Wandering around spring training on the major league side for the first time, Lucas Giolito was trying to go unnoticed. Or at least not be a nuisance. As the 6-foot-6, 255-pound top prospect in the Washington Nationals organization, it was hard for Giolito to merely lurk in the background.
February in Viera, Florida, was just a taste for the 21-year-old. He knew his chances of being on the big league roster at the end of camp were near zero, so he was trying to absorb information and have a good time. He talked to the older starters and dispatched photos of his baking creations put together with other minor league roommates. The social options in Viera are limited.
But, Tuesday night, all the lights will be on. Giolito will be called up to the Nationals earlier in the day to pitch in place of the injured Stephen Strasburg, making his major league debut in the midst of a three-game series with the New York Mets, the Nationals’ biggest current rival.
“He’s ready for the task,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.
Giolito was comfortable at spring training. Much of his family has been involved in Hollywood most of their lives. His mother is an actress, his father a producer, his uncle a screenwriter. Giolito has been large and throwing hard since he was intimidating other kids in Little League. He’s never been able to hide from attention, which, the Nationals theorize, makes him all the better for being able to handle it.
“He’s very poised and confident,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “A guy with great stuff. … We don’t think he’ll be overwhelmed in the situation. He’s a guy, with his makeup and confidence level, we feel good about.”
Giolito is ranked by many as the top prospect in the minor leagues, not just in the Nationals’ farm system. He has pitched for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators this season and Rizzo said Giolito was on the cusp of being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse before Strasburg went on the disabled list. He has not been dominant in Harrisburg. Giolito has a 3.17 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 71 innings and a hefty 1.42 WHIP.
The results of his last five starts have fluctuated. Twice, he’s pitched six innings and allowed just a run. He threw seven shutout innings in another start. Though, he has been hit a bit in his last two starts. Giolito lasted just 4 ⅔ innings the last time he was on the mound. He gave up five earned runs, walked four and struck out three.
Rizzo said Giolito, who had Tommy John surgery in 2012, will not be on a pitch limit Tuesday. He also did not commit to what will happen after this first start. The Nationals are still trying to figure out what exactly is wrong with Strasburg. The injury was labeled an “upper back strain” by the team, though manager Dusty Baker and Strasburg each referred to issues with the pitcher’s ribs. Rizzo said Strasburg had an MRI, but that the team did not know the results at the time he was speaking with reporters on Monday afternoon.
In trying to damper the hoopla around Giolito’s debut, Rizzo said it’s just like when Joe Ross or Tanner Roark debuted. Not really. Roark debuted Aug. 7. 2013, when he threw two innings in relief. His first start was Sept. 7, 2013 at Marlins Park in Miami. The Nationals were 13 games out of first place. Ross’ debut carried more similar circumstances to Giolito. He was 21, like Giolito, and the June 6, 2015 game was at Nationals Park. He had also come straight from Double-A Harrisburg. Neither was touted anywhere near the level Giolito has been.
Debuts can have varied results. Nationals ace Max Scherzer came out of the bullpen April 29, 2008 for his debut. He threw 4 ⅓ innings, did not allow a hit and struck out seven. It went well.
“I just remember I had done everything in my life up to [that] point to be prepared for this,” Scherzer said. “I was not going to be nervous to make my major league debut. This is baseball. This is 60 feet, 6 inches. I’m just going to go out there, just do what I’ve always done. Go out there and compete and we’ll see what happens. It turned out to be a very good outing for me.”
Things did not go as well for Gio Gonzalez. He was set to start in Toronto, but forgot his passport. He had to retreat to Chicago, meet a friend who had the paperwork, then go back across the border.
“It was exciting,” Gonzalez said. “First couple of batters I had butterflies, and it was actually after the first pitch that the butterflies disappeared. But I was nervous all the way leading up to everything. But as far as [Giolito] I’m sure he’s going to have the same feeling, the same excitement he’s going have…I’m not sure what he’s going to have in his stomach but as far that my first major league debut I was just nervous and excited all at the same time.”
Notably left off Rizzo’s list of debuts was Strasburg. If Giolito needs any advice on how to handle the environment as a top prospect in the majors for the first time, he only need to ask the reason he is receiving the chance. Strasburg, drafted No. 1 overall, was in the big leagues after just 11 minor league starts. The game was a sellout. He struck out 14 batters.
However, there was no pennant race that season for a team that lost 93 games. When Giolito receives his first sign from the catcher on Tuesday, he’ll be throwing to the reigning National League champions who have surprisingly closed what was a growing gap between themselves and the Nationals. That will quickly turn hype into reality.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.