The Boston Red Sox have long awaited right-hander Lucas Giolito’s debut with the team since joining the club two offseasons ago.

It’s been challenging, both for the organization that has awaited Giolito’s contributions to the pitching staff and for the 30-year-old coming off season-ending elbow surgery in 2024. Giolito got off to another delayed start this season after dealing with left hamstring tightness in spring training. He’s since undergone rehab assignments in Triple-A Worcester and opened up about the challenging road it’s been so far.

“As far as my rehab process, it’s been like hell,” Giolito said on NESN’s “310 To Left” podcast. “It’s been very long, very arduous at times. Emotional, it’s been a whole crazy thing, especially dealing with the other side of it, where it’s like I signed here to do a certain type of job as a starting pitcher, which is something I’ve been good at for a long time — which is eat innings and I’ve not thrown a single inning on this contract.”

Boston signed Giolito two offseasons ago to a two-year, $38.5 million contract as the team’s premier free-agent addition heading into 2024. He was added to help bolster the team’s rotation and serve as a durability arm, but Giolito’s latest major career setback delayed those plans. Giolito, while challenged, remains optimistic and eager to finally get on the field and start pitching into the team’s vision.

“If it were up to me, I’d just throw this one more rehab start and then rejoin the team,” Giolito said. “But it’s not up to me. I don’t know what they’re going to have me do after (Tuesday) — that’s when I’m throwing my next one. So I’m just gonna keep putting in the work and I just can’t wait to be a part of what this club is trying to do, rather than just somebody on the sidelines.”

You can watch the full episode of NESN’s “310 To Left” podcast here: