Red Sox's AL East Rival Presumed To Have Interest In Lucas Giolito

Will Boston see a lot of Giolito this year?

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

It's odd to be so comfortable moving on from a pitcher who went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA, but the Boston Red Sox are far beyond the need for Lucas Giolito.

Giolito, who hadn't thrown a regular-season pitch for the Red Sox yet at this time last year, proved oddly vital to Boston's first playoff run since 2021. But he was one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball last year in terms of ERA vs. expected ERA, and he also succumbed to an elbow injury just as Boston was prepping for that playoff run.

Three months into the offseason, Giolito hasn't been on the receiving end of much free agency buzz. But he'll find a contract before opening day; it's merely a question of where he'll land, and how much of him the Red Sox will be seeing next year.

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Orioles in the mix for Giolito?

On Monday, MLB.com's free agency rumor tracker listed the Baltimore Orioles as an expected suitor for Giolito, even if there haven't been concrete reports of the Red Sox's American League East rivals having an interest.

"It would make sense to assume that pitching-needy teams such as the Orioles and (New York) Mets could also be interested in these veteran hurlers," wrote the site's uncredited author, in reference to both Giolito and Toronto Blue Jays free-agent righty Chris Bassitt.

Baltimore added Shane Baz and re-signed Zach Eflin in an effort to revamp its staff since the season ended, but Eflin and fellow righty Dean Kremer are hardly inspiring back-end rotation options. Plus, if anyone got hurt, Baltimore would be left with very little depth after trading away former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez.

Giolito also had his best start of the year against a depleted Orioles team in August, throwing eight shutout innings in the middle of a four-game Red Sox sweep at Camden Yards.

The Red Sox might not mind seeing a lot of Giolito in the hitter-friendly environments of Fenway Park and Camden Yards next year, but it would certainly be a storyline to watch as both teams looked to topple the Toronto Blue Jays as the division champs.

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