Free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolido has agreed to terms with the Red Sox on a two-year, $38.5 million contract, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Friday. The deal, which has not been confirmed by the club, includes an opt-out after 2024.
What a season it was for Giolito, who finished 2023 with a 4.88 ERA over 184 1/3 innings with three teams.
Giolito started the season with the White Sox (3.79 ERA in 121 innings) before being acquired by the Angels at the trade deadline. He pitched to a 6.89 ERA in six starts with Los Angeles before the move Again For Cleveland, he had a 7.04 ERA in six starts. This led to Giolito making false history, as he became the first pitcher since 1899 to allow eight or more runs in a game for three different teams based on OptaStats.
Prior to this season, Giolito spent six seasons with the White Sox, who acquired him from the Nationals in December 2016 as part of a package in exchange for Adam Eaton. His best season came in 2019, when he went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA in 176 2/3 innings in all baseball with complete games (three) and shutouts (two) en route to finishing sixth in Cy Young Award voting.
He finished with 3.48 and 3.53 ERAs in 2020 and '21, respectively, to earn some low-ballot Cy Young votes, and he also threw a no-hitter during the '20 season.
At 29, Giolito should have plenty of gas in his tank; But it's up to him to prove he can return to his dominant self. His biggest problem in 2023 is hard contact. 8th in slugging percentage and 32nd in heart-hit rate, two big reasons why he led the American League in home runs (41).
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