Red Sox Starter's Huge Outing Comes With $14 Million Reality Check

What a night, what a resurgence for Lucas Giolito

Aug 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox fans were ready to ship Lucas Giolito to Mars after seven starts this year. Ever since, he's been brilliant.

After his seventh outing, in which he allowed seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings to the Los Angeles Angels, Giolito's season ERA stood at 6.42. He's been lights-out ever since, going 8-1 with a 2.31 ERA over 85 2/3 innings (14 starts).

Tuesday night was the best outing of the season for Giolito, who pitched eight scoreless innings in a critical 5-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. It was also the night Giolito essentially clinched his own free agency.

Lucas Giolito's mutual option all but guaranteed

When Giolito signed with the Red Sox, the contract language was carefully constructed to protect the team if the hurler wound up missing time due to injury, which happened in a major way, as he suffered an elbow tear that required internal brace surgery last spring training and didn't debut in Boston until this past April.

If Giolito were to throw under 140 innings this year, he would be eligible for a $14 million club option for next season, one which the Red Sox would be almost certain to pick up. However, if he hits the 140-inning mark, the two sides share a $19 million mutual option, and the 31-year-old will turn it down in all likelihood.

After Tuesday's performance, Giolito is at 119 1/3 innings. He'll probably have at least five more starts, possibly six, but at most, he'll need to average four innings per start to reach that incentive and secure himself a seat at the free agency table.

If there's one silver lining for the Red Sox, it's the ability to tender Giolito a qualifying offer, which would net them draft compensation if he signs elsewhere, much like they got for Nick Pivetta signing with the San Diego Padres in February.

However, choosing whether to bring back Giolito, and at what price, is going to be an extremely difficult question, as few active pitchers' careers are tougher to judge at this point. Can he be counted on to pitch like the same guy he's been for the last two months?

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