NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito is expected to miss the entire postseason with an elbow injury, manager Alex Cora said Tuesday.
Giolito had already been ruled out for Boston's wild-card series against the New York Yankees before visiting a doctor in Alabama on Tuesday. Giolito received relatively good news -- tests revealed no structural damage, so he won't need surgery -- but Cora characterized his chances of pitching again in 2025 as "slim."
"[We'll] rule him out probably," Cora said.
Giolito would have started Game 3 of the wild-card series if the game is needed. Without him, the Red Sox are expected to start rookie left-hander Connelly Early.
Early, 23, made his major league debut Sept. 9. He found immediate success, posting a 2.33 ERA in 19⅓ innings over four starts. Early, however, didn't complete more than 5⅓ innings in an outing.
The 31-year-old Giolito enjoyed a bounce-back in 2025 after missing the entire 2024 season with an ulnar collateral ligament injury that required Tommy John surgery. He recorded a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings over 26 starts. By logging 140 innings, Giolito converted a $14 million club option for 2026 into a $19 million mutual option. Another surgery could have cost him at least the start of the 2026 season wherever he ends up.
"I think from a personal standpoint, that's good news for him, right?" Cora said. "Kind of hard to have surgery going into the offseason, all of that. Hopefully that's right."
The Red Sox will have American League Cy Young Award contender left-hander Garrett Crochet start in Game 1 on Tuesday followed by right-hander Brayan Bello in Game 2 on Wednesday.
The Yankees will counter with left-hander Max Fried in Game 1, left-hander Carlos Rodon in Game 2 and rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler in Game 3 if necessary.