Lucas Giolito says he’ll be willing and able Friday

PHOENIX — After one last bullpen session Wednesday before his spring debut, right-hander Lucas Giolito was ready for the waiting to end.

“It’s time to get to work,” Giolito said.

Giolito will start Friday in Mesa against the Cubs, his first outing coming only three weeks before the start of the regular season. The end of his offseason workouts was delayed by a bout with the flu in January, then by a tweaked chest muscle on his right side.

Set to start his third full season, Giolito said he has no concerns after the end of his preparation for the season was derailed a bit.

“Even, like, when we got the diagnosis, it was not a concern because it wasn’t a serious thing at all,” he said. “So it was basically like, ‘Hey, it’s unfortunate, learn from that, and you know we’ll get it right and get it going.’ It just put me a touch behind everybody else. I feel good. I feel like I’ve caught up.”

It might be slightly overstating things to say he “caught up.” Giolito is expected to be ready to take his first turn in the rotation when the season begins in late March, but he might be slightly limited in his opening start.

“We’re looking to try to stretch him out as best we can with the remaining time available to us,” manager Rick Renteria said. “His first stint is Friday. It’s going to be limited, and then we’ll go from there.”

Giolito is coming of a 2019 season in which he went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA. His three complete games and two shutouts were tied for the American League lead. Now he has a new grip on his slider that could give him even better results.

“It feels more comfortable in my hand,’’ Giolito said. “That’s what’s most important for me because I’m such a feel guy. So I just feel like I have a better grip over the seam, and it’s easier to tell kinesthetically if I throw a good one or if I throw a bad one. I don’t have to watch it. I can feel it better because I have that better grip now.”

On the air

Andy Masur will handle the White Sox’ radio play-by-play duties for the rest of the spring while Ed Farmer remains out because of health issues that arose last season. Darrin Jackson will continue as the color commentator.

On the mend

Right-hander Ian Hamilton, who has made three relief appearances already this spring, is working his way through an oblique injury that Renteria described as moderate.

Hamilton, who had multiple facial fractures after he was hit by a foul ball while at Class AAA Charlotte last season, made three appearances with the Sox in 2018.