Red Sox Ace Calls Giolito's Unsigned Status 'Insane'

The veteran starter remains a free agent despite a solid 2025 season, sparking concerns over the free agent market's treatment of middle-tier players.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 7:40pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, conveying the complex and uncertain nature of a veteran player's free agent status.A fractured, geometric illustration captures the complexity and uncertainty surrounding a veteran pitcher's unsigned free agent status.Boston Today

Lucas Giolito, a 31-year-old right-handed pitcher who anchored the Boston Red Sox rotation in 2025, remains unsigned as spring training begins. His former teammate Garrett Crochet calls Giolito's free agent status "insane," suggesting the market often undervalues experienced, reliable starters like Giolito in favor of younger, higher-upside prospects.

Why it matters

Giolito's situation highlights a perceived systemic issue in MLB free agency, where middle-tier players can struggle to find fair market value compared to top stars or unproven prospects. This raises questions about whether teams are overly reliant on analytics at the expense of real-world performance and veteran leadership.

The details

Giolito posted a 3.41 ERA across 145 innings and 26 starts for the Red Sox in 2025, forming a strong rotation trio with Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello. However, as teams finalize their rosters, Giolito remains unsigned despite no apparent health or performance concerns. Crochet believes Giolito is being overlooked due to a flawed free agent system that favors younger, higher-upside players over proven veterans.

  • Giolito anchored the Red Sox rotation in the 2025 season.
  • Giolito remains unsigned as spring training kicks into gear in 2026.

The players

Lucas Giolito

A 31-year-old right-handed pitcher who posted a 3.41 ERA across 145 innings and 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 2025.

Garrett Crochet

Giolito's former teammate with the Red Sox, who has expressed frustration over Giolito's unsigned status, calling it "insane."

Brayan Bello

A pitcher who formed a formidable rotation trio with Giolito and Crochet for the Red Sox in 2025.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's insane. Very insane.”

— Garrett Crochet, Red Sox Pitcher

“The middle of the market gets screwed.”

— Garrett Crochet, Red Sox Pitcher

“Maybe he's waiting for a team that's actually trying to win.”

— Garrett Crochet, Red Sox Pitcher

“A lot of guys never figure it out at the big league level. Giolito has.”

— Garrett Crochet, Red Sox Pitcher

What’s next

As spring training continues, all eyes will be on whether Giolito signs with a team and where he ends up. His free agent status will likely be a topic of discussion throughout the league as the 2026 season approaches.

The takeaway

Giolito's unsigned status highlights a perceived imbalance in the free agent market, where experienced, reliable pitchers like Giolito can be overlooked in favor of younger, higher-upside prospects. This raises questions about whether teams are overly reliant on analytics at the expense of real-world performance and veteran leadership.