Lucas Giolito signs 2 year, 38.5M contract with Red Sox (opt-out after 1 year, potential 3rd year option)
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
So if he’s good, he’s gone in a year, and if not, we are stuck with him for two. Take what you can get, I guess, they avoid a long term commitment and add a youngish, durable pitcher, with some upside, but who is also probably a back end of the rotation starter? Seems like the strategy of the past few years has carried over to this year.
Passan followup:
"Giolito’s deal with Boston gives him an $18M salary in 2024 and a $1M buyout if he opts out. If not, the salary for 2025 is $19M. There is a conditional option for 2026 — $14M club option if he throws under 140 innings in 2025, $19M mutual option for 140+, with a $1.5M buyout."
"Giolito’s deal with Boston gives him an $18M salary in 2024 and a $1M buyout if he opts out. If not, the salary for 2025 is $19M. There is a conditional option for 2026 — $14M club option if he throws under 140 innings in 2025, $19M mutual option for 140+, with a $1.5M buyout."
At least you’ll have a motivated pitcher. For someone with his body type, might not be the worst thing but, yeah, doesn’t solve the long term need. Hopefully another signing follows that does.
I just don't get this FO at all. They consistently seem like there is no plan whatsoever.
Paying a guy who has had a 5 fip for the last few years real money when Sonny Gray was available for 3/75 just makes no godamn sense whatesoever. There's no real upside to this move. Even if he's good he just opts out. If he's bad, well you just paid $19m for a guy to be Corey Kluber all over again. But hey, we'll get to read that the Sox were 7th in payroll or whatever and that John Henry totally isn't an idiot.
Paying a guy who has had a 5 fip for the last few years real money when Sonny Gray was available for 3/75 just makes no godamn sense whatesoever. There's no real upside to this move. Even if he's good he just opts out. If he's bad, well you just paid $19m for a guy to be Corey Kluber all over again. But hey, we'll get to read that the Sox were 7th in payroll or whatever and that John Henry totally isn't an idiot.
I feel like the right pitching coach can matter a lot here - still in his prime age-wise, was a fantastic #2 in 2019-21, lost it after that. Andrew Bailey, Craig hired you for this reason...
Really hate the player opt-out, but I guess the salary is about right for this FA profile.
Really hate the player opt-out, but I guess the salary is about right for this FA profile.
So it could be a 3 year deal (potentially 3/56 based on this?) Kind of confusing..
The plan is they wanted Yamamoto, didn’t get him, and aren’t going to sell the farm or over commit to B tier pitchers just to satiate fans.
Well, that gives us some innings. Now let's hope B&B get more quality innings out of him than he's given recently.
Fine, but how does lighting money on fire for this guy help them in the short or long term, absent them being considerably better this year and him somehow having the 5 era that he's had the last two years?
Sell me on this not being a more expensive Corey Kluber.
It really only comes into play if he sucks in 2024 to the point he doesn't opt out after 2024 and then is hurt in 2025. If the team is exercising the $14 million option for 2026, then they've overpaid relative to production in the first two years.
When you have the chance to get the first pitcher since 1899 to give up 8 earned runs for three teams in the same season, you gotta do it.
Because it looks like they're spending money. Bloom was good at this too. Finding "value" in lieu of superstars.
Best case scenario: Breslow knows how to get him back to performing like a #2, and we get something for him at the deadline.
I really don’t like this. They say they don’t want to trade for rentals, but will essentially pay $20 million for 1 year of a guy who if pitches well will be out. Or if he sucks, they’re on the hook for up to 2 years more for him. Just go and pay premium prices for top talent.
If he’s performing like a #2, we’ll probably be in the playoff race ourselves.
I’m pretty indifferent about this signing. There needs to be more, someone in the Imanaga, Montgomery, Snell group.
Didn't realize this - if he does end up being great, he can get a QO (first time in FA this year and was traded last season, so no QO). That's at least some compensation in that case... and I bet he doesn't sign before the Boras big boy pitchers without an opt-out?
View: https://twitter.com/IanCundall/status/1740870586300325925
View: https://twitter.com/IanCundall/status/1740870586300325925
They need people to pitch 1400+ innings and he can handle over 10% of them. His strikeout rate is still pretty good, too. He still might put up a 4.50 ERA, but he won't get hurt doing it.
I really do not understand the opt out logically, or emotionally. If Giolito is good, he is gone, and the Red Sox are stuck with him if he is a disaster. Hopefully Giolito wins the Cy Young and signs with the Dodgers for $40m I guess.
Echoing @DeadlySplitter above: 1/18 + QO draft pick or prospects at deadline or first crack at extension if he is good.
It feels like neither side felt comfortable with a longer deal. The Sox, due to risk exposure, Giolito, because if he makes good he'll be able to do better.
It's like the new mantra around here...
Prospects are harder to come by than money.
As for top talent, Snell and Montgomery are both Boras clients and as such may not actually sign with anyone till February or March. I don't want to wait to take action till then, do you?
If they fix Giolito and he's great, he's gone in a year (but maybe he'd prefer to stick with the team that fixed him), and so what? Oh no we only got a great deal on a good starter for a single year so the deal is bad? The pre-complaining doesn't make any sense to me. And if he puts up exactly the same numbers as the last two years for the next two, that's an overpay for a number 5 innings eater, but there's still value in that role.
Better than nothing I guess. Adding $20 million in 2025 doesn’t bother me much. Adding $20 million in 2025, but only if the player is worth less than $20 million does bother me.
I'm not sure why it should. Martin, Jansen and (potentially) Sale come off the books after this year. There's plenty of room to maneuver.
Yeah, I don't understand this behavior at all. It's not unique to the Red Sox, obviously, so it's not a criticism of Breslow particularly.
I like the deal in a vacuum because I think he has bounceback potential and even in the worst case scenario, they're really not committing that many dollars/years to him in the grand scheme. Especially with the current prices in the pitching market. This deal certainly shouldn't take them out of the running to acquire additional pitching via FA (even a Montgomery or Snell) or trade.
Now if this is their only notable SP signing and they don't go for even Imanaga or Stroman, or trade options, I sure as shit will have my complaints. But we haven't crossed that bridge.
Now if this is their only notable SP signing and they don't go for even Imanaga or Stroman, or trade options, I sure as shit will have my complaints. But we haven't crossed that bridge.
This fits perfectly with the 2-3 year bridge project going on right now. If he is good at all, he will move on and the Red Sox will sign someone just like him next year for the following year. If he is bad, they will hope to at least get some innings out of him in year #2, then move on. Unless he is just terrible, this is a 1 year deal. This will probably be there big move on starting pitching this winter.
Would we rather have Wacha? 18 mill. Same cost.
Lugo went for 15 mill. I guess thats what middling starters cost in '24.
Lugo went for 15 mill. I guess thats what middling starters cost in '24.
I'm totally in support of 2024 as a bridge year, but if they aren't serious about competing by 2025, something is very wrong.
Hey this might help us finish 25 games out of first, not 26 - that’s not nothing.
It continues to feel like Boston is simply plugging holes with gum to field a team, not to get back to somewhat contendership, to me.
It continues to feel like Boston is simply plugging holes with gum to field a team, not to get back to somewhat contendership, to me.
Would everyone that is complaining about them actually doing something rather have some waiver wire fodder or some kid from AAA who isn’t ready pitching the 150 innings that this guy is likely to give them?
