Red Sox right-handed starter exercises $19M option to return in '25
Red Sox right-handed starter exercises $19M option to return in '25
Red Sox right-handed starter Lucas Giolito has exercised his $19 million player option and will return for the 2025 season.
The decision to opt into next season was a no-brainer for Giolioto, who missed the entire 2024 season following internal brace surgery on his right elbow back in March.
Prior to his injury back in the spring, Giolito felt discomfort in his elbow following an outing against the Twins where he gave up two hits, four runs, and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.
Boston signed the 30-year-old righty last December, and if healthy, he will join the 2025 starting rotation, which currently features Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford.
Giolito earned $18 million last season while on the shelf; he is expected to make $19.25 million in 2025. His deal with the Red Sox includes a conditional club option for $14 million in 2026 if he tosses under 140 innings and a mutual option of $19 million if he hurls more than 140 innings in 2025.
The Calif. native posted a 3.47 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.9 walks per nine innings over 72 starts (427 2/3 innings) from 2019-21 with the White Sox. He received AL Cy Young votes each of those seasons and finished as high as sixth in 2019 when he made the All-Star team.
He struggled in both 2022 and 2023, posting a 4.89 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 1.37 WHIP, 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings, and 3.5 walks per nine innings in 63 starts (346 innings). Giolito recorded a 4.88 ERA in 33 starts for the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians in an up-and-down 2023 campaign.
The 2023 season saw Giolito post a 3-11 with a 6.07 ERA while allowing 2.4 homers per nine innings after the break.
With the righty healthy, Giolito will help give the Red Sox rotation a much-needed boost for next season. Outside of what Giolito can do for the Red Sox on the mound, he’s also been trying to recruit one of the top free agent left-handers on the market in Braves’ Max Fried.
While on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, the 30-year-old has been making a sales pitch for him to come to the Red Sox.
“You think I haven’t already talked to him about it,” Giolito told WEEI’s Rob Bradford when asked about his potential pitch to Fried.
“Obviously, I think he would fit in great,” Giolito said. “Obviously, I think the need is there. You look at the starting pitcher depth chart and you don’t see a lot of ‘LHP’ and, in my opinion, he’s the best, most consistent starting pitcher. So, I think it’s a good fit. Obviously, I’m a little biased.”
MLB offseason officially began on Thursday, and free agency opens five days following the World Series. The Braves are likely to offer Fried a qualifying offer ($21.05 million), which he is expected to decline. Fried will have a robust market for his services once teams can officially negotiate with the left-hander.
