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The Toronto Blue Jays believe they have a chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and made some moves at the trade deadline accordingly.
Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox became the first player in Major League Baseball to pitch a no-hitter this season on Tuesday night. He needed 101 pitches to blank the Pittsburgh Pirates and help his team earn an important 4-0 victory.
It was the first no-hitter of the 26-year-old’s career, but something the youngster claims he had always envisioned he would do one day.
“It’s crazy, man,’’ Giolito told reporters following the game. “The weird thing is I always envisioned I’d throw a no-hitter.”
The youngster had a terrific start to the game and was able to see it through, as he shut down Pittsburgh one batter at a time.
“I knew it was working after the first inning,” Giolito said. “It just kept building and building. After the sixth inning was when I really started to notice what was going on. After the seventh, I was like, ‘I got six outs. We’re going to make this happen.'”
Not only was the accomplishment the first no-hitter of Giolito’s career, it is also the first no-hitter without fans in history. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the league to alter much of how it does business and one casualty has been live fans.
“2020 has been a very strange year,” he said. “Obviously a lot of weird stuff going on with COVID and the state of the world, so may as well throw this in the mix.”
Giolito was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. He was traded to Chicago in December 2016 where he has started in 75 games. In seven starts this season for the White Sox, Giolito is 3-2 with a 3.09 ERA.
The pitcher has become a vital part of Chicago’s locker room and his teammates were thrilled for the youngster following the game.
“Unfortunately, we’re in a really weird era with the virus,’’ said White Sox right fielder Adam Engel. “It stinks we can’t celebrate the way most no-hitters and perfect games are celebrated.
“He made history in a very old game,” Engel continued. “I still can’t get over how excited I am for Lucas. I’m still on cloud nine from the game.”
“We are all just so stoked for Lucas. So happy and ecstatic. Very emotional.’’
Chicago has had an impressive start to the season sitting at 18-12 after 30 games of play. They are tied for second in the competitive American League Central division, as they battle the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians for top spot. The White Sox have not won the division since 2008 and would love nothing more than to end the drought this season.
Regardless, they should have no issues getting into the playoffs though under the league’s new 16-team format and could be a dangerous squad for any club to play, especially if Giolito continues his run of fine form. His fastball and changeup are proving to be a lethal combination for any batter to come up against.
The White Sox will continue their series against the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon, before hosting the Kansas City Royals in a three-game series starting on Friday evening.
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton will be out for at least four weeks after suffering a left hamstring strain. He has been placed on the IL.
