Lucas Giolito #27 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on October 1, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. | Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
Boston Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito was supposed to be a key member of their rotation, having signed a multi-year deal with the team this offseason. He talked to MLB analyst and podcaster Chris Rose right before his first spring training start in late February. Up until that point, he was feeling in excellent form.
Just a few days later, however, he would feel something in his right elbow. He received an MRI that showed a partially torn UCL and flexor strain, forcing him to go under the knife and miss the entire 2024 campaign before it even started. This week, Rose spoke to Giolito again to get a better understanding of the injury and the days leading to it.
Rose asked him if there was something going on injury-wise when they spoke. Giolito clarified that wasn’t the case, as his velocity was actually up around those days.
Giolito explained that it was during that second spring training outing when he felt discomfort in his elbow. He felt soreness, then tried to throw a pitch and really felt he couldn’t keep going. He explained he was actually confused because he felt something similar last year that ended up being nothing. The right-hander didn’t feel it was significant, but then the MRI showed the extent of the damage.
Pitchers have to be very careful these days and report the minimum soreness or tightness immediately, because it can actually help them avoid a more serious injury. At a time in which elbow injuries are happening at an alarming pace, Giolito was unfortunately caught by the monster.
