Lucas Giolito is hitting free agency with a bit of a surprise.
The right-hander, who had already declined his mutual option with the Red Sox, was not given a $22.025 million qualifying offer by the team before Thursday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline, according to the Boston Globe.
That means any team that signs Giolito will not lose either a draft pick and/or international bonus pool money as they would had he been offered and rejected a qualifying offer. Boston will also not receive any draft pick compensation if he does sign with another team.
Lucas Giolito delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sept. 17, 2025, in Boston. AP
Giolito, an All-Star with the White Sox in 2019, missed all of 2024 with an elbow injury that required surgery but came back in 2025 with mostly positive returns. He posted a 3.45 ERA and 121 strikeouts over 145 innings, helping the Red Sox reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The 31-year-old right-hander held an ERA nearing 5.00 at the end of May, but turned a corner in the summer. From June on, he never posted an ERA above 3.66 in any single month.
The Athletic projects that Giolito will get a three-year deal worth $57 million this offseason. He joins a group of starting pitchers in free agency that already includes Dylan Cease, Michael King, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez.
Starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Boston’s top of the rotation is set with ace Garrett Crochet and Bryan Bello likely taking the No. 2 or 3 spot, depending on what the Red Sox do in free agency or in the trade market.