TORONTO — Greater than 15 months after signing a free-agent cope with the Pink Sox, right-hander Lucas Giolito regarded sharp in his long-awaited Boston debut Wednesday evening.
Giolito allowed three runs and 5 hits in six innings at Toronto, exiting with a 6-3 lead. He walked two and struck out seven.
“I’m proud of how I competed,” Giolito stated. “I’m simply not happy with how I completed. I can undoubtedly end stronger than that.”
Giolito threw 90 pitches, 61 for strikes.
“Good fastball, good changeup, transferring the ball round,” Pink Sox supervisor Alex Cora stated. “He did an impressive job. Clearly he was upset with the way in which it ended but when we get this model of Lucas, we’re going to be in good condition.”
Ernie Clement and Bo Bichette hit back-to-back singles to start the third inning, however Giolito struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wanting, obtained Anthony Santander to fly out, then struck out George Springer trying to escape the jam.
“That was an excellent feeling,” Giolito stated.
These have been the primary three in a streak of 11 consecutive outs for Giolito, a run that ended when Springer walked within the sixth. Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk adopted with back-to-back homers.
“I assumed I pitched nicely till the sixth,” Giolito stated. “The sixth inning, some essential, essential errors. We have been enjoying the changeup fairly nicely to the corners, and I simply left them up there. So, one thing to be taught from. Bought to complete stronger.”
Giolito was in line for the win earlier than Santander tied the rating 6-all with a three-run homer off right-hander Garrett Whitlock within the seventh.
“Actually happy with him,” Whitlock stated of Giolito. “Actually joyful that he’s again with us.”
Toronto gained 7-6 on Kirk’s game-ending hit within the tenth inning.
The Pink Sox activated Giolito off the injured listing earlier than the sport and put left-hander Brennan Bernardino on the bereavement listing. Giolito had been sidelined since spring coaching due to a strained left hamstring.
It was Giolito’s first main league look since Oct. 1, 2023, when he began for Cleveland at Detroit.
Staked to a 2-0 lead earlier than taking the mound Wednesday, Giolito allowed a leadoff single to Bichette within the first inning however struck out Varsho to strand a pair.
In March, Giolito left his first spring begin towards Philadelphia after one inning when his hamstring tightened.
The 30-year-old signed a $38.5 million. two-year contract with Boston earlier than final season, however didn’t pitch in 2024 due to a partial tear in his proper ulnar collateral ligament.
He went 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in 5 minor league rehab begins.
“The rehab outings have been fully completely different,” Giolito stated. “I used to be going on the market form of treating them extra like spring coaching. There’s no adrenaline, attempting to work on some mechanical issues.”
In 2023, Giolito went 8-15 with a 4.88 ERA in 33 begins with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians. He allowed 41 homers, second-most within the majors.
After starting his profession with six video games for Washington, Giolito went 59-52 with a 4.20 ERA in 162 begins with the White Sox earlier than Chicago traded him to the Angels in July of 2023. After going 1-5 with a 6.89 ERA in six begins for Los Angeles, Giolito was claimed off waivers by Cleveland and went 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA in six begins.
He entered Wednesday with a 61-62 document and a 4.43 ERA in 178 begins and two reduction appearances.