Despite 5.19 ERA, Boston Red Sox say starter ‘healthy, ready’ for Wednesday

CLEVELAND — Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito’s stats on his rehab assignment aren’t good. He has a 5.19 ERA in five starts combined between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.

Giolito took the loss for the WooSox against Syracuse on Friday. He pitched 4 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs, three hits and six walks while striking out four.

“Obviously we saw the line but he’s healthy and he’s ready so the plan is for him to be with us in Toronto. Most likely Game 2 (Wednesday),” manager Alex Cora said before the first game of Boston’s doubleheader against the Guardians on Saturday.

Garrett Crochet will start Tuesday in Toronto and Giolito is expected to start Wednesday.

Giolito has allowed 10 runs (all earned), 18 hits and 13 walks while striking out 17 over 17 ⅓ innings between three starts for Worcester and two starts with Portland.

“You have different opinions from a lot of people in the room,” Cora said. “From my end, if he’s healthy and he feels ready, we’ve gotta go. I think there’s something about this environment (pitching in the majors) that probably helps people out. ... We trust the player. We trust the track record. We talked to him last week. He felt like he was ready. We said it’s not about results down there. If he goes 2 ⅓ (innings) and he walks the world and it’s a bad outing, we’re not going to punish him and oh, go back and have one more. We do believe physically he’s ready. Now it’s about performing at the big league level."

Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Red Sox in December 2023. But he has yet to pitch in a game for them. He missed the 2024 season after he underwent an internal brace procedure to repair the damaged elbow in spring training. He then began this season on the IL with a left hamstring strain that he suffered during his first spring training start.

“The way he talks the game, the way he’s involved with everything, he’s a good teammate,” Cora said. “He cares about the organization. And he wants to contribute. So excited about that part.”

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