Red Sox SP Lucas Giolito joins! How has his rehab process been? Was it tough watching last year? Is he ready to go for the season?
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00:00We are, we are, or, or maybe we used to be neighbors, I, uh, scuttlebutt is you, you've
00:06left the building, uh, in the, in the seaport.
00:09We're in the same building in seaport.
00:11Oh, interesting.
00:12Yeah.
00:13Yeah.
00:14Have you, have you left?
00:15Yeah.
00:16Okay.
00:17Yeah.
00:18I, uh, problem.
00:19Any of the, like William, the concierge or anybody following you around?
00:20No, it was, it was wonderful.
00:23Um, it's just my girlfriend and I, we have a dog, we have a cat.
00:28We decided we wanted to do a house this year rather than an apartment.
00:32So we're going to be living in the Cambridge area.
00:35Oh, very nice.
00:36Yeah.
00:37Okay.
00:38Bridge over by my way.
00:39And we probably should, uh, we share a barber.
00:42Yeah.
00:43Um, we should probably say, Hey, what's up, Nate?
00:45We should probably say, Hey, he definitely is listening, uh, over at Sims in South Boston
00:51and he's got you looking pretty clean.
00:53No, it's actually a connection.
00:56He made with a barber out here in Fort Myers.
00:58Oh yeah.
00:59Thank God because, uh, I'm very high maintenance about my hair.
01:03Uh, Nate is my guy.
01:05I had a guy in Chicago for years.
01:08I played out there and then he recommended me to Nate.
01:10Yeah.
01:11And then luckily Nate was able to get a recommendation for a guy out here.
01:14That's how I do it with barbers.
01:15Like I'm not just going to go walk in somewhere random.
01:18I need to be vetted.
01:20Wiggy talks about that all the time.
01:21Oh yeah.
01:22And I'm sure you know, Nate's just the best, the best.
01:25Full hour, hour plus everything.
01:28I mean, I top to bottom, the guy, the guy does it.
01:32I mean, it's Sims Barber Lab, Sims Barber Lab, yeah, it's shout out.
01:36Yeah.
01:37Shout out is right.
01:38Top to bottom as in.
01:39No, no, no, no, no.
01:40But the man takes so much care of the, uh, the ears, like everything.
01:45Fade looks good.
01:46So he's straight.
01:47Very relatable.
01:48I got a text from Nate who asked Greg to stop saying he goes there.
01:53Well, I mean, he got the full beard going, which, uh, is luckily, you know, play for
01:58the Yankees.
01:59Uh, but you look fantastic and you're, you're ready to go.
02:03How's the, how's the, uh, progression, uh, recovery wise going?
02:07It's been great.
02:08Yeah.
02:09It was, uh, it's been a long year.
02:10That's for sure.
02:11We're, we're coming up on the one year anniversary of, of when the, uh, injury happened last
02:15spring training.
02:18And it's been a very boring year, very tedious year for me personally, uh, going through
02:24the rehab process, uh, with the elbow, but it's, uh, I'm glad to say that I'm here now
02:31feeling a hundred percent progressing through, through, uh, live BP couple of days ago, got
02:37another one tomorrow and then looking forward to games.
02:41When it comes to the injury, I thought it was really cool that you said that it reinvigorated
02:45kind of how you look at your job and how cool it is that you are able to be an MLB
02:50pitcher.
02:51It for you.
02:52Could you just explain that more?
02:53Like at what point during the recovery process, were you able to step back and say, wow, this
02:57is awesome that I get to do this every day?
02:59Well, that, yeah, that's the thing.
03:01It wasn't awesome.
03:02I didn't get to do it every day.
03:03Uh, I, I think I've been playing in the big leagues for, I don't know, seven something
03:10years and somewhere along the way there, there's times where you're not doing so well.
03:16There's times when you are doing really well and there, there are times where it does feel
03:21like a job, um, and going through the injury and just like sitting in the dugout at Fenway,
03:29uh, every single day watching our guys go out there and play.
03:33I didn't necessarily feel like I was a part of it.
03:36Like I usually am when I'm healthy.
