Nearly a week after news broke that he’d be joining the team, the Red Sox officially announced the signing of right-hander Lucas Giolito on Wednesday afternoon.

To clear space on the 40-man roster, they also cut loose a veteran relief pitcher.

The Red Sox confirmed that right-hander Mauricio Llovera has been designated for assignment, likely ending the 27-year-old Venezuelan’s tenure in Boston. Llovera was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants this past summer and posted a 5.46 ERA over 25 games with the Red Sox down the stretch.

Heading into the new season Llovera was one of three candidates for the Red Sox bullpen who couldn’t be optioned to the minors, the others being Rule 5 pick Justin Slaten and rookie Bryan Mata (also out of options). With the Red Sox adding numerous depth arms who can be stashed in Triple-A this offseason, including right-hander Max Castillo off waivers from Kansas City on Tuesday, Llovera likely faced long odds at making the team.

Giolito, 29, signed a one-year deal with a player option for 2025. The right-hander has ranked among baseball’s most durable starting pitchers over the last six years and received Cy Young votes in three straight seasons between 2019-21. This past season he posted a 4.88 ERA with 204 strikeouts over 33 starts split between the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians.