White Sox notes: Giolito struggles, Rodon progresses, Quintana returns

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PEORIA, Ariz. -- Lucas Giolito didn’t make it out of the first inning in his start against the Seattle Mariners Tuesday at Peoria Stadium, allowing four runs on four hits with two walks in two-thirds of an inning.

Giolito didn’t get a swinging strike over the 30 pitches he threw, and he didn’t finish off his allotted pitch count by throwing in the bullpen after he was pulled. In his previous start March 9, Giolito lasted four innings and allowed one run. 

While it’s unfair to read too much into spring training results, Giolito did issue back-to-back walks to load the bases and then score a run. Seattle went on to win, 7-6.

"It’s hard to pinpoint one issue," Giolito said. "I didn’t really execute anything I was trying to do today. As a starting pitcher, you want to work efficiently, you want to throw low pitch count innings, work through a game and I threw, what, 30 pitches. Didn’t get out of the first inning. Just didn’t do my job." 

Another "simmy" on tap for Rodon

Carlos Rodon threw 64 pitches over four "innings" of a simulated game on Tuesday, but the White Sox have yet to set a date for when the left-hander will make his first Cactus League start of 2017.

Rodon got up and down four times and threw all of his pitches -- he hadn’t thrown his slider before Tuesday -- from the both stretch and windup. Manager Rick Renteria said the White Sox have one more simulated game lined up for Rodon before he could potentially get into a game. 

"(Pitching coach Don Cooper) was really happy with how he looked," relayed Renteria. 

'Q’ back from WBC

Jose Quintana returned to Camelback Ranch on Tuesday after spending the weekend in Miami with the Colombian National Team for the World Baseball Classic. Despite Quintana’s best efforts -- 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the United States on Friday -- Colombia was eliminated from the tournament. 

The White Sox haven’t formulated a plan for Quintana, but he’ll likely stay on the same schedule he had while ramping up for the World Baseball Classic. Renteria said last week the White Sox could look to have Quintana pitch in 'B’ games to keep his intensity level low after he started that higher stress game at Marlins Park on Friday. 

And as for whether or not Quintana will start Opening Day, Renteria didn’t provide an answer: "We’re still setting it all up right now and I promise you guys will get it as soon as I get it."

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