03:37I was kind of like watching from the outside and it kind of just like woke that thing up
03:42in me that I kind of had when I was like a 12 year old kid watching a big league game.
03:48Like, man, I want to be out there.
03:49I want to do that one day.
03:51And so I kind of got that feeling back and it served as a big part of motivation of like
03:58getting through all the rehab process and all the super boring stuff we have to do in
04:02the training room and the throwing program and all of that.
04:05And now I'm super pumped to be back healthy and ready to contribute.
04:10Lucas, there's been a big story back home about the, every year there is an NFL PA anonymous
04:15poll where they rank their organization based on commitment to winning facilities, all that.
04:21Where would you put this Red Sox group today in that type of category?
04:24You think this team's committed to winning facilities?
04:27I see a nice family room over here brought to you by Nuna.
04:31Uh, what do you make of the Sox in there?
04:34What grades would you give this organization?
04:35Yeah.
04:36I mean, it's like, I'm biased, but I'm, I am given like A's across the board right now
04:41because, uh, compared to the off season where I signed, um, honestly, I'm, I'm trying to
04:50think of how our off season went there.
04:52You know, there's a lot of short-term deals.
04:54I'm, I'm one of them.
04:55Um, and I, I think fans were probably like, hmm, you know, the, the Red Sox would probably
05:00try harder.
05:02And then we had a very good, I call it like a building year, a ton of injuries that set
05:07the team back.
05:08But despite that, we had a bunch of guys make really big steps, steps forward.
05:13Uh, when I think about the starting pitching staff, like Tanner, Bayo, uh, Cutter guys,
05:20they're reaching 30 plus starts for the first time.
05:22That's a huge milestone in a, in a starting pitcher's career.
05:26And then, um, you know, position guys.
05:30But then you look at this off season and, you know, Breslau went hard, you know, we,
05:36we added a ton of big trade and getting crochet, obviously Alex Bregman is the big name we
05:43got to secure our infield and the middle of the lineup.
05:47So I think that we're in a really good position, um, and definitely it's like players we've
05:53enjoyed the moves and we're meshing well.
05:55Do you have wifi on the team plane?
05:59Yeah.
05:59All right.
06:00There you go.
06:01What's the expectation for you guys?
06:02Do you guys put an expectation on yourselves?
06:05Do you guys say we ought to be, we, they, they invested in this team.
06:10We ought to win the division.
06:11Like, do you, as a group, do you guys sit around and I think it, no, I don't think
06:15it's not like some of you sit around and talk about, you know, we're, we're all
06:18professionals and we're all going to go out and give her a hundred percent.
06:22I think it's kind of just like a, uh, expectation that's in the, in the air.
06:28It doesn't need to be said.
06:30Uh, what's important for us is getting our work in every single day, kind of staying
06:35present, right?
06:36So we're in spring training right now.
06:38Uh, guys are working on things, tinkering with certain things and, uh, just getting
06:43prepared and ready for a full and healthy season.
06:47I think that, you know, this thing about expectations, oh, we need to win the
06:51division or we need to go to the playoffs.
06:52We need to do this.
06:53Uh, it doesn't really need to be talked about.
06:56It's more just a feeling and, you know, guys all pulling from the same rope.
07:01Yeah.
07:01We've been talking about your quote a lot where you said the chemistry
07:04on this team is off the charts.
07:06Uh, and you know, sometimes when we talk about that stuff, people
07:09say, wow, what else would he say?
07:12I like, what is it about the chemistry that's different here now based
07:19on other places you've been?
07:21Um, one of the big things I'm noticing is first of all, everyone
07:25gets along like really well.
07:27We're all like friends and having a good time.
07:29Uh, I, there's times where a team is just a team and guys just go and do their
07:35own thing.
07:36Like when the day is done, you know, guys don't necessarily want to like
07:40hang out and like do stuff after, you know, we're going to AC's house for
07:43barbecues where we're like hanging out together.
07:47We have like, I've never seen it to this level before where like pitchers
07:52are hanging out with position players and position players are hanging out
07:55with pitchers and like that, like clickiness that kind of happens in a
07:58clubhouse is not happening at all.
