Top 3 Outside Options the Red Sox Can Turn To In The Rotation After Giolito News

The Boston Red Sox were dealt a brutal blow earlier on Tuesday, with the news that Lucas Giolito may miss the 2024 season due to elbow problems.

They had been counting on the usually durable former Chicago White Sox pitcher to provide close to 180 innings this season in their rotation.

"There's a lot of talent in that clubhouse. A lot of talent in that room."@RedSox pitching coach Andrew Bailey talks through Boston's starting rotation in the wake of Lucas Giolito's injury news. pic.twitter.com/3phgi3uWID
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 5, 2024

And while new Boston pitching coach Andrew Bailey believes in the staff that they have remaining, they should be looking for a solid starter to replace Giolito.

Jordan Montgomery

The Red Sox have been linked to the free agent lefty all winter, but as a deal isn't done yet, the price tag that Montgomery's agent Scott Boras is pushing for is obviously outside of the BoSox' comfort zone. Will this injury to Giolito push Boston to go that extra mile? You know that Boras is using it to put the squeeze on. We'll have to see if the Sox want to spend that extra money.

Michael Lorenzen

He's been a largely forgotten free agent starter on the market, with all of the recent attention on Boras' Big Two of Montgomery and Blake Snell. But he has shown the ability to be a solid starter at times in the majors, including his debut in Philadelphia with the Phillies last season, when he threw a no-hitter. He has a career 4.11 ERA, which is actually far better than Giolito's 4.43.

Mike Clevinger

The former Cleveland Guardians hurler was a top of the rotation arm earlier in his career, but since coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2022, he has been more of a middle-of-the-rotation option. The 33-year-old had a pretty decent 2023 season for the White Sox, posting a 3.77 ERA in 24 starts though his strikeout efficiency is down from earlier seasons, to 7.5 batters per nine innings.

For now, Boston will go into the season with a rotation of Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock — all but the youngster Bello have spent just as much time in the bullpen as the rotation in recent years. P{hoto: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports