Lucas Giolito DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester next week. The veteran right-hander is working his way back from a left hamstring strain that he suffered earlier in camp. The expectation is that Giolito will need a few rehab starts before he's ready to rejoin the Red Sox rotation. It's unclear what kind of fantasy value Giolito is going to offer considering he hasn't pitched since 2023. During that season, Giolito posted a 4.88 ERA with a league-leading 41 home runs allowed. The absence of Giolito should mean that Richard Fitts gets a longer look in the rotation to begin the season.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (hamstring) will begin the season on the injured list, according to manager Alex Cora. "We're going to be tested right away," Cora said. Giolito was pulled from his Grapefruit League start on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies with what turned out to be a low-grade left-hamstring strain. It's not a serious injury, but it means the BoSox will now open the year without Giolito, Brayan Bello (shoulder) or Kutter Crawford (knee) in their rotation. With that trio of starting-pitcher injuries, both Quinn Priester and Richard Fitts appear likely to open the year in Boston's rotation. Giolito's fantasy value continues to drop after he missed all of the 2024 campaign due to a torn right UCL that required an internal-brace procedure. The good news is his new injury isn't arm-related, but he should still be avoided in 12-team mixed leagues.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (hamstring) has a low-grade hamstring strain. The right-hander suffered this injury during Tuesday's Grapefruit League contest. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status. Giolito said, "he feels good and his work will be based on how he feels." However, he is not sure if he can make his next start. Giolito was unable to pitch during the entire 2024 season after undergoing an internal brace procedure during last year's spring training. In 2023, Giolito logged 184 1/3 innings with a 4.88 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He tallied 204 punchouts and held a high 9.2 percent walk-rate. He also generated a modest 4.61 xERA with a low 36.1 percent ground-ball rate. If he were to miss time early in the season, fantasy managers should expect Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, and Quinn Priester to have increased opportunities.