08:00So it makes me really excited.
08:02Lucas.
08:03Um, when you, you, you brought up expectations, but I think the other
08:06thing from playing in Boston, you probably feel it is the pressure of performance.
08:12You look at what you guys were able to do last year, especially
08:16your hitters, you like top five and a top 10 and a lot of categories.
08:20And now you talk about this pitching staff, the pressure and expectations
08:24on you and the rest of the guys to really, you know, take the bull by
08:29the horns and perform and be one of the best pitching staffs in the league.
08:32What's that like?
08:34I don't think about it for me.
08:37Like, I'm just so excited to play again.
08:40Um, I'm well aware of, you know, if I'm consistent, I'm throwing strikes.
08:45I'm executing the way I want to execute.
08:47I'm, I know that I'm going to do well and, uh, help this team win games.
08:53I think that every single guy in the room knows that, like,
08:56we're confident in our ability.
08:58It's just a matter of going out there and doing it.
09:01You know, I have, you know, I have a little bit of time here in spring
09:06training to kind of get reacclimated to game speed and, uh, getting my
09:11pitches dialed in, uh, so that I'm ready to go, uh, in early April.
09:17I, I don't, at this point in my career, I'm not too concerned with like the
09:21pressure and it's like, oh, the expectation, oh, you need to come
09:24back from surgery and do this.
09:26Um, you know, I was asked about my contracts, my contract year.
09:31Uh, I'm not thinking about that kind of stuff for, for kind of going back to
09:36what we're talking about with like team chemistry, like, well, we're interested
09:40in what we're like talking about is like, uh, you know, wow.
09:45We're like looking around the room where we can be really good.
09:47So let's just go out and have fun and play really good
09:49baseball every single day.
09:51Coming in here with Alex Cora as your manager, having a players manager,
09:55has that affected you in a positive way?
09:58And what does he bring to a clubhouse?
10:00You think?
10:00Yeah.
10:01AC has been incredible.
10:03I mean, I can mention it before he's just super personable.
10:08Uh, there's different types of managers that go all the way across the board.
10:13AC is like very smart.
10:18Um, you know, knows how to, knows how to like push the right buttons
10:23and get the most out of his guys.
10:25Uh, but it's also so good at like communicating, uh, being present with
10:30all of us, um, creating a really fun environment as well.
10:34Um, like I said, like we were just at a barbecue at his house a few days ago.
10:39Like everyone's just like hanging out.
10:41I'm not going to, I was going to say shooting the something.
10:43I don't, I don't know what this is wearing.
10:48Yeah.
10:48I'm sure Liam was going crazy in the morning.
10:53Uh, but yeah, I, I haven't experienced it to that level.
10:59Like, just like, well, we're hanging out at the manager's house.
11:02We've done that twice.
11:03We're probably gonna do it more.
11:04Uh, so yeah, it's just creating like a very nice family environment.
11:09I think he does a wonderful job of that.
11:11I have a question for the, just the last year, first year pitch clock.
11:14Your former teammate, Nick Pavetta was outspoken against it.
11:17There's been a lot of starters that have said, you know, that it
11:20impacts your ability to do your job.
11:23What, how do you think it went?
11:24And what do you think about, you know, the future of the pitch clock and then
11:28these, the golden bat rules and these other things, what do you think about
11:32the ways in which the baseball is trying to get younger fans and speed up the product?
11:36Yeah.
11:36The pitch clock.
11:37Um, I think it was introduced in 22 or 23.
11:42I, I played with it.
11:44Uh, I think I was one of the leaders on like getting, uh, getting balls.
11:50I remember, I remember in, I think 23, I, I walked a dude on a three, two count.
11:56That was so frustrating on a pitch clock violation.
12:00You know, those kinds of things happen.
12:02It's like, dang it.
12:03I hate this rule.
12:04But then you being late for everything.
12:06Yeah, exactly.
12:07I like to take my time.
12:09Uh, but then on the flip side, you know, the games are a little bit faster.
