Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez Join Cleveland Guardians via Waivers

Former Chicago White Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez have been claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians. Both were acquired by the Sox in a 2016 trade that sent Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals. On July 26 this year, Chicago traded them to the Los Angeles Angels for two minor-league prospects.

After a failed attempt at a playoff push, the Angels placed both pitchers on waivers Tuesday to dump any remaining salary. The two righties will now join the White Sox' division rivals for the remainder of the season. The Guardians sit five games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins despite being below .500.

Going For It

Only 10 of the Guardians' remaining games come against teams below .500. The rest of their schedule features teams fighting for playoff positions in Tampa Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco, Texas, Baltimore, and Cincinnati. The Guardians must believe they can fix Giolito over the final 28 games, during which he will likely make five to six starts.

Giolito's stint with the Halos was nothing short of horrendous. The 29-year-old tossed 32.2 innings, allowing 10 homers and 15 walks with 34 strikeouts for an ERA of 6.89. Conversely, Lopez produced a much better performance in LA. The Dominican reliever pitched to a 2.31 ERA in 11.2 innings with six walks and 19 strikeouts.

What's On Tap Next?

Giolito and Lopez, both of whom will become free agents at the end of the season, have another chance at a playoff run with a former foe. Giolito has a chance to put his Los Angeles struggles behind him, while Lopez can prove to be a reliable late-inning reliever for potential suitors in the offseason.

For Cleveland, this is a low-risk move with an upside that can result in a playoff berth if it goes as planned. They will assume the remainder of both players' remaining 2023 salaries.