Despite declining his end of a mutual option for the 2026 season, right-hander Lucas Giolito was and is very open to returning to the Red Sox, the pitcher himself told WEEI’s Rob Bradford in a guest appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. However, Giolito also was realistic about the slim chances of that happening in the wake of Boston’s acquisition of Sonny Gray (and Johan Oviedo). Asked if the trades for Gray and Oviedo were a signal that the team plans to move on, Giolito replied, “That’s what I think,” adding that the “writing is on the wall” with regard to the fact that a reunion is unlikely.
Giolito delved further into his free agent experience a second time around, explaining that he’s more focused on what he can control this time around instead of stressing over the day-to-day of the process. He’s upped his workout regimen and is experimenting with reincorporating a sinker into his repertoire. He hasn’t thrown a two-seamer since the 2018 season but is working out at Cressey Performance Center this winter and working on an updated version of the pitch.
Though Giolito will likely be taking that new-look sinker to another club, the Red Sox don’t figure to be done on the pitching front. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe breaks down the team’s bullpen, highlighting the lack of established options beyond Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert while noting that at least one, if not two external additions could be in the cards for Breslow in the final few months of the offseason.
The Red Sox are paying Jordan Hicks $12MM in each of the next two seasons, so he’ll surely have a leash of some note, but he’s coming off a lost season in which he was rocked for a 6.59 ERA while posting a career-worst 18.5% strikeout rate. Manager Alex Cora talked up Jovani Moran as a potential left-handed option, but the 28-year-old has struggled through injury and poor performance since a promising rookie campaign with the Twins back in 2022.
While Boston is lacking in established southpaw options, much of the free agent market has thinned out considerably in recent weeks. A reunion with veteran Justin Wilson would make sense, speculatively speaking, but each of Steven Matz (Rays), Gregory Soto (Pirates), Hoby Milner (Cubs), Caleb Thielbar (Cubs), Caleb Ferguson (Reds), Drew Pomeranz (Angels) and Sean Newcomb (White Sox) has already signed this winter. Wilson, Danny Coulombe, Taylor Rogers, Andrew Chafin and Brent Suter are all still available. JoJo Romero is the most obvious name on the trade market, if the Red Sox want to circle back for what would be a third trade with the Cardinals.
White Sox should bring Giolito back to southside
I just don’t see that happening, though they should. There was a contract dispute over like $50k that one season
Bringing back Lucas Giolito to the White Sox might have made more sense if former pitching coach Ethan Katz would still be mentoring him. Katz was Giolito’s prep coach at Harvard-Westlake HS in Los Angeles and later at the MLB level with the White Sox from 2021-2023. Katz also mentored Jack Flaherty and Max Fried at Harvard-Westlake HS. All four remain good friends to this day. Katz is currently the assistant pitching coach for the Astros after being let go as White Sox pitching coach following this past season.
If Giolito is more intrigued about taking the ball as an opening day starter than being on a bona fide contender this coming season then the White Sox could still be a possible destination.
That possibility may also be evaporating if the latest rumor out of Japan comes to pass. According to a report from Yahoo Japan, the White Sox are “rapidly emerging as strong contenders” for Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai.:mlb.com/news/tatsuya-imai-kazuma-okamoto-meeting-m…
Aaron – Fantastic post, very informative …. thank you!
More on the Tatsuya Imai rumor straight from the “horses mouth”.:
sports.yahoo.com/articles/white-sox-legit-contende…
Wow I didn’t realize Justin Wilson was still playing, good for him!
Really well too!
Bruh – He was fantastic in the first half, awful in the second half. I think conditioning had something to do with it in the second half, he reminded me of Guapo in terms of appearance.
Well Breslow is an established lefty. If Philip Rivers can do it…
Ivan – Breslow could never pitch for the Red Sox because he’s not a flamethrower, there’s no way Breslow would want a guy like Breslow on the team.
Breslow would take one look at Breslow’s upper-80’s fastball velo and tell him “See ya, I wouldn’t wanna be ya” …. even though Breslow is actually Breslow.
Oh
Giolito needs to accept the fact he will probably have to prove he can stay healthy with a one year deal for no more than $15M.
Red Sox would not have picked up their end of the mutual option anyway, but it was still strange that he declined what would have been an additional $17.5M on his end of the mutual option. I’d be really surprised if he gets more than that in free agency.