12:14Uh, some would say it's a better product when it's a little bit quicker
12:18kind of in this day and age, everyone is ADHD.
12:21So it's like, I'm, I'm like cool with it.
12:24I think last year they sped it up a little bit more.
12:27Uh, so, you know, that might take a little bit of adjustment considering
12:31having pitched in a year, but you know, as baseball players, we adapt that.
12:35That's something that we all have to do all the time, um, adapt
12:39to just like crazy circumstances.
12:42So, and they're trying the challenge out in spring training a little bit.
12:46Yeah.
12:46Yeah.
12:46The, the ABS challenge has some funny moments already.
12:51Yeah.
12:51I think it's, uh, I think it's interesting technology.
12:54I can see it being implemented.
12:56I mean, we implemented a pitch clock and never thought, you know, if you
12:59asked me five, six years ago, I'd be like pitch clock in that, in MLB.
13:04I don't know.
13:05That's weird.
13:06So we'll, we'll see where it goes.
13:08Yeah.
13:08Lucas, one, one, Pedro Martinez just walked by one of the best pitches in
13:13baseball, how, how much do you get an opportunity to be able to pick his brain?
13:19Talk to him, you know, and obviously, you know, how, how do you
13:24how helpful is that to be able to get some tips from, you know, one of the
13:27best pitches that, you know, to actually be pitching major league baseball.
13:30Yeah.
13:31You do it as much as humanly possible without annoying him, you know,
13:35because he's, he's here for us.
13:36Like he's here and he loved, he loves pitching.
13:39Yeah.
13:40He was watching all of our bullpens yesterday.
13:42He watched, I threw a little touch and feel, uh, yesterday.
13:45Cause I'm, I'm going tomorrow for my live BP and he, he's watching every pitch.
13:50He's getting different angles.
13:51He's walking around.
13:52And then afterwards he had an amazing piece of advice for me.
13:56Uh, just about hand positioning.
13:58I won't get too much into it, but it's like, wow.
14:02Uh, this guy knows his stuff, obviously.
14:05And I'm like out here throwing a pen.
14:08And this hall of fame legend is just like, he's not just here to like be here.
14:13He's like here to work with guys.
14:15He's having, you know, five, 10 minute conversations.
14:18Every picture, Hey, I'm going to be watching you.
14:20You know, here's some things.
14:21I think you can work on.
14:23It's really incredible.
14:24Yeah.
14:25There's a sign in the weight room.
14:27As we walk down here every morning that says winning in Boston is different.
14:31And I, I wonder if you have, I was talking to Courtney who was too young
14:36for the Pedro days, as were you, uh, in Boston, but does he ever talk
14:40about what it was like, you know, the, the, the electric atmosphere that
14:43he brought in what winning in Boston can feel like as Pedro, you know, owned
14:48Boston for a pretty good period.
14:49Yeah.
14:50Yeah.
14:51Yeah.
14:51He's, he's shared some stories for sure.
14:53I did.
14:54You watch the Netflix documentary.
14:55Oh my God.
14:56Yeah.
14:56Uh, I, I got a lot of that out of that one too.
14:59Like I was watching that one in the off season, you know, I'm kind
15:03of going through the grind here and I'm getting home, sitting on the couch,
15:06watching, it was like giving me goosebumps, like get me ready, man.
15:10I can't wait.
15:11But yeah, Pedro, I, I re I love him.
15:15I love what he's, what he does for us.
15:18Uh, you know, cause a guy like that, you're, you're a legend.
15:21You can just show up, you know, hang out in the cafeteria, uh, talk to a few
15:26guys and just be hanging out, but he's like, you're working, it's like he
15:32turns into a, another pitching coach, uh, while he's here and really, uh,
15:37his love for the team is love for the city.
15:41Like you can feel that.
15:43Well, it is winning.
15:44Winning is different and losing is different.
15:46So it can be hard.
15:49You'll hear from fans.
15:50Oh yeah.
15:50Yeah.
15:50But you're, you're, you welcome that.
15:53Yeah.
15:53Yeah.
15:53I, I, it doesn't bother me.
