The Boston Red Sox have addressed their starting rotation needs, which likely means they won’t be bringing back one of their free agents this offseason.
The Red Sox have been trying to trade for a top hurler to pair with southpaw ace Garrett Crochet since the trade deadline, and finally succeeded by acquiring Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox later when on to bolster their rotation depth by trading the Pittsburgh Pirates for Johan Oviedo.
With all of the Red Sox’s offseason additions to their rotation, it seems unlikely that the team will bring back free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito. MLB.com’s Andrew Simon believes that the perfect fit for the 31-year-old hurler in free agency would be to join a Red Sox division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s been a somewhat tumultuous four years for Giolito since he finished 2021 by logging Cy Young Award votes for the third season in a row,” Simon wrote Wednesday. “He did bounce back somewhat with the Red Sox a year ago, after missing all of 2024 due to right elbow surgery, but his 3.41 ERA belied a 5.00 expected ERA, per Statcast, and a host of concerning below-the-surface numbers.
“That said, Giolito wouldn’t be the first veteran pitcher to boost his career with a stint with the Rays, and for its part, Tampa Bay could use additional rotation protection after trading Baz, and with Shane McClanahan trying to come back from two lost seasons in a row. Even if the Rays don’t wind up in contention this summer, a revived Giolito would be a nice chip to have at the Trade Deadline.”
Giolito missed the postseason due to a right elbow injury, but was a solid piece of the Red Sox’s rotation this season. In light of the Rays trading away Shane Baz, bringing in the 31-year-old would be a good way to bolster their rotation, while also giving them a solid trade piece around the deadline if Giolito pitches as well as he did this season.
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