With Opening Day finally done, there’s one question on a lot of people’s minds: why is Lucas Giolito still not on a roster? Many teams could use his services, and he could be a dependable middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.
The San Diego Padres are one of those teams, as FanSided’s Robert Murray points out they could use some depth in their rotation behind Michael King and Nick Pivetta.
“Why isn’t Lucas Giolito signed yet? Frankly, I’m not sure anyone in baseball knows right now. But Giolito, 31, is not on a Major League roster on Opening Day — and no one could have predicted that…The San Diego Padres continue to make sense as a destination with the team needing pitching depth. There are plenty of others that make sense, too, and it is baffling that no team is stepping up to sign the right-hander given his track record,” Murray wrote.
This past season, Giolito posted a 10-4 record, a 3.41 ERA, 121 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.290 over 145 innings pitched. With King and Pivetta, the Padres would have a solid front end for their rotation, as they could almost guarantee a series win with those three starting.
Giolito’s market value projects him to receive a three-year, $61 million deal; however, the Padres probably don’t even have to pay him that at this point. They could get him on a rental, or maybe a short-term, high AAV deal. However, with San Diego’s financial woes, the former option seems more realistic.
Hopefully, the Padres see the opportunity in front of them, and jump on it. Giolito, while still a free agent, should be a hot commodity, and other teams will start to realize that as well.
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