Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito dealt some brutal injury news

The biggest pitching addition of the off-season for the Boston Red Sox may end up missing his first season.

According to ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan, Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito "likely has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain and could miss the 2024 season." That potentially torpedoes the biggest signing the team made so far for the coming campaign. Passan says Giolito may need surgery to repair his elbow damage.

MORE: Red Sox still teasing possible free agent signing

Giolito originally signed a three-year, $38.5 million contract with Boston. There will also be an option for a third year: a $14 million team option if Giolito pitches fewer than 140 innings in 2025, and a $19 million mutual option if he pitches 140-plus innings (via Spotrac).

The Red Sox likely now need to replace Giolito in the starting rotation. They're left with Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, and Kutter Crawford. Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck should be considered candidates to start, as well.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox continue to be linked to free-agent starter Jordan Montgomery. He's been living in the Boston area and there have been multiple recent reports that make a Montgomery signing in Boston sound inevitable.

It may be necessary, now. And probably even more expensive.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt's content.

On a never ending quest for affordable help, the Boston Red Sox landed on another former All-Star on Friday, with the club reportedly agreeing to terms with first baseman C.J. Cron on a minor-league deal.

The deal for Cron, who split last year between the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies, was reported by multiple outlets and baseball's heavy hitters both locally and nationally. And with all confirming that it will be a minor-league contract for the 1,049-game MLB veteran.

Cron is now the second former All-Star to sign a minor-league deal with the Red Sox this offseason, joining starter-turned-reliever Michael Fulmer, who inked a two-year deal with Boston last month.

Limited to just 71 games last year due to back issues that by all means bothered him all season, the 34-year-old Cron hit .260 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in 56 games with the Rockies, but struggled upon his move back to Los Angeles ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, with a .200 average and just one home run in a 15-game run with the Halos.

That '23 run with the Angels included three separate trips to the injured list for Cron, including what was a season-ending move to the injured list on Sept. 23.

But as noted, Cron does come to the Red Sox with some recent success to his name, as the righty-swinging Cron was an All-Star for the Rockies back in 2022.

In action for a career-high 150 games, Cron walloped 29 home runs out of the yard, and recorded a career-high 102 RBIs.

Cron also et career-best marks in average (.281), runs (79), triples (three), and hits (148). Cron also recoded at least 25 doubles for the fourth time in his MLB career, which began in 2014 with the Angels.

And though Cron's greatest success as a pro came with his Colorado run, it is worth noting that he has had success outside of Coors Field in his career.

In fact, the majority of Cron's 10-year MLB career has come in the American League, with runs with the Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, and Minnesota Twins. And Cron's only MLB season as a 30-home run swinger came with that 2018 run in Tampa, too, with exactly 30 home runs in 140 games for the Rays.

There's also something to be said Cron's success at Fenway Park.

From his time in the American League, Cron has posted a .328 average and 1.033 OPS with six home runs and 13 RBIs, along with three doubles, in 16 career games at Fenway.

It’s his second-best batting average at any park in baseball, trailing only a .333 in 18 career games at Arizona’s Chase Field, while his six home runs are second-most at any ballpark he’s played at fewer than 20 times in his career (he has eight home runs in 18 games in Kansas City).

Cron is expected to battle with Bobby Dalbec for a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster.

In other minor-league news, the Red Sox also signed pitcher Jason Alexander to a minor-league deal.

A 6-foot-3 righty, Alexander appeared in 18 games (11 starts) for the Brewers in 2022, with a 2-3 record and 5.40 ERA over 71.2 innings of work.

The 31-year-old Alexander spent the majority of his 2023 season with Triple-A Nashville, with a 2-4 record and 5.86 ERA in 16 games (eight starts) for the Sounds.

NEXT: Red Sox sign veteran All-Star reliever