It was a long and arduous free agency for former Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito. Despite posting a 3.41 ERA in his contract year, the right-hander had to settle for a $3 million guarantee with the San Diego Padres after Opening Day.
The former Red Sox starter is back in the big leagues, as the Padres have officially added the right-hander to their rotation. He’ll make his first start in San Diego against the Seattle Mariners.
Recapping Lucas Giolito’s Tenure with the Red Sox
The Red Sox signed Giolito to a two-year, $38 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. The right-hander endured a miserable end to his 2023 season, pitching to a 6.86 ERA between the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians. Despite that, he still got a solid deal from the Red Sox.
Elbow surgery (internal brace) prevented the right-hander from pitching in his first year with the club. However, Giolito bounced back to the reliable workhorse he was in 2025.
In 26 starts with the team, he pitched to a 3.45 ERA/4.17 FIP over 145 innings. Aside from his 2024 injury, the right-hander had been one of the most durable starters in the league.
Despite those solid bottom-line results, Boston made the relatively easy decision to move on from Giolito in the offseason. His strikeout rate had dropped to a career-low 19.7%. Combined with a reduction in contact suppression, as evidenced by a career-worst 9.0% barrel rate, it was obvious the right-hander was no longer a frontline starting pitcher.
The Red Sox needed to make room for pitching prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early long-term. With the need to create more opportunities for the two young lefties and Giolito’s decline in the underlying metrics, it was an easy decision for Boston to move on. The club declined its half of a $19 million option for 2026 and didn’t make much of an effort to bring him back.
How the Red Sox Replaced Lucas Giolito in Their Rotation
After choosing to move on from Giolito, the Red Sox were still aggressive in addressing their rotation. The club traded for right-hander Sonny Gray and signed left-hander Ranger Suarez to a $130 million deal. The two moves closed the door on a return to Boston, which the right-hander acknowledged in December.
Those decisions turned out well for the Red Sox, despite a tough 2026 season. Boston is 17th in rotation ERA (4.13) entering play on May 17, but it’s not because of their offseason additions. Gray and Suarez hold a 3.18 and 2.44 ERA so far this season.
In addition to their external additions, the two rookie left-handers have held their own. Tolle has helped Boston survive a shoulder injury to their ace, Garrett Crochet. He owns a 2.05 ERA across 30.2 innings in five starts. Early, who made the rotation over Tolle this spring, has a 3.21 ERA in nine starts and leads the club with 47.2 innings.
The pitchers that are inflating the club’s ERA were already in the rotation before the Giolito decision. Brayan Bello has been the most disappointing starter, carrying a 6.46 ERA and a 5.58 FIP in eight appearances (six starts). Boston has used an opener ahead of the right-hander a couple times already, although the team decided not to before his start against the Atlanta Braves on May 17.
Crochet had a 6.30 ERA before the injury, but his numbers are still greatly impacted by a miserable start in Minnesota. That start accounts for nearly half the runs the 2025 American League Cy Young runner-up has allowed this season. The Red Sox can bank on the left-hander to continue to pitch like one of MLB’s best starters when he’s healthy again.
While Boston’s 19-26 season has already led to shakeups in the organization, it won’t be due to their rotation decisions.
Former Red Sox Starter Earns Another MLB Opportunity