The site prediction has him at 2 years and $32 million.
While he is unlikely to break that 17.5 over a single year, he can easily beat it over 2. Every team has their own level of risk aversion when it comes to injury prone players, but the Dodgers just won a World Series with a pitching staff comprised at least partly of guys who pitch half years.
Most players don’t seem to be as concerned about the AAV as they do the total guarantee. He just needs one team to offer a multi year contract and he’s better off than if he stayed. It’s hard to imagine that not even one team will offer him a 2 year deal.
$17.5 million is very reasonable for an upper-level #4 starter like Giolito anymore.
Canuck – You make some good points, but I’m certain if he landed a guaranteed 2-year deal he’d want an opt-out after the first year.
Right now his value is low because of the injury concerns, which means he’s better off with the option to become a free agent again after next season. If I were him I wouldn’t even consider a $10M AAV for 2 years, he would be selling low …. unless he knows another serious injury is coming soon, like he did 2 years ago.
Agent talk. Ugh. I would’ve been happy with Gio around, but that’s me. I’m happy with Gray and ok with Oviedo. I kind of like the idea of a blue collar rotation behind Crochet. Solid enough innings eaters. That requires solid run scoring to work. So there’s more to do.
Yeah, come on back to the South Side! Settle in, in a place you know, get re-established and then they’ll flip you to a playoff-bound team.
Two things the red Sox won’t do anything about… What is Giolito and the bullpen, Alex?… Correct. We also would have accepted the rotation, the bench, 2nd and 3rd base.
And if they’re looking for a.leftie so bad, why did they trade the one they had?
coop – I know this one!!!
Because he didn’t throw hard enough or miss enough bats.
Another Stearns special…
If only he was an ex-Yankee…
What a bonus it would be if Hicks can consistently find the strike zone. It would be like finding a hundo in the pocket of a coat you haven’t worn since last year. He has such good stuff, but no one really knows where it’s going.
If the Athletics are looking to add another good rotation arm to contend, this would be ideal without sacrificing any prospects.
I would love to see Boston sign Andrew Chafin. He would become a fan favorite if he pitches like he has the last 2-3 seasons. I don’t understand why he hasn’t signed already; there must be some ‘advanced metrics’ that paint him in a negative tone. Chafin just keeps getting the job done and that should be enough for Boston to sign him at a reasonable rate. I also wouldn’t mind seeing a reunion with Justin Wilson. He was excellent for them last season and shouldn’t cost much given his age.
Chafin has walked between 12.5% and 13.3% of batters the last three seasons. I don’t know if you call that an “advanced metric,” but it’s a red flag.
Dotty – Wilson was awful in the second half, and he will be both 39 and extremely overweight ….. not a good combo.
I’m grateful for his first half performance this year, he earned his salary.
Andrew Chafin in a Red Sox uniform is reminiscent visually of Rod Beck, and I’m all here for it.
He belongs on that idiots Red Sox team. Have him stand next to Trot Nixon.
His agent is looking for $18-20 million
Let me know.if he finds it. He may be looking for a while.
See ya Giolito.
He signed a $38.5M deal with Red Sox and was injured from day one. Then after returning, in late 2025, he was developing a sore elbow. Rather than rest, he pushed to reach his 140 Ip minimum to trigger an Opt Out in his contract. And because of the arm trouble, he wasnt able to pitch in playoffs.
Its a business, so he had ever right, but theres no way Red Sox will ever employ him again.
LH Payton Tolle should be in the pen in ‘26, I understand the desire to keep him stretched out in AAA or even given the opportunity to compete for a starting spot during the spring but I think for ‘26 the best place for him and for the team in ‘26 is for Tolle to be in Boston’s pen.
the best place for Tolle is to start the season in AAA and continue to work on his secondary pitches. that’s not going to happen if hes in the bullpen
Crochet appeared in 72 games before he made a start.
A lot of people think Boston doesn’t have the slightest chance to compete in 2026 and that their window of competition is totally over for at least the next 5 seasons, but in reality, they are only a couple of good and a couple of great (around 4-5 signings total, a couple of superstars and 2-3 additional very good players) acquisitions away from being potentially in the wild card race.