With the Boston Red Sox in desperate need of starting pitching, Lucas Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the franchise. However, before Giolito officially throws his first pitch in Boston, the right hander's Red Sox tenure is already off to a brutal start.

Giolito has a partial tear in his UCL and a flexor strain that could hold him out for the entire 2024 season, via ESPN's Jeff Passan. The elbow injury may ultimate require surgery.

The righty came to Boston after spending the 2023 season with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians. Over 33 starts, Giolito held an 8-15 record with a 4.88 ERA and a 204/73 K/BB ratio.

Home runs were a real problem for Giolito in 2023, as he led the American League by allowing 41 long balls. However, the Red Sox were hoping for a return to the norm in 2024. Over his eight-year MLB career, Giolito holds a 61-62 record with a 4.43 ERA and a 1,077/385 K/BB ratio.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Anthony Rendon with animated tears. Angels fans in the background with scared emojis as their faces

Angelo Guinhawa ·

Dodgers' Walker Buehler, Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw both pitching baseballs at Dodger Stadium.

Joey Mistretta ·

Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo

Andrew Meyers ·

The Red Sox traded away Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves. While they have a few intriguing options, Boston lacks firepower in their rotation. Even with Sale, Boston finished the 2023 ranked 21st in the league with a 4.52 ERA.

Lucas Giolito was expected to help remedy those pitching issues at the top of the rotation. But his worrying elbow injury has now thrown a major wrench in the plans. The Red Sox will continue doing tests before making a final decision on Giolito. But Boston has already been dealt a gruesome pitching gut punch before the season even starts.