Athletics linked to Red Sox pitcher who has finished top-15 in Cy Young voting three times

The Athletics have done a great job this offseason, but more needs to be done, especially when it comes to starting pitching. 

For a team still prioritizing flexibility and money, patience makes sense, especially as the market continues to unfold.

The A’s have never been ones to go out and spend a ton, but they don’t need to this winter to ensure they add better arms.

Rowan Kavner of FOX Sports linked them to Lucas Giolito, and for many reasons, he makes sense.

“Coming off elbow surgery that wiped out his 2024 season, the start to Giolito’s lone season in Boston was rocky,” Kavner wrote. “But he settled in nicely, recording a 2.51 ERA over his final 19 starts to finish the year 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA. He was unable to pitch in the postseason due to another elbow issue and the underlying numbers weren’t particularly flashy, but he could represent a bargain for a team willing to take on the injury risk. He is, after all, a former All-Star still in his early 30s.”

Giolito has some questions, but his second-half showing suggests he’s still what he once was. If he’s healthy, he brings experience to a rotation that could use all of it.

Unless the A’s are willing to go big, Giolito and a few others make a lot of sense. He won’t be cheap, but he won’t be expensive, either.

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