Giolito agrees to 2-year deal with Red Sox (source)
BOSTON — As quickly because the Hot Stove season began, new Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had his eye on beginning pitching.
It took some time, however the Sox lastly got here up with a major addition to the rotation, agreeing to phrases with free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito on a two-year, $38.5 million deal on Friday, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The deal, which has not been confirmed by the membership, consists of an opt-out after 2024.
In a three-year stretch from 2019-21, Giolito was one of many prime starters within the American League, as he went 29-21 with a 3.47 ERA over 72 begins, holding opponents to a .207 common over that span.
Giolito went on a downturn the final two seasons, however the Red Sox are assured he can reverse that pattern within the workforce’s new-and-improved pitching infrastructure underneath Breslow, pitching coach Andrew Bailey and director of pitching Justin Willard.
The Red Sox had been concentrating on one or two starters this offseason, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see in the event that they add somebody along with Giolito.
Lefties Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are the highest two starters left on the normal free-agent market. There can be Shōta Imanaga, who had a robust profession in Japan and was posted to MLB groups in November. Teams have a deadline of Jan. 11 to signal the 30-year-old lefty.
Giolito’s 2023 season was topsy-turvy, to say the least. It began high-quality, with Giolito going 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 21 begins for the White Sox.
But after getting traded to the Angels, his season began to take a major dip, as he posted a 6.89 ERA in six begins. The Guardians later claimed Giolito off waivers, and he had a 7.04 ERA in six begins with Cleveland.
That stretch led to Giolito making the mistaken form of historical past, as he grew to become the primary pitcher since 1899 to permit eight or extra runs in a recreation for 3 completely different groups, per OptaSTATS.
Prior to this season, Giolito had spent six straight seasons with the White Sox, who acquired him from the Nationals in December 2016 as part of the package deal in return for Adam Eaton. His greatest season got here in 2019 when he went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA in 176 2/3 innings whereas main all of baseball in full video games (three) and shutouts (two) en path to ending sixth within the Cy Young Award voting.
He completed with a 3.48 and three.53 ERA in 2020 and ’21, respectively, to earn some down-ballot Cy Young votes, and he additionally threw a no-hitter throughout the ’20 season.
At solely 29, there ought to be loads of gasoline left in Giolito’s tank, but it surely’s as much as him to show that he may be again to his dominant self. His greatest drawback in 2023 was laborious contact. He ranked within the eighth percentile in barrel price and the thirty second percentile in hard-hit price, that are two of the most important causes he led the American League in dwelling runs allowed (41).
Aside from Giolito, Boston’s rotation at present consists of swiftly rising teenager Brayan Bello and erstwhile ace Chris Sale, who has battled a barrage of accidents lately.
Nick Pivetta discovered himself as a swingman down the stretch final season and would possibly get an opportunity to return to the rotation.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox are nonetheless making an attempt to determine if Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock and Kutter Crawford are greatest utilized as starters or relievers.
