Lucas Giolito officially exercised his $19 million player option for 2025 on Thursday, making official what he previously announced during the Red Sox’s latest homestand last month.

The 30-year-old right-hander was Boston’s biggest free-agent pitching signing last offseason. He suffered a UCL injury in his second spring training game and underwent season-ending internal brace surgery on March 12.

It was a surprising turn of events for the Red Sox and Giolito, one of the game’s most durable starters over the past half-decade. Between 2018 and 2023, he made 167 regular season starts with a total of 947 innings. Before signing with the Sox, he made at least 29 starts in each of the last five seasons (not including the shortened 2020). Pitching for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians in ’23, he had led the American League with 33 starts.

Giolito broke out with the White Sox in 2019, his only All-Star year to date, and the first of three consecutive seasons in which he received American League Cy Young votes. He pitched to a 3.47 ERA and 1.076 WHIP in 72 starts during that three-year span, but has struggled to keep runs off the board since, posting a 4.89 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in 63 starts between ’22 and ’23. .

Under new pitching coach Andrew Bailey and a revamped staff, several Red Sox starters took significant steps forward this year, including Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello, who became the first homegrown trio to make 30 starts each. one for the Red Sox since 1987. .

For Bailey and Co., helping Giolito limit free passes and induce weaker contact will be key. Between the 2019 and 21 seasons, his walk rate jumped from 7.2% in 2021 to 8.7% and 9.2%. After limiting opponents to a .394 slugging percentage and 34.4% slugging rate in 2021, they slugged .455 and .482 against him with 39% and 41.6% slugging rates in the following two years . He allowed home runs at a 5.2% clip in 2023, a significant increase from the 3.5% he had allowed over the previous five seasons.

By opting in, Giolito also activates a couple of potential options for next season. If he pitches at least 140 innings in the 25th, he’ll unlock a $19 million mutual option for the 26th. Otherwise, the Red Sox have a $14 million club option or a $1.5 million buyout.