‘Worth the wait’
Gonzalez determined to throw just ‘one pitch’ for team that drafted him
Gio Gonzalez was starting to get the sense that he would never pitch for the White Sox.
The Sox selected the left-hander in the first round of the 2004 draft. They traded him to the Phillies in December 2005 and reacquired him in a trade in December 2006.
The Sox dealt him again in January 2008 to the Athletics, with whom he made his major-league debut that season.
Then, in December 2019, Gonzalez signed a one-year deal with the Sox, only to see the season delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s sad to say I did have that depression, like am I ever going to get to wear this wonderful uniform in this city that drafted me and get to pitch an inning with them,” he said during a conference call.
Gonzalez, 34, is determined to make it happen.
“I just want to throw at least one pitch in the White Sox uniform,” he said, “at least one pitch.”
The two-time All-Star is inching closer to completing that task since workouts began last week. Gonzalez, who dealt with left shoulder soreness before spring training, said he’s “100%” better than he was in March.
“I’ll be honest, I was grateful to go home and I had a lot of help from physical therapy in Pinecrest (Fla.), right by my house,” he said. “I would go to therapy, go back home. The staff there really took care of me, helped my shoulder get to where it needs to be now.
“From where I started to now I feel like I’ve made a dramatic change. My shoulder has literally progressed almost 95%, which this break really did help in a way where I can rest the arm and get going.”
Gonzales is scheduled to pitch in an intrasquad game Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Gonzalez is 130-99 record with a 3.68 ERA in 332 career appearances (324 starts) for the Athletics, Nationals and Brewers.
He was teammates with current Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez for a portion of the 2016 season when all were with the Nationals. And now they’re on the same team again.
“Gio is great,” Giolito said. “Obviously (a) very good pitcher, (a) good guy to talk to about baseball. But just a gem of a guy away from the field, as well. I remember back in ’16, my first big-league camp, he invited me over, we’d have dinner, hang out. He always took care of younger players, and that’s something we definitely need in this clubhouse. He definitely fills that role.
“I’m excited to be back with him and be teammates again because he was one of my favorite guys to look up to when I was a young kid with the Nats.”
It’s a role Gonzalez continues to embrace.
“It is great to have those young guys who are constantly asking those questions,” Gonzalez said. “That’s going back to what I experienced when I was young. I had to ask certain questions to get me to where I am today.”
Gonzalez reflected on his long road to returning to the organization during a conversation with executive vice president Ken Williams and pitching coach Don Cooper after a bullpen session Tuesday.
“I was telling them, the last time I threw off this mound was in 2004,” Gonzalez said. “When you get drafted, you get to throw a bullpen for the team that drafted you, I had that little moment with Kenny and Coop and I told Coop: ‘The last time you saw me, I was a young kid and I had a lot of maturing to do when you had me. Now I’m an older gentleman with a little bit of mileage on my arm.’
“I think it was worth the wait.”