Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Alex Cora’s announcement that Lucas Giolito will begin the 2025 season on the injured list.
On March 11, Lucas Giolito made his first spring training start for the Boston Red Sox after he underwent UCL surgery a year ago.
The veteran let up two runs and two walks with a strikeout, but Boston didn't send him out for a second inning and fans began to fear the worst. The Sox already had a few injured pitchers and can't afford another — Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello will start the season on the injured list, and Giolito joining them would be an early test of their depth.
Giolito didn't escape the start unscathed. The righty underwent an MRI to see the extent of the damage and shared that he has a low-grade hamstring strain. Initial reports stated that he would be considered day-to-day, but later Red Sox manager Alex Cora shared that the righty will begin the season on the injured list.
Giolito doesn't need to be shut down from throwing, but it isn't clear if he'll make his next start, which is scheduled for Sunday. He told The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey that his workload will be determined by how he feels and that he feels "good."
Lucas Giolito day-to-day with low-grade hamstring strain after shortened Red Sox spring training debut
"Just an annoying little setback... I wouldn't even categorize this as an injury really at this point. Felt like it got tight on me."
— NESN (@NESN) March 11, 2025
Lucas Giolito on the hamstring pull that cut his #RedSox debut short pic.twitter.com/9Fo7QhbGsq
Any injury news is rough for the Sox while they're down two starters in Bello and Crawford, but Giolito's injury seems to be minor. Luckily, his throwing elbow is okay and he can continue his recovery from the internal brace procedure as he shakes off the hamstring issue.
Before his first spring training start on March 11, Cora announced that Giolito would make the team's fifth regular season start on March 31 against the Orioles at Camden Yards. Giolito's move from day-to-day to the IL suggests Boston will need to turn to its depth options to start that game. Cora has already named Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts as potential depth starters for Bello or Giolito.