Lucas Giolito threw a no-hitter only two years after being the worst pitcher in baseball

Lucas Giolito has thrown the first no-hitter of the 2020 MLB season. The White Sox ace was absolutely dominant against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night, completing the no-hitter on only 101 pitches while striking out 13 batters.

The last out was highly dramatic. Pittsburgh leadoff hitter Erik Gonzalez ripped a line drive to right field that had an exit velocity of 102.6 miles per hour with an expected batting average of .850. Somehow, outfielder Adam Engel caught the ball for the 27th and final out of the night.

Giolito was mostly throwing fastballs and changeups throughout the night, and that was enough to completely overmatch Pittsburgh’s order. Aside from the final out, the Pirates barely made hard contact against Giolito on the night. He was straight dealing.

Giolito’s 30 swings-and-misses were the second most for a no-hitter since 1988, only behind Nolan Ryan’s 31 in 1990, per ESPN.

Lucas Giolito’s no-hitter cements a remarkable turnaround

The no-hitter cements a remarkable two-year turnaround for Giolito. In 2018, Giolito had a 6.13 ERA over 32 starts with the White Sox, which was the worst ERA of any qualifying starter in baseball. It looked like Giolito, a former top prospect with the Washington Nationals, was in danger of going down as a bust. Instead, Giolito was named an All-Star in 2019, finishing the season with a 14–9 record, a 3.41 ERA, and 228 strikeouts.

Giolito is now off to another excellent start for a White Sox team that feels like one of the most exciting in baseball. The South Siders have so much young talent, led by Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada, and Eloy Jimenez. Giolito is only 26 years old, too.

Giolito has actually thrown a no-hitter before. It happened in 2017 from the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. This is the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history and the first since Philip Humber did it in 2012.

The only bummer is that there were no fans in the home stands for the White Sox. Wear a mask and stay home, so when there’s a no-hitter in baseball next season, fans can be there to enjoy it.

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