The Boston Red Sox bolstered their starting pitching rotation for 2024 on Friday night, adding veteran Lucas Giolito on a two-year deal.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the righty agreed to a two-year, $38.5 million deal with the Red Sox, with an opt-out after ’24. He’ll make $18 million next season, and if he remains with the team, $19 million in ’25. There is an additional conditional option for ’26 worth up to $19 million based on his ’25 innings total.
Giolito’s deal with Boston gives him an $18M salary in 2024 and a $1M buyout if he opts out. If not, the salary for 2025 is $19M. There is a conditional option for 2026 — $14M club option if he throws under 140 innings in 2025, $19M mutual option for 140+, with a $1.5M buyout.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2023
A 2019 All-Star with the Chicago White Sox, Giolito is coming off of a very up-and-down season in which he bounced around to three different teams—the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians. After a solid start to the season in Chicago, he struggled to a 6.89 ERA in six starts with the Angels, and after being placed on waivers, made six more starts for the Guardians, pitching to a 7.04 ERA. He finished with an 8–15 record on the year.
He had been a quality starter for Chicago from ’19—his All-Star season—through ’21, pitching to ERAs of 3.41, 3.48 and 3.53 in those three seasons, respectively. His career highlight came on August 25, 2020 when he threw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out 13 and allowing just one walk.
His new team, Boston, is looking to rebound from a 78–84 2023 season, in which they finished last in a loaded AL East.
