04/22/26 04:56:00
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04/22 16:54 CDT Right-hander Lucas Giolito agrees to deal with Padres for just
under $2.8 million
Right-hander Lucas Giolito agrees to deal with Padres for just under $2.8
million
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
Right-hander Lucas Giolito and the San Diego Padres agreed Wednesday to a
one-year contract guaranteeing just under $2.8 million, bolstering the surging
club's injury-plagued rotation with the top starter left on the free agent
market.
Giolito is guaranteed $2,775,401 in the deal, which includes a 2027 mutual
option, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press. The
person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms were not announced.
A Southern California native, the 31-year-old Giolito went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA
over 26 starts last year for the Boston Red Sox, earning $19 million under a
player option. He bounced back solidly after missing the 2024 season because
his right ulnar collateral ligament was repaired with an internal brace that
March.
He gets a $1.5 million salary from San Diego --- which comes to $1,275,401 for
the final 159 days of the 187-day season. Giolito's contract includes an $8
million mutual option for 2027 with a $1.5 million buyout.
Giolito's buyout can escalate by up to $3 million for starts this year:
$250,000 for eight, $500,000 each for 12 and 16, $750,000 for 20 and $1 million
for 2024.
He also can earn bonuses for his finish in Cy Young Award voting: $2 million
for finishing among the top five and $1 million for sixth through 10th.
Giolito has played parts of nine seasons in the major leagues for Washington,
the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland, going 71-66, with
a 4.30 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
He has been durable and dependable for most of his career while earning an
All-Star selection in 2019 and throwing a no-hitter in 2020. Despite missing a
season because of injury, he ranks in the top five among AL pitchers from
2018-25 in innings pitched (1,092), strikeouts (1,153), wins (68) and complete
games (5).
But Giolito remained on the free agent market nearly one month into the regular
season before landing with the Padres, who are pitching superbly despite major
upheaval and injury problems in their rotation.
Opening day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list last week with a
right elbow flexor strain that could keep him out for months, while Joe
Musgrove has yet to make his season debut after a slower-than-expected return
from Tommy John surgery. Yu Darvish already is out for the season with an elbow
injury, and Dylan Cease left last fall for a $210 million free-agent deal with
Toronto.
Yet the Padres' team ERA is the second lowest in the majors at 3.22 after they
beat Colorado 1-0 on Tuesday night for their 11th victory in 12 games. San
Diego (16-7) is even with the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the
best record in the majors.
General manager A.J. Preller figured out a way to fit Giolito under his budget
even while his team is in ownership transition. The family of late Padres owner
Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team to billionaire Jose E. Feliciano
and his wife, Kwanza Jones.
Giolito will slot immediately into a rotation that currently includes Michael
King, Randy Vsquez, Germn Mrquez and former Dodgers star Walker Buehler.
Right-hander Matt Waldron took a start last week after Pivetta's injury but
struggled in a loss to the Angels.
Giolito agreed to a $38.5 million, two-year contract with Boston in January
2024. He will attempt to build on his strong work with the Red Sox in 2025,
when he went 9-1 with a 2.26 ERA in 15 starts from June 10 to Aug. 31 after a
slower start. Opponents hit .194 (25 for 129) against his changeup and .200 (3
for 15) against his curveball.
He was left off Boston's postseason roster after experiencing some elbow
discomfort in mid-September, but there was no structural damage --- something
he said was "a small relief in a very unfortunate situation."
"As it was described to me in layman's terms, my flexor is very irritated and
at this point it's hard for me to describe," Giolito said after Game 1 of
Boston's AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees. "It's like weird
stuff going on with my bone. It's one of those things I was told you got to
stop throwing and let it calm down."
Giolito hasn't pitched in the postseason since 2021, when he made his second
career playoff appearance for the White Sox.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing to the 60-day disabled list to
make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
___
AP Baseball Writer Jay Cohen contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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