Catching up with free agent Lucas Giolito
Lucas Giolito knows the deal, both when it comes to free agency and the idea of returning to the Red Sox.
In terms of life as a free agent, which is precisely what the 31-year-old is currently experiencing, he has a firm grip on this world. Last time, back in the offseason leading into the 2024 season, before signing his deal with the Red Sox, it was different.
It's an evolution he is fully embracing this time around.
"The thing is that I’m very focused on what I’m doing," Giolito said on the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast. 'I used to work out four or five days a week. I’m working out six days a week now. I have a lot of stuff on my plate. There is a lot of work to be done when it comes to my mechanics, my pitch mix. I’m trying to add another pitch. I’m putting a lot of work in. For me, the anxiety is lessened, and all that kind of nonsense, there is less of that when you’re focused on the present and what you’re doing each and every day, rather than being like, ‘Where am I going to sign? What’s happening? What’s going on?’ I have my agent, Ryan (Hamill), who does a wonderful job. Just let him do the work. I’m not interested in hearing, ‘This team is interested in you.’ I’m not interested in hearing anything until we get to the point where offers are coming across the table.
"You get better at anything with experience. I have been through this once. This will be my second go. I will probably have a third go when that’s done. You get used to things. This goes for anything in life. You do something for the first time, it’s going to be uncomfortable. You might make some mistakes. It might be weird. But when you do it for the second time it’s going to be easier."
He added, "For example, my last free agency I was coming off a really bad couple of months. My stats were horrible. I was stressing during free agency. I was like, ‘Wow, I went from a $100-plus-million pitcher to having two mediocre seasons that completely shattered my market. What’s going to happen? What kind of deal am I going to get? Where am I going to go? I would stress out about and I ended up finding a wonderful landing spot. I cherish my time with the Red Sox. But this time around it’s like, ‘OK, relax. It’s going to take care of itself.’ I have been with my agent for so long. He’s really great at his job. Let him do his job. Let me do my job. And we’ll go from there."
So, for the time being, he continues to work out at Cressey Sports Performance in Florida while waiting for the pitching market to activate truly.
"It’s different that around this time last free agency," he explained. "I was already signed or about to be signed, where this time it’s crickets. Just go to wait until the January push ... Plenty of touching base. Plenty of showing interest. But as far as getting into real negotiations and offers and all that, we’re not there yet."
Then there is the reality regarding a return to the Red Sox.
Giolito earned the right to become a free agent by going over 140 innings in a 2025 season in which he finished with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts, ultimately declining the mutual option involving himself and the team he inked a two-year, $38.5 million contract with in the final days of 2023.
And while the righty pitcher had some hope for a return to Boston, he has come to grips with the Red Sox going in a different direction after trading for starters Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo.
"I loved it there and I would have loved to go back," he explained. "I still would, but if you look at the wriing on the wall I don’t think they need another starting pitcher. That’s business, baby! That’s how it goes."
The lack of activity surrounding Giolito is in line with the majority of the starting pitching market this offseason, with starters Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt, and Tatsuya Imai (who reportedly hasn't received any definitive offers) still unsigned.
Michael King did recently agree to a three-year, $75 million (with two opt-outs) that returns him to San Diego, while Zach Eflin is heading back to Baltimore on a one-year, $10 million deal.