Red Sox Get Devastating Injury News on Top Starting Pitcher
By Thomas Erbe
In January, the Boston Red Sox signed right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito to a one-year deal with a player option for 2025 worth up to $38.5 million. Giolito started 33 games last year for three different teams. He was traded to the Los Angeles Angels by the Chicago White Sox close to the trade deadline last summer but later claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians.
Giolito signed a short-term deal to prove he had plenty left in the tank to compete in Boston. Likewise, the Red Sox sought a bargain to anchor their young starting rotation. Both are now in jeopardy after the latest news out of Red Sox camp.
Brutal news: Initial imaging showed Boston Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito likely has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain and could miss the 2024 season, league sources tell ESPN. Giolito, who signed a two-year deal with Boston, may need surgery to repair the right-elbow damage.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 5, 2024
Giolito Has Tear In UCL
Jeff Passan of ESPN tweeted that Giolito has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain, which is shown in imaging taken by the Red Sox medical staff. If this is confirmed, Giolito could miss the entire 2024 season.
This is the worst-case scenario for the Red Sox, who need starting pitching just as badly as anyone in the league. You'd have to believe they must be talking to Scott Boras about either Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. They cannot stand pat and hope for the best at this point.
If the Red Sox cannot bolster their starting rotation after the devastation of losing Giolito, they will be buried in the AL East for the third year in a row. A remarkable amount of starting pitching is still available on the free agency market. If they intend to contend in 2024, they must do something immediately.
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