When it rains, it pours.
Veteran right-hander Lucas Giolito -- arguably the best player the Boston Red Sox have signed to date amid a disappointing offseason -- likely has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain and could miss the entire 2024 season, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday.
Giolito may need surgery to repair the issue, per Passan.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"We’re obviously concerned,” manager Alex Cora told reporters Tuesday morning (via The Boston Globe) after revealing Giolito was experiencing "discomfort" in his right elbow. “Not a good day for us."
The Red Sox signed Giolito to a two-year, $38.5 million contract in late December. The 29-year-old made an All-Star team in 2019 and received Cy Young votes in 2019, 2020 and 2021 as a dependable starter for the Chicago White Sox. While he was plagued by ineffectiveness last season -- a 4.88 ERA over 184.1 innings split between three teams -- Giolito still was expected to play a key role in a Red Sox rotation that was Boston's biggest weakness in 2023.
Following Giolito's injury, however, starting pitching will remain a need for the Red Sox, who reportedly have interest in free agent left-hander Jordan Montgomery.
