Former Red Sox Starter Lucas Giolito Could Find Best Fit in NL East

It's almost shocking how right the Boston Red Sox were to not tender Lucas Giolito the qualifying offer this past offseason.

There was a time when it didn't sound crazy. Once his option with Boston was turned down, the question immediately shifted to whether he could be in line for the qualifying offer, which would've been worth just over $22 million for the 2026 season. Boston opted against the move and now months later Giolito somehow still sits out there for the taking in free agency.

One of Boston's biggest rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays, are dealing with pitching injuries left and right and for some reason didn't sign Giolito and instead turned to Patrick Corbin. The Chicago Cubs have injuries left and right as well, but Giolito remains a free agent. At this point, it's anyone's guess where he's going to go. Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer called the Atlanta Braves the top landing spot for him while also mentioning the Washington Nationals, Chicago White Sox and the Athletics.

Where will the former Red Sox fan favorite go?

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

"Best Landing Spot: Atlanta Braves," Rymer wrote. "Yeah, it's the Braves again. And this pairing has been obvious for a while now. Assuming he doesn't want to take a huge pay cut on the $19 million he made in 2025, the other factor here is that there are only so many teams that can afford Giolito even on a pro-rated deal. The Braves should be one of them. Other Landing Spots: Washington Nationals, Chicago White Sox, Athletics."

The Braves have been another popular team connected to Giolito going back to Spring Training. But, they haven't signed him. It's wild that Giolito is available. He had a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for Boston last season and has a career 4.30 ERA in nine seasons. He's good enough to help any of these teams looking for pitching. Even though the Braves are 6-5, Giolito would make them better. Giolito would make the Cubs better. He would make the Blue Jays better. And the list goes on. There are few rotations in baseball that he wouldn't be an upgrade at least over their No. 5 starter.

So, Rymer isn't wrong by mentioning Atlanta. Giolito would fit in well there. Plus, the Braves could be a playoff team this year. But the Blue Jays and Cubs also should be in that mix as well. Frankly, most of the teams in baseball should at least be checking in with him.