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Boston Red Sox Pitcher Lucas Giolito is concerned about the security of MLB players in the midst of an increase in sports betting, revealing that both he and his girlfriend have been harassed on social media.
Giolito, 31, talked about the question after meeting with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred this week. He told “Baseball is not boring” Podcast, whom Manfred met with Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies to discuss questions and concerns, and that he took the opportunity to raise a question that he believes is a serious threat to most baseball players.
Boston Red Sox Starting pot Lucas Giolito, #54, responds after a strike to finish the third round against Seattle Mariners in T-Mobile Park on June 16, 2025. (Joe Nicholson-IMAGN images)
“I asked him about something that has been on my mind this year that has been a little worrying about me with the increase in sports betting – the access that exists now with social media and all,” Giolito said.
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“The threats, when a player is not doing well – threats to their family, threats to their lives – it gets very tiring. I worry about guys who may be new to the league and are not ready for something similar.”
All-Star in 2019 said he has been subjected to angry threats on social media, regardless of his performance. He noticed that even his girlfriend “gets a lot of ugly s —.”
“When it comes to the gambling, it obviously has created an uptick in insane people online – well, not insane, just disgruntled. I’m getting Messages after every game, even games where in pitch well where they are made to me. Being Over Like Prop Bets – All These Crazy Things.
Boston Red Sox Pitcher Lucas Giolito and his girlfriend are in court in the second quarter of a game between Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever in TD Garden on July 15, 2025. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Source of death threats against Astros’ Lance McCullers JR identified as’ drunk ‘Bettor, police say
Giolito admitted that although sports betting has been around for some time, access to players on social media and access to games made it a bigger problem over the years. While staying away from social media can shield players from negativity, Giolito said it didn’t remove the real threat that athletes could face.
“It’s only going so far,” he said. “Will it take a player to be assaulted in front of their apartment building by an unhappy guy who lost an effort for real action to be taken?”
Giolito said he appreciated the commissioner talking to teams and players, adding that “being able to face face and asking is always good.”
Boston Red Sox Starting pot Lucas Giolito, #54, leaves a baseball match against Chicago Cubs during the sixth round at Wrigley Field on July 18, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski-IMAGN images)
However, Giolito is not the first athlete to ever raise concern for sports betting – and he is definitely not the first MLB Player to be exposed to alarming threats.
Just last month, police in Texas identified a man abroad as the guilty who allegedly made death threats aimed at Houston Astros Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. And his family in May. Police said the man was “drunk” when he made the threats on social media after he lost money on an effort.
Astros hired security for McCullers and his family. McCullers said he was struggling to explain the situation to his 5-year-old daughter.
“She asked me when I got home, ‘Dad, like, what are threats? Who will hurt us? Who will hurt me?'” McCullers told Associated Press at that time. “So these conversations are hard to deal with.”
