Former All-Star pitcher lands two-year, $38.5M deal with Red Sox despite dismal end to his season

This marks the Red Sox's first real foray into the market and comes after their failure to land Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Giolito is unlikely to be on Yamamoto’s level, but he is a former All-Star who put together several strong seasons with the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox had been reported as having strong interest in Giolito earlier in the week.

The risk for the Red Sox is that they are giving big money to a pitcher who has not produced in recent seasons. He posted a 4.90 ERA for the White Sox in 2022 and things did not improve last year, posting a 4.88 ERA thanks to an ugly end to the season. He allowed 41 home runs, which was the worst mark in the league. His strikeout numbers have remained consistent, which, combined with his track record, is probably why the Red Sox are willing to take this risk. A two-year deal also ensures Boston won’t be paying for this for too long if things don’t work out.

The Red Sox are coming off an underwhelming 78-84 season that saw them finish last in the AL East for the second straight season.