White Sox’ Nicky Lopez, Michael Kopech and Erick Fedde weigh in on tying the franchise record for a single-season losing streak
White Sox fans will see two familiar faces at the ball park Thursday as Boston Red Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Liam Hendriks return to Guaranteed Rate Field for the first time since parting ways with Chicago.
Former staples of the White Sox pitching staff, the organization will welcome them back with a video tribute on the Jumbotron in the middle of the second inning. NBC Sports Chicago plans to air the tribute instead of breaking for commercial.
Giolito (29) pitched seven years on the South Side and was considered the club's ace for most of his White Sox career. During his tenure, he held a 4.20 ERA and went 59-52. He started all 162 of his total outings with Chicago, made his first and only All-Star appearance in 2019, and penned the 19th no-hitter in franchise history on Aug. 20, 2020.
The White Sox traded him, along with right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, at the 2023 trade deadline to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for prospects Ky Bush and Edgar Quero.
Giolito signed with the Red Sox on Jan. 3, 2024 but is expected to miss the entire season with an elbow injury.
Hendriks (35) signed with the White Sox in 2021 and was an instant fan-favorite for his rambunctious, cuss-filled interviews and strikeout reactions. A two-time All-Star with the White Sox (2021, 2022), he emerged as a pivotal piece to the 2021 team that won the American League Central Division.
Before the 2023 season, Hendriks publicly revealed that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Chicago White Sox
He briefly returned to action in May 2023, playing in five games and recording two wins and a save across five innings of work before being affected by an elbow injury that would go on to end his season.
The league honored Hendriks with the AL Comeback Player of the Year award for his return to action following his cancer diagnosis.
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The White Sox declined his $15 million option for 2024. Hendricks signed with the Red Sox on Feb. 20, beginning the season on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
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