Lucas Giolito has turned his season around with impressive performances for the Boston Red Sox following a challenging start. Over his past six outings, Giolito has posted an astonishing 0.70 ERA through 38 2/3 innings, significantly decreasing his overall ERA from 6.42 to 3.36.
After his recent game against the Rockies, Giolito attributed his success to the strategy of establishing strike one early. “We did a good job today of getting strike one,” he remarked, noting that while the Rockies put up a fight once they fell behind, his ability to get ahead in the count was crucial. This season, he has been particularly effective with opponents hitting only .221 after going down 0-1.
During the game, he faced 21 hitters and managed to get 14 of them to start at 0-1. Interestingly, two of the three hits he allowed came during those counts. Giolito’s agility with his fastball, particularly when located high in the zone, led to an impressive eight whiffs—marking his season’s best—and a total of 17 whiffs overall, just shy of his personal best.
Despite having moved on from his peak performance days, Giolito is reminiscent of the pitcher who once garnered Cy Young Award votes. His changeup has emerged as a key weapon in his pitching strategy, and while his swinging strike rate isn’t at an all-time high, the overall strike statistics show alignment with some of the best moments in his career.
As Giolito continues to build momentum, his recent form gives fans and the team hope for a strong finish to the season. His resurgence is a testament to the resilience and determination necessary for overcoming early-season struggles, signaling a promising outlook for both him and the Red Sox moving forward.