He was the key return in the trade package which brought Adam Eaton to Washington DC, now former Nat Lucas Giolito has a no-hitter on his resume.
Sure, Lucas Giolito is an up and coming major league pitcher. Up until this point though he was probably best known for having a grandfather who was an actor on the TV sitcom Seinfeld. No longer.
In a very efficient evening, Giolito no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, throwing just 101 pitches on a night he struck out thirteen. In a wild, sixty-game shortened season, the game of baseball has something traditional to hang on to.
Forget the seven inning double headers for a while. Push aside the idea of an extra inning game starting with a runner on second base and no outs. Close your eyes and bask in the glory of baseball in its purity, a classic nine-inning no-hitter.
While Giolito throws for the Chicago White Sox now, he was drafted, groomed, and debuted with the Washington Nationals. He made four starts in 2016 with the Nats, before being moved in the offseason as the headliner in a package which returned Adam Eaton.
The Nationals fervor to find a potential leadoff hitter cost them a young arm with a high upside. At times Giolito has shown glimpses of staff ace material. Other times not.
He had a 6.13 earned run average two years ago, though rebounded last year to put together an All-Star campaign.
As Giolito blossoms into a frontline starter, Nationals fans will sit back and wonder what it would be like to have him still pitching in Nationals Park. Every time Erick Fedde or Austin Voth take the mound, Nationals fans will sit back and wonder what could have been with Giolito.
Hindsight is 20/20 and who knows if the Nats make the run to the World Series a year ago if they do not have Adam Eaton on their team.
One thing remains. In a game of “what have you done for me lately”, every time Eaton grounds out weakly, strikes out hopelessly, or pops out painfully, Nationals fans will sit back and wonder.
Congratulations to Lucas Giolito on pitching the 19th no hitter in White Sox history.