2 days Ago
TORONTO — Red Sox righty Lucas Giolito will be activated from the IL to start Wednesday against the Blue Jays despite posting a 5.19 ERA in five rehab games . How does he think things went overall in his three starts for Triple-A Worcester and two starts for Double-A Portland? “Not well numbers-wise, obviously,” Giolito said here at Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
“That wasn’t really my goal. I’ve been working on a number of mechanical things. Like my last start, for instance, the first three innings I was very focused on mechanical changes and then the last couple innings, I was like, ‘All right.
Let me put those away and just pitch to compete’ — and it was different results after.” Giolito allowed 10 runs (all earned), 18 hits and 13 walks while striking out 17 over 17 1⁄3 innings. “I think there’s something about this environment (pitching in the majors) that probably helps people out,” manager Alex Cora said.
Giolito agreed there’s a difference in intensity and mindset between minor league and major league games that can flip on a different switch. “Every single game matters," Giolito said. “Every single pitch matters.
We’re playing here to win vs. in the minor leagues you want to win obviously but it’s about development. I’m used to that style of baseball where it’s like everything matters.
Doesn’t matter how you get the guy out — get the guy out, get out of the situation. It’s about trying to put up as many zeros as you can. Yeah, I’m looking forward to feeling that competition again, for sure.
" He said he’ll focus on mechanical adjustments between starts. "So it’s whatever I have tomorrow, whatever I have five days after that, go out and compete to the best of my ability. And then all the work — mechanics, whatever else it may be — is all in between (starts)," he said.
“And then hopefully it takes hold over the course of the rest of the year.” Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Red Sox in December 2023.
He missed the 2024 season after he underwent an internal brace procedure to repair the damaged elbow in spring training. He then began this season on the IL with a left hamstring strain that he suffered during his first spring training start. “When I think about the road to get here, it was very long and arduous, but at the same time, it feels like my elbow went yesterday,” Giolito said.
“If I look at it from different perspectives, it went by really quickly or it went by really slowly. So yeah, I’m just happy to be back and like back around the guys like full-time actually being here to help contribute." Giolito was an All-Star in 2019 with the White Sox.
He received AL Cy Young votes in 2019, ’20 and ’21. "I signed over here with this team for a reason and I wanted to contribute the best way I know how to, which is to take the ball and be available to throw 100-plus pitches every single start," he said. “And I haven’t been able to do that up until this point.
Now I finally have the ability and been through all this rehab stuff to get to the point to be able to do that. I’m very pleased and happy to be able to actually do my job again." He said his girlfriend will be here.
She plans to be at all his starts this year. Giolito said he hasn’t thought about what kind of emotions he might feel before the start after having not pitched in a major league game since Oct. 1, 2023.
"I don’t know if I’ll be any more nervous than I am for any big league start," Giolito said. “I feel like I’ve done it for long enough time that it doesn’t really affect me in that way anymore. I’d say maybe a little anxious tomorrow.
Just like wanting to get to that 7:07 start time during the day. Just be able to go out there and feel that energy again. It’s been a long time.
" His changeup is his “go-to” secondary pitch, as he has described it. It’s been his most-frequently secondary pitch in seven of his eight seasons in the majors. He also has worked on throwing his slider harder .
"I’m confident in my stuff as long as I’m throwing it over the plate," Giolito said. “And then being able to use it in two-strike situations just off the plate and chasing some swings and misses. When I’m right, that’s what I’m able to do pretty well.
So that’s the goal — kind of pour stuff into the zone, four pitches, and go from there." He’ll get back an important piece of his life tomorrow. “I felt like a piece of myself was missing for a while.
Last year watching our games, this year watching our games,” he said. “I’m just excited to be back." More Red Sox coverage.
