Although he is a previous MLB All-Star, we must use this phrase with caution. I don’t mean to offend the right-hander, but as he enters the San Diego Padres rotation this weekend, he isn’t supposed to be their savior at this stage of his career. Giolito is more back-of-the-rotation backup than anything else, but that doesn’t mean he can’t succeed to some extent and he’s undoubtedly superior to some of their other alternatives.
Last Season In Boston
Giolito has a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings while making 26 starts with the Boston Red Sox last season. It’s odd, though, that considering the general situation of pitching in baseball, Giolito got little, at best, notice over the off-season. It may be related to the fact that Giolito’s ERAs were 4.90 and 4.88 in his two previous seasons.
Giolito’s strikeouts per nine innings dropped to 7.51 last season, which was concerning. His 5.01 xERA may have been a better predictor of what to anticipate from him.
Injury History
Giolito’s elbow kept him out of action late in the previous season, and he missed all of 2024 due to surgery, so it’s probable that he was still dealing with some rust and lingering problems. Giolito is better than Matt Waldron in the Padres’ eyes.
Minor League Ramp Up
Giolito gave up just one run in six innings during his most recent Double-A start. Giolito is just up to 74 pitches, so it’s important to see that he only struck out three. The Padres will probably be cautious with his workload, at least initially, but the good news is that Giolito is bringing momentum to San Diego.
We shouldn’t discount Giolito despite the fact that he will never be a dominant starter and meet his top prospect expectations. The Padres made a wise move in acquiring him, and he should work well in the back of their rotation.
