The Boston Red Sox took a risk when they signed starting pitcher Lucas Giolito before the 2024 season.
The veteran was fresh off two rough seasons after he earned Cy Young Award votes from 2019-21. Things went south for the righty in 2022-23, and he posted a 4.89 ERA over 346 innings in those two campaigns. In the latter season, he played for three different teams after being traded from the White Sox to the Angels, who later placed him on waivers in August.
Giolito signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox to rebound and prove himself with a new squad. He didn't get his chance in 2024, as UCL damage forced him to undergo the internal brace procedure and spend his first year with the Sox on the shelf. When it seemed like he'd be ready to go in spring training 2025, things turned again.
On March 11, Giolito strained his hamstring on the first pitch of his first start in over a year. An MRI showed he just has a minor hamstring strain, and despite Giolito's assertions that he feels fine, Red Sox manager Alex Cora has placed him on the injured list to begin the season. Giolito's triumphant rebound is delayed again.
The Red Sox's Lucas Giolito signing is looking worse as injury keeps him sidelined after Opening Day
Alex Cora announced that Lucas Giolito will begin the season on the injured list.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 13, 2025
Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5M deal before the 2024 season, but has yet to pitch in the regular season for Boston. pic.twitter.com/yb0FUtXygN
Injuries are unpredictable, and in Giolito's case, not his fault. But signing rebound players is risky, regardless of their injury status and history. So far, Craig Breslow's rebound deals haven't worked out very well.
Giolito won't be ready for Opening Day and is the Sox's third starting pitcher on the IL as of this writing. His recovery timeline hasn't been announced, but since he hasn't thrown more than an inning in game action in about a year, he may take a while to ramp up to regular-season speed.
The Red Sox also signed Liam Hendriks before the 2024 season as a rebound candidate while he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Boston expected the closer to be ready to pitch in the second half of last season, but his rehab took longer than anticipated. He also hasn't bounced back well — so far in spring training, he's allowed six runs, two of them homers, in four innings pitched.
While injuries are out of the team and players' control, Giolito's 2022-23 seasons could've been a sign of troubles to come. Maybe if Boston had signed a pitcher coming off a successful season instead of taking the inexpensive route, the front office could've gotten its money's worth out of the deal.
Luckily, Giolito seems in good spirits after his hamstring issue and could recover quickly. His stint on the IL could be the minimum stay, but he'll still miss his first start in a Red Sox uniform. If he takes a while to get back into the rhythm of pitching every five days — time the hamstring injury does not afford him in spring training — it could cost the Red Sox's newly bolstered rotation.