Craig Breslow, the chief baseball officer of the Boston Red Sox, has been looking for ways to strengthen the pitching staff all summer.
He still lacks a big-league starter, despite some work being made in adding depth to the bullpen and rotation. This week is likely to be a heated stove, with the Red Sox playing a major role.
Breslow is anticipated to talk with a number of players, including one of the more divisive individuals on the field.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive wrote on Tuesday, “(The Red Sox) Remain engaged on Lucas Giolito along with many other clubs who are targeting his upside.”
In 184 1/3 innings last season, Giolito recorded a 4.88 ERA (91 ERA+), 204 to 73 strikeout to walk ratio,.240 batting average against, and 1.31 WHIP.
With the Chicago White Sox, the 29-year-old was having a great season (3.79 ERA), but following the trade deadline, he struggled as a member of the Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels clubs.
Breslow should look into the matter of Giolito. Let us begin with the experts. The right-hander, who made 33 starts last season and pitched the 11th most innings pitched in the American League, is a proven innings eater.
Given how many pitching injuries Boston suffered during the previous season, that is significant.
With a 25.3% strikeout rate, his career batting average against is.233, 16 points higher than the league average. These numbers support his career ERA+ of 98, which is somewhat below average.
Although the Red Sox are anticipated to add a defensive-minded player at second base, their defense is currently lacking. It would be advantageous to have a player that can beat opponents without greatly depending on his teammates.
Having said that, he did give up an American League-worst 41 home runs in the previous season, 21 of which came in his last 12 games. Giolito’s output has fluctuated greatly from year to year, and he has now had two complete seasons without experiencing his most productive period of play.
Between 2019 and 2021, he has a 3.47 ERA (129 ERA+), which earned him a nomination to the AL All-Star team and three top-11 results in the AL Cy Young voting. With 63 starts since then, Giolito’s ERA is 4.89.
Breslow could take a chance on Giolito since he is a high-risk, high-reward pitcher, particularly if he thinks that his new pitching program overhaul would help the veteran’s career take off again.
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