15:55Uh, I I've heard the worst.
15:57I, you know, I've had some, I've had some rough years, uh, statistics wise.
16:02I've had, I've had rough years and I played in Chicago.
16:05White Sox fans are very, a very passionate group.
16:08And so I, you know, it is what it is.
16:12Like I'm used to it at this point.
16:13We talk about this, uh, have talked about on the show.
16:16Do you ever hear from those who have wagered, uh, and you've affected their
16:20wager?
16:20Oh yeah.
16:21That's like the main, those, that's the main group that you hear from in like a DM
16:26or whatever.
16:28Yeah.
16:28Well, so what are they, are they, are they vicious?
16:34Oh yeah.
16:34Yeah.
16:35Yeah.
16:35Yeah.
16:35I've gotten like, I've gotten like, I'm going to kill you and your whole family.
16:40Of course.
16:41What?
16:42Everybody does.
16:43Yeah.
16:44That's when you, when you don't hit a strike.
16:46Yeah.
16:46Guys lose their mind.
16:47Are you being serious?
16:48People said that you respond?
16:51No, no, no, no.
16:52Because they didn't hit a strike out over.
16:55There's one where I received a threat that was like way too specific to like some,
17:01something and somebody close to my life.
17:04And I was like, okay, this is weird.
17:07So that one I reported to, uh, our MLB security and it goes to the FBI and all of
17:12that.
17:12But, uh, in general, like you just kind of laugh it off.
17:16The funny ones I've gotten, I don't know, I got to figure out, uh, maybe I shouldn't
17:21say, but there's a certain app I use that for some reason I can't figure out how to
17:30make my profile on it private.
17:33And I get requested money through this.
17:36Like, oh, you didn't do this.
17:39You owe me.
17:42Yeah.
17:44And I'm like, I'm like, dang it, man.
17:46How do I, this is like a banking app.
17:48But why can't I make my profile private?
17:51I can't figure it out.
17:52I lost a hundred bucks.
17:53I need it back.
17:54Plus interest.
17:55It's wild.
17:56You hear about, you hear about, cause we've talked about it.
18:00You hear about guys getting legit.
18:03Anger and threats, but I don't realize that it occurs as often as you're saying.
18:07Yeah.
18:07I think gambling, gambling addiction is like horrible and dangerous and it leads
18:12people down a path where, you know, I don't, I never really take it personally
18:16because, you know, I'm going to go and do my job and live my life regardless.
18:20But, uh, if someone loses a big bet, it's like, they might've, it might be like the
18:26last 20 bucks in their wallet, you know?
18:28And they, and they're down really bad and, and really upset.
18:32So it's like, I got to take it out on this player that I lost money on.
18:35I, I don't know, man, I could never be me.
18:38I don't understand.
18:39Oh, uh, but yeah.
18:41It happens a lot.
18:42Oh yeah.
18:43All right.
18:43It was a loss.
18:44What?
18:4435,000.
18:45He told us, um, listen, thanks for, to be clear.
18:49I've never done this.
18:52We're, we're excited for you this season.
18:54Excited for this team this season.
18:56Uh, I think you told our guy Brad foe that the expectation was playoffs and beyond.
19:02Yeah.
19:02Did you say playoffs and beyond?
19:04Yeah.
19:04I mean, you want to, you want to win the whole thing.
19:07Now this is kind of harking back to something AC said on day one.
19:12Any, anyone, any player can go on a radio show.
19:15Any manager can go in the room in spring training and be like, Oh, you know, we're
19:19preparing to win the world series.
19:20We're going to win the world series.
19:22But it's like, okay, anybody can say that it's, you have to go and do it.
19:26And you do it by staying smaller, like set smaller goals.
19:32Like, you know, let's win today and then let's prepare.
19:36And then let's win the next day.
19:38So yeah, the expectation playoffs and beyond, uh, look at the talent in our
19:42room, but we have to go out and execute at the end of the day.
19:45That's really what matters most.
19:47Lucas.
19:48Yeah, of course.
19:48All right.
19:49Lucas G Alito and, uh, here at JetBlue park.