Are Giolito, Lynn in for bounce back 2023 seasons?
D.J. Short and Scott Pianowski evaluate Lucas Giolito's stock ahead of the 2023 fantasy baseball season after a disappointing 2022 before giving another Chicago White Sox SP fantasy managers should keep an eye out for.
Video Transcript
SCOTT PIANOWSKI: Last year, if we were doing some of these shows together, I would have told people that Lucas Giolito was going to win a Cy Young or at least be top three. That did not happen. And in fact, almost every investment you would have made in the Chicago White Sox roster it seems like went wrong for poor performance, a lot of guys got hurt. So Lucas Giolito is now pick 145 or so in Yahoo.
But he's still got I think Cy Young stuff. He's in outstanding shape by all reports. And look, I know everybody laughs with this best shape of his life stuff. But when somebody comes to camp and they're in better shape than they have been previously, I put some stock into it.
Maybe just Tony La Russa was the wrong guy at the wrong time. Maybe just too many White Sox got hurt last year. I think Giolito, I want to-- he's young enough. He's still got the upside to lead the league in strikeouts. I think Chicago's going to be a playoff contending team.
Maybe I'm just doubling down because I lost so much on Giolito last year. But the fact that the ADPs really moves into such cheap environment and I still like this roster. I think maybe La Russa was part of the problem. Obviously, a lot of guys got hurt last year. [INAUDIBLE] to all get hurt again. I'm back in Lucas Giolito.
I also think Lance Lynn. He's a little bit older than Giolito, but he's another guy you can get at a decent price. And Lynn was actually good at the end of last year.
DJ SHORT: He was really good.
SCOTT PIANOWSKI: I'd like you to go back into that White Sox pitching staff. I think you'll get some decent returns there.
DJ SHORT: Yeah, Lance Lynn was the pitcher I was talking about earlier that I was able to snag as my third starter. 252 ERA over his final 14 starts last season, with immaculate control, 89 strikeouts, 10 walks in just 85 and 2/3 innings. Remember, he had knee surgery, started late. Got hit around a little bit. That inflated the ERA. I'm all in on Lynn.
We'll see about Giolito. I think what's interesting with Giolito is that-- if you remember, he had COVID last year.
SCOTT PIANOWSKI: I forgot about that.
DJ SHORT: How did that impact him throughout the summer where late in the year his velocity was way down? He was throwing like 91 miles per hour. So yes, so if he's feeling good now, if he's stronger, watch the velocity in the spring, I think that'll give you a good indicator about what version of Giolito we'll see.
SCOTT PIANOWSKI: I totally forgot he had COVID. That makes me even like him even more. I'm going to move him up. I think the last time on this show I said I was going to move somebody up it was Gavin Lux, and look what happened to him. But I'm going to move up Lucas Giolito after we finish this show.
