Red Sox's Lucas Giolito Underwent Surgery on Elbow Injury, Avoided Tommy John

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito addressed his elbow injury while avoiding the most drastic solution.

The Red Sox announced Wednesday that Giolito underwent a successful right elbow ulnar collateral ligament repair with an internal brace Tuesday, thereby avoiding Tommy John surgery.

Giolito signed a one-year deal with the Red Sox this offseason that included a player option for the 2025 season. His 2024 campaign was derailed before it even began when ESPN's Jeff Passan reported last week that he was dealing with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament and flexor strain that required surgery and would potentially force him to miss the entire year.

The Red Sox didn't announce a recovery timeline for Giolito, but CJ Haddad of MLB.com noted that he is still likely to miss the entirety of the 2024 season. Tuesday's procedure gives him the chance to be fully recovered in time for the start of the 2025 campaign.

Giolito was one of just three free-agent signings by Boston this offseason along with relievers Cooper Criswell and Liam Hendriks, the latter of whom is also likely to miss the majority of this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Giolito was an All-Star selection in 2019 when he played for the Chicago White Sox, but his performance saw a sharp decline last season. He split the year between the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians and finished with a combined 8-15 record with a 4.88 ERA.

The Red Sox are hoping that the time away from the field will benefit Giolito in the long run and help him get back to performing at a high level.