Boston Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito will begin the season on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, manager Alex Cora confirmed Thursday.
Giolito, 30, had an MRI on Wednesday after departing Tuesday’s spring training start against the Philadelphia Phillies after one inning.
Giolito signed a two-year, $38.5 million contract with the Red Sox in January 2024 but missed all of last season with an elbow injury.
An All-Star with the Chicago White Sox in 2019, Giolito is 61-62 with a 4.43 ERA in 180 games (178 starts) with the Washington Nationals (2016), White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023) and Cleveland Guardians (2023).
His loss comes just two days after Cora announced that right-hander Brayan Bello, last year’s Opening Day starter, will not be ready for the start of the season due to shoulder soreness. Right-hander Kutter Crawford is currently unavailable due to a knee injury.
“We’re going to be tested right away,” Cora said Thursday.
The Red Sox open the season on the road with a four-game series against the Texas Rangers from March 27-30.
The remaining healthy members of Boston’s projected rotation include left-hander Garrett Crochet and right-handers Walker Buehler and Tanner Houck.