MLB: The Show Players League — Giolito is taken down in not-so-"sweep" fashion
Lucas Giolito started his road to the MLB: The Show Players League playoffs on April 12. A few weeks later, Giolito found himself in the championship as the sixth seed, going up against the competition's top seed, Blake Snell.
I would like to give out my sincere congratulations to both players. It's one thing to be an ace on their respective pitching staffs in the real-life game, and it's another thing to be just as dominant in the video game.
It all came down to a best-of-five championship format. Aired at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, baseball fans were due for an exciting finish to this virtual competition.
May the best player win!
Chicago White Sox's ace vs. Tampa Bay Rays' ace.
Ashley Sanders/South Side Hit Pen
Game 1: Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Before the start of the game, Tim Anderson read off Lucas Giolito's starting lineup, which was a very nice surprise!
Lucas gave Dallas Keuchel the starting nod, and he went with the powder blue throwback uniforms for the first game of the virtual World Series.
Snell came out ready, and he fired a 1-2-3 inning. Bottom of the first, virtual Keuchel gave up a leadoff homer, and Snell was able to snag a two-out, two-run home run to take a 3-0 lead. Virtual DK just couldn't find his control in this game.
In the top of the second inning, Eloy Jiménez hit a one-out single to right field. Nomar Mazara followed up by JUST missing a two-run home run to right field.
In the bottom of the second, DK was able to grab two outs, but as his energy was low, Jimmy Cordero relieved him and gave up another two-run blast that put Snell and the virtual Rays up, 5-0.
To the third inning, where Lucas was looking for a five-run rally to tie. Edwin Encarnación came into the game as a pinch hitter, and he took a one-out walk that would hopefully stimulate a historic rally.
Anderson proceeded to double and put ducks on the pond. Yoán Moncada singled TA7 home to open the scoring for Giolito and the virtual Sox, but unfortunately, this lone run was the only run the virtual Good Guys could manage. Snell won Game 1 by a score of 5-1 and took a 1-0 Championship Series lead.
Game 2: Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Time for a comeback at virtual Tropicana Field. Giolito sent out virtual Lucas Giolito to the mound, and he reverted back to the black-top jerseys for this game's uniform of choice.
With one out in the top of the first inning, YoYo sent a ball deep to center field, but it simply went as a long out. Snell went on to pitch a scoreless top half of the inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, Lucas and virtual Lucas surrendered a one-out RBI single, and in his next at-bat, Snell did not miss on a home run opportunity, as he found one in the right field stands.
Quote of the afternoon from Lucas, frustrated with the early returns: "I'm trying my best over here." Me too, Lucas. Me too.
Virtual Aaron Bummer relieved virtual Giolito with one out. Bummer was able to induce the remaining two outs and escape the inning without any further harm.
In the second inning, virtual Yasmani Grandal notched a leadoff home run to center field to reduce Tampa's lead to 3-1.
Luis Robert came up with two outs and produced a base hit up the middle, followed by Leury García, who — stop me if you've heard this before — JUST missed a game-tying home run. Had it been any other player, that baseball would have been over the left-field fence.
Bummer stayed in the game for the bottom of the second inning, and he pitched a scoreless frame, so the White Sox were still within reach.
EE pinch-hit to lead off the third inning, and he went deep to center field to reduce Snell's lead to 3-2!
Disappointingly, the virtual White Sox could not find the equalizing run and dropped the second game of the virtual World Series. Snell earned an early 2-0 Championship Series lead, and each game from here on out would serve as an elimination game for Lucas Giolito.
Lucas was just 14 years old at the time, but this video game series was taking the exact same route as the 2008 ALDS between the Sox and the Rays.
Game 3: Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox
Game 3 found its way to the South Side of Chicago. This elimination game saw virtual Dallas Keuchel coming to pitch after a 30-minute rest, and the black-top jerseys clothed the virtual Good Guys.
DK, the competition's GOAT, pitched a scoreless top of the first; Snell rivaled by pitching a scoreless bottom of the first inning.
Virtual Steve Cishek entered the second inning after Keuchel gave up a leadoff single. Unfortunately, as the tale for this series has gone, Cishek gave up a two-out, go-ahead, two-run home run. On the bright side, those were the only runs Snell was able to grab in the inning.
Down 2-0 in the bottom of the second, Giolito was looking for his virtual offense to come alive. LuBob started a two-out rally with a single to center field. "Leroy" García walked to put runners on first and second base, so José Abreu came into the game as a pinch-hitter after being benched before this Game 3.
Video game Pito, struggling with offensive production in the big moments, got punched out when he swung at a low pitch when real-life Lucas thought he checked his swing.
Jimmy Cordero came into the game during the top of the third inning, and he proceeded to load the bases with zero outs. GeneralGio brought in Alex Colomé to salvage the situation, and Alex gave up a base hit that put Snell up 4-0 in this elimination game.
Virtual Alex, fatigued, had the audacity to induce the second quote of the afternoon from Gio: "Alex, you're tired after seven pitches, my guy?"
Another two runs scored off of a base hit to give Snell a 6-0 lead. The reliable Aaron Bummer entered the game to record the last two outs of the top of the third inning.
Entering the bottom of the third, Lucas was seeking six runs to tie and seven runs to walk it off and force a Game 4. That's a tough hill to climb.
That did not happen. As Lucas said, "Sorry, White Sox fans."
Blake Snell swept Lucas Giolito in the Championship Series, securing a decisive victory in the first-ever MLB: The Show Players League.
Afterthoughts
Congratulations, Blake Snell! As the tournament's top player, you definitely proved how and why you are the top seed. You are a phenomenal baseball player, both on the real and virtual pitcher's mound. Best of luck when real baseball returns! I'm sure you and Lucas will be competing against one another for a different kind of award when baseball returns, as well as an advancement in the real-life playoffs.
To Lucas Giolito, it was a tough way to go out, but you have still made White Sox Nation and me incredibly proud. Your streams are incredibly entertaining, and you improved exponentially during each outing in this competition.
I have had a blast covering your progress throughout this competition, and I hope to do it again — but I hope it's in the offseason after a deep, winning run in October. It's revenge time!
Fans can still catch Lucas Gioltio on Twitch at twitch.tv/GeneralGio. He streams a multitude of games, including MLB The Show and Rocket League. Each and every stream is a charity stream, so all proceeds earned go toward the Orphan Kitten Project.
Thank you for being my favorite White Sox baseball player (you're tied with Yolmer Sánchez as my all-around favorite baseball player!), an incredible pitcher, video-game streamer, and phenomenal person! I look forward to seeing you pitch in the real-life World Series and earning a Cy Young award. Here's to Lucas Giolito!
Ashley Sanders with Lucas Giolito on Sept. 1, 2018. (Ashley Sanders)
Ashley Sanders/South Side Hit Pen
Thank you to MLB The Show 20 at San Diego Sony Studios for creating and hosting this Players League as a way to give baseball to players and fans alike during this difficult time. I really appreciated it!
To all of my South Side Hit Pen on Sports Illustrated supporters, thank you for following along with my live tweeting, on-site discussion questions, and recap articles throughout this competition! Your support has meant the world to me. You can expect even more engaging articles in the future.
This has been one of my favorite moments in baseball ... I can't wait to see what happens next!