Red Sox Have Done 'Significant Homework' On Free-Agent Starting Pitcher

Boston could use a premier arm in the rotation

Scott Neville | Dec 29, 2023

Red Sox Have Done 'Significant Homework' On Free-Agent Starting Pitcher /

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been on an offseason-long mission to bolster the rotation, seeking multiple starting pitchers.

Thus far, Breslow has yet to add a big-league starter but the pitching market appears close to heating up. One of the more intriguing targets in free agency seems to be toward the top of Boston's wishlist, right-hander Lucas Giolito.

"The Red Sox did significant homework on Giolito throughout last season and have been intrigued by him for some time," MassLive's Chris Cotillo wrote Thursday.

"The 29-year-old received Cy Young votes in three straight years (2019-21) before struggling in 2022 and posting a 4.88 ERA (and 5.27 FIP) over 33 starts with three clubs last season. Teams don’t appear to be scared off by Giolito because of those numbers and he still has a strong market with the (New York) Mets among the other teams reportedly in the mix."

Giolito posted the aforementioned 4.88 ERA (91 ERA+) with a 204-to-73 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .240 batting average against and a 1.31 WHIP in 184 1/3 innings last season.

The 29-year-old has arguably the widest range of outcomes in free agency. He could very realistically record a 3.50 ERA with almost 200 innings and contend for the American League Cy Young Award. He's also a candidate to put up a 5.00 ERA with one of the more inflated contracts in Major League Baseball.

With that said, beggars can't be choosers and the Red Sox have passed on too many arms to get picky.

Giolito can put up over 170 innings consistently and has a high strikeout rate -- which could be extremely important if the club does not find a defensive-minded second baseman to shore up the middle infield.

The rotation needs potential and Giolito can provide that, especially if he learns a trick or two under the new pitching development system being put into place in Boston.

If the Red Sox acquire Giolito that would be a good start to the rotation retooling, though they have no excuse not to be in on Jordan Montgomery as well.

More MLB: Red Sox Surprisingly Have 'Poked Around' On Pair Of Intriguing Free Agents

Published Dec 29, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu