Red Sox nuts: Giolito, Bullpen

Despite declining his end of a mutual option for the 2026 season, right-hander Luke Giolito was and is very open to a return to the Red Sox, the pitcher himself said WEEI’s Rob Bradford in a guest appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. However, Giolito was also realistic about the slim chance of this happening in the aftermath of the Boston takeover Son Gray (And Johan Oviedo). When asked if the trade for Gray and Oviedo was a signal that the team plans to move on, Giolito replied: “I think so,” adding that the “writing is on the wall” regarding a reunion being unlikely.

Giolito delved further into his free agent experience for the second time, explaining that this time he is more focused on what he can control, rather than focusing on the day-to-day operations. He has increased his training regimen and is experimenting with reintroducing a sinker into his repertoire. He hasn’t thrown a two-seazer since the 2018 season, but is training at Cressey Performance Center this winter and working on an updated version of the pitch.

While Giolito will likely take this new-looking sinker to another club, the Red Sox don’t think they’re done on the pitching front. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe breaks down the team’s bullpen and highlights the lack of established options outside of it Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock And Greg Weissert while noting that Breslow could have at least one, if not two, outside additions on the horizon in the final few months of the offseason.

The Red Sox pay Jordan Hicks $12 million in each of the next two seasons, so he’ll certainly have a significant lead, but he’s coming off a losing season in which he was rocked by a 6.59 ERA while posting a career-worst strikeout rate of 18.5%. Manager Alex Kora finished talking Jovani Moran as a potential left-handed option, but the 28-year-old has struggled with injuries and poor performance since a promising rookie season with the Twins in 2022.

While Boston doesn’t have any established left-handed options, much of the free agent market has thinned out significantly in recent weeks. A reunion with a veteran Justin Wilson would make sense, speculatively speaking, but each of Steven Matz (rays), Gregory Soto (Pirates), Hobby Milner (Cubs), Caleb Thielbar (Cubs), Caleb Ferguson (Red), Drew Pomeranz (Angels) and Sean Newcomb (White Sox) has already signed this winter. Wilson, Danny Coulombe, Taylor Rogers, Andreas Chafin And Brent Suter are all still available. JoJo Romero is the most obvious name on the trade market if the Red Sox want to return for what would be a third trade with the Cardinals.