'Get the ball and go': Giolito a fan of fast-paced action

MESA, Ariz. -- Lucas Giolito's second Cactus League start left him with the same thoughts as his first start concerning the new pitch timer implemented by Major League Baseball for the 2023 season.

It’s a very good thing for the game, and he’s liking it more than he expected.

“I felt more in rhythm with it,” said Giolito after striking out six and allowing one unearned run over three innings. “I really, really, really like the pace. I like the pace of games right now."

• Grifol, coaches prepare, hold each other accountable

The pitch timer rule allows for 30 seconds between batters, 15 seconds for the pitcher to deliver the ball with nobody on base and 20 seconds with a runner on. Giolito was called for a ball violation during a 4-3 victory over the Cubs at Sloan Park, but said it came because he was trying to get to a pitch he doesn’t throw very often, which took longer than expected.

“I’m liking it a lot more than I thought I would,” Giolito said. “When all the new rules and everything were coming out, I was like, ‘Sometimes I work a little bit slower, so we’ll see.’ But I think the more and more I get this experience in Spring Training doing it, the more I’m liking it and the more I’m getting used to it.

“Less time to think. Get the ball and go. Hear the sign, agree to it and you don’t have much time. Fire that thing and do it over again till you’re out of the inning. Yeah, I really like it.”

Giolito also liked the way he mixed in all his pitches, executed good sequences and tried to work ahead in the count. He struck out Tucker Barnhart looking with the bases loaded to end the second.

“Yeah, [I] liked how the ball was coming out. I liked the pace,” Giolito said “Overall solid.”

Vaughn gets bragging rights
First baseman Andrew Vaughn snared a hard-hit line drive from Nick Madrigal in the bottom of the first and immediately earned bragging rights against his friend and former teammate. The catch was followed by good-natured ribbing.

“Oh of course there was,” said a smiling Vaughn. “Not going to say what I said to him, but along the lines of, 'I got ya.'"

Bummer on the right track
Aaron Bummer threw a 15-pitch bullpen Thursday and was scheduled to throw another one Saturday, according to manager Pedro Grifol. Bummer had taken a step back at the start of Spring Training due to nagging soreness in his left shoulder/lat area but told MLB.com that he felt as if he was still on track to break camp with the team on March 28.

The southpaw reinforced that point Thursday, as he continued to feel good.

“The offseason wasn't necessarily what I wanted,” Bummer said. “I was really hoping to go in and just have a normal offseason and do all these things. And halfway through it, I wasn't recovering the way that I wanted to. It was something that as a training staff and as a team, we just decided, let's not have an interruption in the season.

“Let's try to knock this out as soon as we can. It's frustrating but we're on the right path and hopefully that means there aren't any more interruptions. It's the same kind of thing where it's the next 7-10 days. We get through this part before we start looking at the finish line."

Rivalry experience
The 4-3 victory over the Cubs on Friday gave Grifol his first experience with the crosstown rivalry, albeit in Cactus League action.

“I’m sure it increases 10-fold during the season,” Grifol said. “I don’t think Kansas City/St. Louis [rivalry] is to that extent, but that’s a nice little rivalry, too. I don’t think it gets as deep as this one or as deep as Yankees-Mets. But I’m looking forward to it.”

Briefly noted
The White Sox optioned right-handed pitcher Nicholas Padilla to Triple-A Charlotte. He is currently with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

Grifol wants to wait until all his players return from the WBC before naming an Opening Day starter.