The Boston Red Sox clearly made the right decision not to tender the qualifying offer to Lucas Giolito this past offseason.
That's not to say that Giolito wasn't great for Boston in 2025. He was. He had a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts and was an integral piece for the club, especially down the stretch, as they returned to the playoffs. Unfortunately, Giolito wasn't able to pitch in the playoffs, but he was everything Boston could've hoped for during the regular season.
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If the Red Sox had tendered the qualifying offer, it seems pretty likely that he would've accepted. That's speculation, but he would've gotten a one-year deal worth just over $22 million. Instead, he is still available in free agency about a week before Opening Day. It's shocking, to say the least, that he is still available in free agency. But FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray pitched the San Diego Padres as a "no-brainer" landing spot for him and said that he believes Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller is considering it.
"Another week, another Lucas Giolito question. Frankly, I can’t believe he’s unsigned either," Murray wrote. "I’ve said for weeks that the San Diego Padres are a great fit considering 1) the questions in their rotation and 2) how A.J. Preller loves stockpiling pitching depth. Adding Giolito this close to Opening Day, especially with the questions surrounding Joe Musgrove’s status coming off Tommy John surgery, would be a no-brainer move. Preller should consider it, and I believe he is. Adding Giolito would give the Padres the necessary depth it needs ahead of Opening Day."
There's no reason that Giolito should still be available. But maybe this is a sign of progress coming for him.