After taking three of four games in the weekend series, the Boston Red Sox improved to 13-11 after a 4-2 victory on Marathon Monday against the Chicago White Sox behind big games from Trevor Story, Kristian Campbell, and Rob Refsnyder.
Getting ready for a three-game set against the visiting Mariners, the Red Sox will get their first look at Brayan Bello on the mound this season, as he is Tuesday's scheduled starter. He began the season on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.
More good news came for Boston over the weekend, as Liam Hendriks made his return to the MLB after two years, in a relief effort on Sunday against the White Sox. While the results weren't the best for the veteran (one inning pitched, 3 hits and 2 earned runs, one strikeout), it was good to see the Red Sox reliever back on the mound, and the team is better with him in the bullpen.
Now, two of three Red Sox pitchers are back with the team after battling early-season injuries. When the third comes back, which could be soon, the Red Sox starting rotation should look a lot better than it has over the early part of the season.
Promoting Lucas Giolito Will Immediately Help Red Sox Rotation
Through 24 games, the Red Sox sit in the middle of the pack with the 15th-best pitching ERA (4.03) in the majors. They have been getting early-season contributions from unlikely names, including Richard Fitts, Sean Newcomb, and Hunter Dobbins.
While the three have held their own throughout their starts this season (Fitts 3.18 ERA, Newcomb 3.63 ERA, and Dobbins 2.45 ERA), they were not envisioned to be a part of the Red Sox rotation when the team's best five are healthy.
Those five being Crochet, Houck, Buehler, Bello, and Giolito. With four of the five now healthy, the return of Giolito will give Red Sox fans their first look at the intended rotation, and one that could be amongst the AL's best if everyone stays healthy.
Making four starts between Triple-A Worcester and Double-A Portland, Giolito has pitched a combined 12.2 innings and recently made a start for the Sea Dogs on Sunday. In that start, Giolito inched closer to a return, one that should be coming sooner rather than later.
Lucas Giolito in his rehab start with Portland today:
— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) April 20, 2025
5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks
Threw 47 of 65 pitches for strikes. A positive stride. Seems like he’s gonna make one rehab start before his Sox debut.
pic.twitter.com/SH8kEMKryG
Giolito's final pitching line may not jump off the page, but the five innings and 65 pitches are the most he's thrown in any rehab start this season, giving reason to believe he's close to a return.
One more rehab start may be needed before Giolito joins the Red Sox, and the team is doing a good job of exercising caution with the 30-year-old.
If the Red Sox can get any bit of the Giolito, who was an All-Star in 2019 with the White Sox, that would be great. If not, he can still be a good end-of-the-rotation starter as the summer months approach.
Whenever he returns, it will be good to see, after Giolito missed all of last season with an elbow injury and suffered a hamstring injury in his first Spring Training start this season.