MLB Rumors: Lucas Giolito Decision ‘Close Call’ For Red Sox

Lucas Giolito already made his decision.

The Boston Red Sox now have one of their own.

Giolito declined the player side of his mutual option on Tuesday, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. Boston now has to decide whether or not it will extend the qualifying offer, which either locks the veteran into a one-year deal worth roughly $22 million or returns a compensatory draft selection to the club should he leave via free agency.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman isn’t so sure about which direction the organization is leaning.

“Well they should, we’ll see. I don’t know,” Heyman said on a livestream for Bleacher Report. “It’s a close call.”

Giolito was successful in his lone season pitching at Fenway Park, returning from UCL surgery to register a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings — delivering 14 quality starts in 26 turns through the rotation.

The Red Sox will need to weigh whether or not they believe he can continue that pace, with the right-hander missing the postseason due to a short-term elbow injury. Boston  has until Thursday at 5 p.m. ET to make the offer, and players can weigh those offers until a decision needs to be made by Nov. 18.