Lucas Giolito Details ‘Amazing’ Pitch Meeting With Red Sox

It sure sounds like Lucas Giolito went through his Major League Baseball free agency process knowing he was going to end up in a Red Sox uniform.

After a few months on the open market, Giolito signed with Boston on a one-year deal that has a player option for 2025 and a conditional option for 2026. The right-hander opted for a short-term deal with the Red Sox rather than a long-term pact elsewhere, as he clearly believes the coaches in Boston can help him regain his All-Star form.

Speaking with the media Wednesday, Giolito explained how Red Sox brass got him so excited about taking his talents to Fenway Park.

“For me, I really was sold on the Red Sox philosophy, talking with (manager Alex Cora), talking with (pitching coach) Andrew Bailey, talking with (chief baseball officer) Craig (Breslow),” Giolito told reporters, per MassLive. “That initial meeting really got me excited. A lot of my free agency process was tailored to working towards getting something done here.”

The 29-year-old added: “We had a really interesting, amazing Zoom call, like a pitch meeting, where I got to get a feel for the organization, got to meet some of the staff and I really liked everything I heard.”

After back-to-back down seasons, Giolito faces an uphill climb to regain his status as a legitimate frontline starter. But the ninth-year pro is highly motivated to present the “best version” of himself and produce a great product for a Boston fan base he “cares deeply” about.