Rays Seen as Good Fit for Red Sox's Free Agent Starting Pitcher

Are the Tampa Bay Rays a good fit for a free agent from the Boston Red Sox

May 26, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a Boston Red Sox hat during warmups prior the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With the offseason continuing on, the Rays will be seeking upgrades and trying to fill some areas of need before the start of the new season. Fortunately, there are still some good options for them in free agency. 

It has been a hectic winter for the Rays as expected. This is a team that has been both a bit of a buyer and a seller, which isn’t uncommon for Tampa Bay. Being able to balance the two has resulted in the Rays being able to thrive most of the time. 

Now, after missing the postseason for the last two years, the goal for the team is to snap that streak in 2026. So far, the team has arguably subtracted more than they have added this winter, but there is a long offseason still ahead. 

Even though the Rays might have traded away a couple of key pieces, they have been aggressive in free agency, and that could continue. With some more money being saved after trading Brandon Lowe, that could be reinvested into other areas of need. One of those spots could be for the starting rotation. 

Andrew Simon of MLB recently wrote about Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito being a good fit for the Rays in free agency. 

Giolito Would Fill a Need

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Even before the team traded away Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles, the starting rotation was in need of Tampa Bay. So far this winter, they have signed southpaw Steven Matz to a two-year deal, but he was a relief pitcher in 2025. He is going to get a shot to prove himself in the rotation for the Rays, but it isn’t a guarantee that he will succeed. 

Furthermore, while the team is hopeful that their ace Shane McClanahan will be back and healthy, he hasn’t pitched in two years, and it’s impossible to know what he will provide. With that being said, pursuing a pitcher like Giolito makes a lot of sense for Tampa Bay. 

The former All-Star is coming off an excellent year for the Red Sox and could be a valuable piece of the rotation for the Rays. In 2025, he totaled a 10-4 record and 3.41 ERA. That type of production would fit in very nicely into the middle of the rotation for Tampa Bay and would help strengthen the unit. While some of the underlying metrics might not be the best for him, a team like Tampa Bay would be able to get the most out of him.