Lucas Giolito was in vintage form during June resurgence
After a rough start to his Red Sox career, Lucas Giolito was in elite form in June. The veteran righty had an ERA over 4.00 at the end Of May. Due to his recent performance, that number has plummeted, and the Red Sox have been rewarded for their faith in the former first-round pick.
In five June starts, Giolito posted a 3.04 ERA while striking out 25 batters. He also allowed only three home runs, which tied his total from May. After a brutal start against the Angels to begin the month, Giolito has returned to vintage form. The 30-year-old has pitched at least five innings in four straight outings.
Although the sample size is small, it is hard to deny just how well Giolito has performed. He has allowed two runs or less in three straight starts and pitched at least six innings in each outing. That matches his total from his first six starts of the season. As the Red Sox look to climb in the standings, they will need Giolito to continue that trend.
Following his best stretch of the season, the California native has a 3.99 ERA this season. He has been one of the team's best starters over the last month, which didn't seem like a possibility given how the season started. His recent success has been due to improved control and his ability to limit baserunners.
Since that horrific start against the Angels, Giolito has only allowed more than four hits in an outing once. He has also done a better job of working out of trouble when hitters do get on. That has been an encouraging sign for a team with high expectations.
With the regular season far from over, Giolito will have plenty of time to build on his success. After weeks of frustration, he is finally showing that he still has some elite innings left in the tank.