Several notable players remain available in free agency \u2014 including former All-Star Lucas Giolito.<\/p>\n
The starting pitcher re-entered the market<\/a> after the Red Sox declined to extend him a qualifying offer this offseason, and he\u2019s currently in wait-and-see mode as the calendar flips to 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s different in that around this time last free agency, I was signed or just about to sign,\u201d Giolito told host Rob Bradford Monday on the \u201cBaseball Isn\u2019t Boring\u201d podcast<\/a>. <\/p>\n After a solid bounce-back season in 2025 with the Red Sox, former AL All-Star Lucas Giolito is back on the market. Charles Wenzelberg \/ New York Post<\/p>\n Giolito addressed his free agency this offseason, noting it\u2019s unlikely he\u2019ll return to Boston. YouTube\/Baseball Isn’t Boring<\/p>\n \u201cThis time, it\u2019s crickets.\u201d<\/p>\n Giolito, 31, is coming off a strong comeback season, going 10\u20134 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts before an elbow injury sidelined him <\/a>for Boston\u2019s postseason series against the Yankees.<\/p>\n The former first-round pick \u2014 who drew interest from the Mets<\/a> before signing with Boston \u2014 missed all of 2024 after undergoing surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow<\/a>.<\/p>\n Between the injury and disastrous results from 2022\u201323, the 2019 AL All-Star said he\u2019s using that experience to stay calm about his current market.<\/p>\n Giolito underwent elbow surgery in 2024, which wiped out his entire season. AP<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, my last free agency I was coming off a really bad couple of months. My stats were horrible. I was stressing during free agency,\u201d Giolito said. \u201cI went from a $100-plus-million pitcher to having two mediocre seasons that completely shattered my market. What\u2019s going to happen? What kind of deal am I going to get? Where am I going to go?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI would stress out about it \u2014 and I ended up finding a wonderful landing spot. I cherish my time with the Red Sox. But this time around, it\u2019s like, \u2018Okay, relax. It\u2019s going to take care of itself.\u2019 I\u2019ve been with my agent for so long. He\u2019s really great at his job. Let him do his job. Let me do my job. And we\u2019ll go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n Giolito praised his experience in Boston, but noted the club\u2019s additions of starters Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo likely close the door on a reunion.<\/p>\n Giolito owns a 71\u201366 record with a 4.30 ERA in nine MLB seasons, including making the AL All-Star team in 2019 as a member of the White Sox. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI loved it there and I would have loved to go back,\u201d he said. \u201cI still would, but if you look at the writing on the wall, I don\u2019t think they need another starting pitcher. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s business, baby! That\u2019s how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside of Dylan Cease (Blue Jays<\/a>) and Michael King (Padres<\/a>), the starting-pitching market has not gained much traction.<\/p>\n Giolito pointed to fellow former All-Stars Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen as pitchers whose statuses could shape how the market develops.<\/p>\n