The Tampa Bay Rays aren't often thought of as a team that signs flashy names in free agency.
Lucas Giolito, while not the pitcher he once was or was expected to be, would still have some flash to him if he signed with the Rays.
It's an idea that has been thrown out by MLB.com's Andrew Simon in an article in which he discusses "perfect fits" in free agency. He says the Rays and Giolito make a match.
"It’s been a somewhat tumultuous four years for Giolito since he finished 2021 by logging Cy Young Award votes for the third season in a row," Simon writes. "He did bounce back somewhat with the Red Sox a year ago, after missing all of 2024 due to right elbow surgery, but his 3.41 ERA belied a 5.00 expected ERA, per Statcast, and a host of concerning below-the-surface numbers. That said, Giolito wouldn’t be the first veteran pitcher to boost his career with a stint with the Rays, and for its part, Tampa Bay could use additional rotation protection after trading Baz, and with Shane McClanahan trying to come back from two lost seasons in a row. Even if the Rays don’t wind up in contention this summer, a revived Giolito would be a nice chip to have at the Trade Deadline."
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The Rays are often in a state of figuring things out.
They move on from one set of players and have to find the next set of players who they will maximize the ability of.
Tampa Bay is also in maybe the toughest division in baseball, with the other four teams in the AL East all spending a lot of money and viewing themselves as legitimate contenders.
That doesn't stop the Rays from being in the mix, in part because of the shrewd moves they make each and every offseason. Maybe Giolito will be next on that list.
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