The 2024 MLB season will likely be one that Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Garrett Whitlock will want to forget.
While Whitlock posted a 1.96 ERA and a 1.145 WHIP on the season, he made just four starts and tossed just 18 1/3 innings before landing on the injured list and having season-ending surgery on his elbow.
The former Rule 5 pick was dominant in his role out of the bullpen in 2021 as a rookie in Boston, but he's dealt with injuries over the last few years, as the Red Sox have tried to convert him to a starter.
Now, looking forward to 2025, Whitlock isn't committed to being a member of the rotation.
“Honestly, I’ve told them, whatever can keep me healthy (is the best role),” Whitlock said last week (via. MassLive). “That’s where I’m at. We’re going to dive in with medical and see where that goes.
“That’s my thing. I hated that I missed this whole year. I made four starts and that’s it. Next year, I’m just looking for 162 (games) of health and that’s all I’m asking for.”
Boston has plenty of money to sign impact pitchers in free agency, and they could also trade away some of their prospects for a pitcher under contract with another team.
If Whitlock can go back to being a shutdown arm out of the bullpen, that should be the Red Sox' course of action.
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