Dodgers Linked to Former All-Star Starting Pitcher as Potential Free Agent Reclamation Project

This could be mutually beneficial for both sides.

The Dodgers have a clear need to upgrade their starting pitcher this offseason, and they are expected to be aggressive in doing so. They want to make sure that they don’t have another letdown in the postseason, so it could see them bringing in multiple new faces to the team.

LA should look to bring in two or three new starters to the team, with at least one of them being a front-line starter. And knowing how the Dodgers operate, they will bring in at least one pitcher as a reclamation project to work their magic on again.

This offseason the yearly reclamation project could come in the form of a long-time target. MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic is linking the Dodgers with former Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito.

"Lucas Giolito was traded from the White Sox to the Angels at the deadline and was later claimed on waivers by the Guardians. He went 8-15 this season with a 4.88 ERA over 33 starts (184 1/3 innings). He allowed a league-leading 41 home runs but struck out 10.0 batters per nine innings and walked 3.6 batters per nine. His best seasons were from 2019 to 2021, when he finished in the top 11 of the AL Cy Young Award voting all three seasons. He needs to sign with a team with a strong pitching coach and analytics staff that will treat him as a reclamation project. With the right pitching plan, Giolito could rediscover what he had during his prime years of production."

Per Jim Bowden of The Athletic

Giolito was courted by the Dodgers during the trade deadline, but the Los Angeles Angels beat them to landing him. However, this could have been a blessing in disguise, because Giolito was awful with the Halos.

In six starts with the Angels, he posted an ERA of 6.89. He was part of the Angels waivers teardown about a month after the trade deadline, and was claimed by the Cleveland Guardians.

Things didn’t go well in Cleveland either for Giolito, as he posted an ERA of 7.04 in six starts. It was a poor second half of the season for him, but that could work in the Dodgers favor.

It likely wouldn’t cost a ton for the team to sign Giolto, and they could use him as a back-end starter. Maybe they can fix the issues that he found after leaving Chicago, and then he could reenter free agency in 2025, primed for a bigger contract.

This partnership could be beneficial for both sides and with Giolito being from Southern California, it could come to fruition. This is certainly something to keep an eye on as the offseason signing starts.