In a surprising move, free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito has reportedly agreed to a lucrative two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to a source familiar with the situation. While the deal has not been officially confirmed by the club, it is believed to include an opt-out clause after the 2024 season.

Giolito's performance during the 2023 season was a mixed bag, as he struggled with inconsistency while playing for three different teams. Starting the season with the Chicago White Sox, he posted a 4.88 ERA over 121 innings before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels at the Trade Deadline. His time with the Angels was marred by a 6.89 ERA in six starts, and he was eventually moved to the Cleveland team, where he recorded a 7.04 ERA in six starts.

These struggles made Giolito the unfortunate bearer of an undesirable record, as he became the first pitcher since 1899 to allow eight or more runs in a game for three different teams, according to OptaSTATS.

Prior to the tumultuous 2023 season, Giolito had spent six successful seasons with the White Sox, who acquired him in a trade with the Washington Nationals in December 2016. His standout year came in 2019, when he went 14-9 with an impressive 3.41 ERA in 176 2/3 innings. Giolito's performance that year also included leading the league in complete games (three) and shutouts (two), ultimately leading him to a sixth-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting.

In the following years, Giolito maintained solid performances with ERAs of 3.48 in 2020 and 3.53 in 2021. He even achieved the impressive feat of pitching a no-hitter during the 2020 season.

Despite the challenges faced by Giolito in the recent past, the 29-year-old pitcher still possesses the potential for a remarkable comeback. His main area of focus should be reducing hard contact, as he ranked in the 8th percentile for barrel rate and the 32nd percentile for hard-hit rate in 2023. These factors contributed to his league-leading 41 home runs allowed.

With his prime years still ahead of him, Giolito has the opportunity to prove that he is capable of returning to his dominant form. If he can address his issues with hard contact and recapture his previous success, the signing of Lucas Giolito could prove to be a significant move for the Red Sox, bolstering their pitching rotation and giving them a competitive edge in the seasons to come.