Free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito has agreed to a two-year, $38.5 million take care of the Pink Sox, a supply instructed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Friday. The deal, which has not been confirmed by the membership, contains an opt-out after 2024.
What a season it was for Giolito, who completed 2023 with a 4.88 ERA over 184 1/3 innings with three groups.
Giolito began the season with the White Sox (3.79 ERA in 121 innings) earlier than being acquired by the Angels on the Commerce Deadline. He pitched to a 6.89 ERA in six begins with Los Angeles earlier than shifting once more to Cleveland, the place he had a 7.04 ERA in six begins. That led to Giolito making the improper sort of historical past, as he turned the primary pitcher since 1899 to permit eight or extra runs in a sport for 3 totally different groups, per OptaSTATS.
Previous to this season, Giolito had spent six straight seasons with the White Sox, who acquired him from the Nationals in December 2016 as part of the package deal in return for Adam Eaton. His finest season got here in 2019 when he went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA in 176 2/3 innings whereas main all of baseball in full video games (three) and shutouts (two) en path to ending sixth within the Cy Younger Award voting.
He completed with a 3.48 and three.53 ERA in 2020 and ‘21, respectively, to earn some down-ballot Cy Younger votes, and he additionally threw a no-hitter in the course of the ‘20 season.
At solely 29, there needs to be loads of fuel left in Giolito’s tank; but it surely’s as much as him to show that he may be again to his dominant self. His largest drawback in 2023 was exhausting contact. He ranked within the eighth percentile in barrel charge and the thirty second percentile in hard-hit charge, that are two of the most important causes he led the American League in house runs allowed (41).