Lucas Giolito is back on the open market after turning down a $19 million mutual option with the Red Sox, a move that wasn’t a surprise inside front offices. Coming off elbow surgery and a lost 2024, Giolito rebuilt his value last season in Boston, giving the Red Sox a steady mid-rotation presence until a late-September elbow flare-up ended his year early. Boston chose not to extend a qualifying offer, meaning teams won’t have to surrender draft picks to sign him. For a 31-year-old starter coming off a rebound season and still carrying some medical questions, that instantly broadens the field. 70% Win (110-25-1) 70% Win (110-25-1) 70% Win (110-25-1) Unlock Free tips from our Experts Get Picks Now What Giolito offers is relatively straightforward: a dependable, smart, innings-capable veteran who can slide into the middle of a contender’s rotation or anchor a staff that’s trying to stay afloat. Here are three teams that line up best. #1. Washington Nationals This one feels almost too logical. Giolito was a first-round pick of the Nationals back in 2012 and debuted with Washington in 2016, long before the franchise tore everything down and started its rebuild. Now, as the Nationals try to climb back toward relevance, the rotation remains their biggest weakness. Giolito recently had a successful season with a 10-4 record and a 3. 41 ERA, and is exactly who the Nationals are looking for: a consistent veteran pitcher who can help take some of the pressure off their younger pitchers. #2. Arizona Diamondbacks Arizona has carved out a niche for itself as a landing spot for bounce-back starters who still have ceiling left. Giolito fits that lane perfectly. The D-backs need another dependable rotation piece behind their young arms, and they’ve already been linked in early speculation as a team that could bet on Giolito’s upside. A short, incentive-heavy deal would align with the way Arizona has operated, grabbing solid veterans before the market sharpens and letting their pitching infrastructure do the rest. #3. Baltimore Orioles The Orioles have a playoff-ready lineup, a stacked farm, and a rotation still missing a steady anchor. To avoid leaning on too many green arms again, they need someone who can handle 150 innings with an ERA in the mid-3s to low-4s. He doesn’t need to be an ace in Baltimore as they already have swing-and-miss talent. What the Orioles lack is reliability, and Giolito can provide exactly that at a reasonable price and without a long commitment. He’s the type of addition that doesn’t scream headline but ends up mattering in August.
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