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Every MLB team experiences injuries each year, but some change the course of seasons. The Boston Red Sox experienced quite a few campaign-altering blows this year, from Triston Casas’ rib injury to Garrett Whitlock’s Tommy John surgery.<\/p>\n
But Boston’s biggest “what if,”\u00a0according to Joel Rueter of\u00a0Bleacher Report<\/em>, is Lucas Giolito.<\/p>\n The Red Sox signed Giolito to a one-year deal with an option for a second, but the right-hander experienced elbow issues after his second spring training outing with his new team. Giolito underwent Tommy John surgery in March, which ended his season before it even started.<\/p>\n Sox fans never got to see the 30-year-old pitch in the regular season, but Boston\u00a0signed him in hopes he’d post a rebound slate.\u00a0Giolito has been inconsistent over his eight years in the big leagues, but he’s flirted with eliteness. He earned Cy Young award votes in three of his seven seasons with the White Sox, including in 2019, when he was also named an All-Star.<\/p>\n Giolito is Boston’s biggest “what if” in that his season could’ve gone two different ways had he been healthy. He could’ve posted the breakout season he hoped for and served as the Sox’s ace this year, or his downward trend could’ve continued. The Sox will have to wait until 2025 to find out. But Trevor Story has already shown Boston fans what they missed all year while he was injured.<\/p>\nBleacher Report names Lucas Giolito as Red Sox’s biggest “what if,” but Trevor Story deserves a mention<\/h2>\n