Red Sox, Lucas Giolito Receive Relatively Good News From Surgery

The Red Sox suffered quite the blow when Lucas Giolito went down with an elbow injury just one start into spring training, but they might have actually avoided the worst-case scenario.

Boston received an update Wednesday that was actually kind of positive.

Giolito underwent a successful right elbow ulnar collateral ligament repair with internal brace Tuesday, as shared by the Red Sox. If you need a translation into plain English, he avoided Tommy John surgery and will have a shorter recovery time because of it.

Giolito be back anytime soon, as the bracing procedure will still sideline him for the remainder of this season, but the recovery is cut dramatically. It doesn't require drilling holes into bones or the "ligamentization of tendons," according to a story written by The Boston Globe in 2023, meaning he'll be able to rehab sooner.

If all goes to plan, the Red Sox could see the 29-year-old ready to go by the beginning of the 2025 season.

Giolito agreed to a two-year, $38.5 million contract with Boston this offseason, and while he does have the option to void the second year, it's unlikely he'll forego a guaranteed salary of $19 million coming off a major injury. It looked like the Red Sox threw in an option that would save them this season, but the conditional option for 2026 (which is worth $14 million that the club can exercise if he throws under 140 innings) only counts toward the 2025 season.

The Red Sox are essentially back to square one with their rotation, but at least have a good chance at reinforcements coming in 2025.