League sources have revealed that Lucas Giolito — entering his first year with the Boston Red Sox — may potentially be sidelined for all of 2024 after initial imaging showed damage in his right elbow.
Tabbed as Boston’s likely Opening Day starter, Giolito has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain that could result in season-ending surgery.
At 29 years old, Giolito was one of just three offseason acquisitions by the Red Sox — joining reliever Liam Hendriks, who faces an extended recovery following Tommy John surgery, and right-hander Cooper Criswell. Despite initial hopes of an aggressive free agency approach by Red Sox chairman Tom Werner, Giolito’s two-year, $38.5 million contract was the largest given out by Boston over the winter.
After enduring their third last-place finish in four seasons, the Red Sox head into 2024 with a rotation undergoing significant changes. Boston parted ways with left-hander Chris Sale earlier in the offseason and filled the void with Lucas Giolito. Now, the Red Sox are left looking for more help.
In 2012, Lucas Giolito underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted by the Washington Nationals with the 16th pick. The extent of his current injury remains uncertain — while a complete reconstruction through Tommy John surgery is a possibility, there’s also the option of an internal brace procedure for the partial tear, which offers a shorter recovery period.
Nevertheless, a combined repair of the UCL and the flexor muscles in the forearm would come with a long recovery period. While Giolito may opt for rehab initially, a failed attempt could potentially jeopardize his availability for the 2025 season as well.
In 2023, Giolito started 33 games among three teams. He finished the year with a 4.88 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 184.1 innings. Over eight years, he is 59-52 with a 4.43 ERA and 1,077 strikeouts in 1,013.2 IP.
