said. ‘‘We are going to compete.’’
• Right-hander Gregory Santos, acquired in an offseason trade with the Giants, made his third scoreless relief appearance. Santos, who features velocity in the upper-90s, has three strikeouts in three innings without allowing a walk.
• In the first roster cuts of camp, the Sox optioned right-hander Jonathan Stiever to Triple-A Charlotte and reassigned right-handers Sean Burke and Matt Thompson, outfielder Luis Mieses, shortstop Colson Montgomery and catcher Evan Skoug to minor-league camp.
• On deck: The Sox enjoy the first of two days off this spring Monday. Lynn is slated to start against the Brewers and Corbin Burnes on Tuesday in Glendale.
