When the Boston Red Sox signed Lucas Giolito, the right-hander was excited to be pursued so aggressively by any team.
But soon after his signing, Giolito expressed his wishes to re-enter the free agent market soon. Boston will be a whistle-stop on Giolito's redemption tour if he can get his arm back to its old self this season.
Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer is predicting just that. If this trade deadline fast forward proves to be true, Giolito may be out the door before his first full season with the Sox is even over.
Giolito is the Sox's biggest signing of the offseason to date, and it seems like it will stay that way as spring training races closer. Giolito is signed to a two-year, $38.5 million deal, which hinges on his use of a player option for 2025. And if Giolito can get back to his 2019 form, he likely won't be using it.
The Red Sox's Lucas Giolito could be a big-time rental candidate at the trade deadline
Rymer suggests that Giolito could help the Red Sox get back to contender status in the American League East, and maybe in the playoffs. But if Giolito improves and the rest of the team doesn't follow suit, he would be a good rental candidate at the trade deadline.
This prediction definitely holds weight. If the righty can get his act together and return to his Cy Young form (he received Cy Young votes three years in a row from 2019-2021), selling Giolito could help the Sox fix some of their other problems.
Maybe the team searching for Giolito's services will have a powerful, right-handed bat to offer. Or a prospect nearing an MLB debut. Sox fans have heard very little this offseason besides ownership's desire to save money. And based on Giolito's last two seasons, it's fair to argue that he's overpaid in Boston. We'll never know until we get there — if we get there. But this could be an investment to help the Red Sox improve in other areas if that time comes.
Lucas Giolito has a 200-inning season in his crosshairs this year. pic.twitter.com/ZCLLQXrpEU
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) January 11, 2024
It's also possible Giolito may want to stay with the Red Sox even if he discovers his old success. As Boston's only major free agent signing of the offseason, fans could embrace Giolito as an ace, if that's the role he takes on.
It's way too early to speculate about Giolito's future with the Sox or what the team will look like at the trade deadline. The Red Sox have a history of making something out of nothing — the 2021 ALCS team was far from a roster of All-Stars, but they were just two games from a World Series appearance.
No one is expecting the current Red Sox roster to make it to the World Series after spending two consecutive seasons in the basement of the AL East and without any tangible improvements this offseason. And if they don't, selling a return-to-form Giolito could be a great move for the team.