Red Sox Lucas Giolito Declines $19M Option Enters Free Agency

The Boston Red Sox saw key players Alex Bregman and Lucas Giolito opt out of their contracts, entering free agency after the 2025 MLB season. Giolito declined his $19 million mutual option for 2026, a decision that only required one side to reject it, and the Red Sox have since declined their side as well. Despite a strong 2025 performance with a 3.41 ERA over 145 innings, Giolito missed the postseason due to an elbow injury but is expected to be healthy for 2026. The Red Sox now face the choice of offering Giolito a $22 million qualifying offer, which would either keep him for another year or, if he signs elsewhere, yield the team a compensatory draft pick. This situation mirrors last year's with Nick Pivetta, where a qualifying offer led to a draft pick after Pivetta signed elsewhere. The Red Sox pitching rotation will likely rely on returning talent like Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello, while also considering veteran signings to replace Giolito if he does not return.