GLENDALE, Ariz. — After pitching in a game for the first time with the pitch clock, Lucas Giolito can see it helping him in 2023.
“When I get to a really good rhythm I go quicker,” Giolito said. “The pitch clock forces you into that faster pace, which can be a good thing. Like ‘boom get the ball, pitch, pitch, pitch.’ It doesn’t give you too much time to think or over analyze.”
Giolito’s analysis of Mookie Betts’ homer leading off the first inning was that Betts hit a well-located pitch. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked no one and struck out three in the Dodgers’ 8-4 win.
“Velocity doesn’t matter too much right now but I was pleased with it,” Giolito said. “The differential with the fastball around 92-93 [mph] and changeup down to like 79-80, that’s always good. The changeup was getting a lot of swings and misses.”
Clevinger’s first outing
Matched up with Clayton Kershaw in a B game right-hander Mike Clevinger also pitched two innings in his first game action of spring training.
The results were mixed. Clevinger elevated a slider and allowed a home run to minor leaguer Yusniel Diaz, walked one batter and struck out three. He threw 43 pitches and allowed two runs.
“I feel more prepared in this camp than I have my whole time playing,” he said.
Sunday’s outing was about “getting into the flow of sequencing” and “getting back into the flow of the game,” he said.
Clevinger said he is scheduled to start his first Cactus League game in five or six days.
Great start, but work to be done for Oscar Colas
Cuban prospect Oscar Colas is playing every day and making the most of it as he tries to win the right fielder’s job. Colas entered Sunday’s game against the Dodgers with seven hits in 18 at-bats and one stolen base.
Six of his first seven hits were singes, spread to all fields.
“If they throw me inside, I’m going to keep my hands inside of the ball and pull the ball.” he said. “I’m just going to take advantage of the whole field.”
Playing every day “means they are giving me the chance to earn a spot in the major league roster and that’s what I want,” Colas said. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Colas is far from a finished product, though.
“He’s got a lot of work to do on the bases,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “I’ve spoken to him about it. We’ve had our meetings.”
“He’s one guy that we talk about daily on the fundamentals and the details of the game. The bat is the bat, right? Everybody sees that part of it. We want to refine everything else to his game.”
Dave Wills, RIP
Tampa Bay Rays broadcaster Dave Wills, a native of Oak Lawn who worked 11 seasons on the White Sox Radio Network with John Rooney and Ed Farmer as a pre and postgame host, died Sunday. He was 58. Wills served as Rays broadcaster since 2005.