Red Sox pitcher Giolito will get second opinion
Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito will be headed to Alabama for a second opinion on his ailing right elbow.
Manager Alex Cora told reporters on Wednesday that Giolito will head to Birmingham on Monday to talk with Dr. Jeffrey R. Dugas as they explore treatment options, including surgery.
Giolito signed a $38.5 million, two-year deal with the Red Sox this offseason. He made two starts in spring training, throwing two scoreless innings in his first outing before getting roughed up allowing four runs and three walks in 2 1/3 innings against Minnesota last Friday. Giolito then reported the discomfort in his elbow.
Giolito was the first overall pick by Washington in the 2012 amateur draft, agreed to a $2,925,000 signing bonus and made his professional debut that Aug. 14 in the Gulf Coast League. That was his only appearance before Tommy John surgery on Aug. 31, 2012, with Dr. Lewis Yocum.
The 29-year-old Giolito was an All-Star in 2019 and is 61-62 with a 4.43 ERA. ROSARIO, NATIONALS AGREE TO A MINOR LEAGUE DEAL >> Outfielder Eddie Rosario and the Washington Nationals have agreed to a minor league contract with a nonroster invitation to spring training, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Rosario's agreement had not been announced. The deal is pending the successful completion of a physical exam.
The 32-year-old Rosario is a left-handed hitter who has played nine seasons in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves. He has a lifetime batting average of .268 and an OPS of .755, with 159 homers and 548 RBIs.
He started most of Atlanta's games in left field last season, hitting 21 homers with 74 RBIs while batting .255. But the Braves — who led the majors with 104 wins in 2023 — declined a $9 million option for him this season.
Rosario was a star of Atlanta's run to the 2021 World Series title. In the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that year, he hit .560 (14 of 35) with three homers and nine RBIs to win MVP honors.
Rosario could bring some much-needed power to Washington's light-hitting lineup. The Nationals also went into this offseason in search of lefty batters.
Washington hit 151 homers last year, the second-lowest total in the major leagues and less than half of the leading 307 produced by NL East rival Atlanta.
The Nationals have finished in last place in the division each of the past four seasons since winning the World Series in 2019, the organization's first championship.
YANKEES' RODÓN GIVES UP 2 HOMERS >> Carlos Rodón gave up two more homers over three-plus innings on Wednesday in the New York Yankees' 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
AL batting champion Yandy Díaz homered on the game's first pitch, a 93 mph fastball. Richie Palocios had a two-run drive on Rodón's 60th and final offering at Tampa, Florida. Rodón allowed three runs and five hits.