Aug 9, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Lucas Giolito Makes Confession About 'Inexcusable' Performance

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 1:48 PM ET

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito is nothing if not accountable.

While Giolito has had a good year on the whole, his outing on Saturday night left a lot to be desired. A lot transpired late in the Red Sox's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the San Diego Padres, but the entire game could have played out differently were it not for Giolito's fifth-inning meltdown.

Giolito set a new career-high with six walks, which included the last four batters he faced. That turned a 3-2 Red Sox lead into a 4-3 deficit, a score that stood until the top of the ninth inning, when Roman Anthony tied the game with a double.

Lucas Giolito takes the blame for the Red Sox's loss

The six walks were a new career-high for Giolito, and the issue seemingly cropped up out of nowhere. There was a good argument to be made that manager Alex Cora should have gone to the bullpen sooner, but there was Sunday's series finale to consider as well.

So what went wrong? Giolito couldn't find much of an explanation himself.

“It’s hard to put my finger on,” said Giolito, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “I lost feel. Lost feel for my mechanics. I just couldn't make the adjustment. It’s inexcusable. I truly believe that if I had just gotten out of that fifth inning, made the adjustment, then we would have won that game.”

On the season, Giolito now sits at 8-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 18 starts. He's been a de facto number-two starter for the last two months, but he's had some uninspiring outings since the All-Star break, with Saturday night marking a low point.

Another thing to keep an eye on for Giolito: He's now at 100 1/3 innings for the season. If he gets to 140, his $14 million club option for next season will vest into a $19 million mutual option, which he would almost certainly decline.

The 31-year-old would need to average five innings a start to make it to the 140 mark if he gets eight more starts this year; 5 2/3 innings if he only makes seven more.

Hopefully, for Giolito's sake, Saturday's outing was but a blip on the radar. If he's not going deep into games because of walks, that not only hurts his future outlook, but it could burn a Red Sox bullpen that has been extremely effective since the All-Star break.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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