Orioles Seriously Considering Lucas Giolito

The Baltimore Orioles are weighing all potential options to bolster their starting rotation heading into 2026.

May 30, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

All indications are that the Baltimore Orioles have one more move for a starting pitcher up their sleeve this offseason.

Despite adding Shane Baz to the front of the rotation, the club remains linked to several top free agent pitchers, most notably Framber Valdez, who remains unsigned as we approach February. While the Orioles still appear to be the favorites for Valdez, other reports suggest that they are targeting other starting pitching options.

Most recently, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Mike Elias' front office is seriously considering free agent Lucas Giolito. With only a few top options remaining, Giolito joins Valdez, Justin Verlander, and Zac Gallen as names linked to Baltimore as they look to conclude an aggressive offseason.

Orioles Showing Interest in Lucas Giolito

May 6, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) makes his way to the bull pen before the start of the game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Giolito, 30, is coming off of a very strong campaign with the Boston Red Sox where he bounced back from missing all of 2024 following UCL surgery; he went on to make 26 straight starts behind Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello. The right-hander was 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA, but failed to make his final regular season start and was eventually shut down for postseason play due to elbow soreness.

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Despite this disappointing end to the year, Giolito performed exceptionally well coming off of the significant surgery, proving to be a reliable option in the middle of a rotation. It's likely that he will benefit greatly from a full offseason of rest and should enter the 2026 season fully healthy. Over a six-year stretch with Chicago from 2018-2023, Giolito made 32, 29, 12, 31, 30, and 33 starts. If last season is an indication of his return to previous form, he could serve as a strong, reliable option for the Orioles pitching behind Trevor Rogers, Tyler Wells, and Baz.

Lucas Giolito's 2Ks in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/Kdb9lXR9Ml

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 26, 2025

With that said, there is a definite risk associated with Giolito. Injury history aside, many underlying metrics point to him as a candidate for slight regression in 2026. Giolito's expected ERA of 5.06 (bottom 12th percentile) last season shows a clear reliance on strong defense, particularly in the outfield, as he carries a below average hard-hit rate (41.1%) and ground ball rate (39.5%). Giolito also ranked around the bottom 30 percentile in average velocity, chase rate, whiff rate, K-rate, and walk rate.

Read More: Insider Would be 'Shocked' if Orioles Don't Sign Framber Valdez

Giolito's fairly straightforward repertoire and reliance on solid defensive play is typical of a third or fourth option in the rotation, and no pitcher comes without a risk of injury. However, Baltimore has spent the entire offseason linked to Valdez, who could operate as a clear number two and raise the ceiling of the pitching staff. Even if Giolito proves to be a solid option, he would likely be seen as a pivot off of Valdez should another team make a push for his services.

If the Orioles roll into 2026 as is, they will have plenty of starting pitching options, and good ones at that. But if the club is unable to land a true impact starter alongside Baz, the front office will have fallen short of their promise to be decisive and aggressive in the free agent market. In that sense, Baltimore's interest in Giolito may be an insurance plan for losing out on Valdez.

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