Red Sox Star Hurler Ready for New Challenge: $19 Million Ace Ready to Shine in New Role

After back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, the Boston Red Sox are hoping to get the best version of right-handed pitcher Garrett Whitlock in 2025.

Fortunately, they saw the best of him in 2021, so they know exactly what that looks like. And the Red Sox seem to have a plan in place for how they wish to use him as he looks for a bounceback year.

Whitlock is entering year three of a four-year, $18.75 million extension that also includes club options for 2027 and 2028. He only made four appearances in 2024 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury, so it’s paramount the Red Sox find a way to keep him both healthy and productive.

On Saturday, the 28-year-old was asked if he’d been given any guidance about whether he’d be used as a starting pitcher, as he was for parts of the last three seasons, or out of the bullpen. Whitlock didn’t miss a beat delivering his answer.

“Let’s go back to the bullpen, baby,” Whitlock said Saturday during the Red Sox’s “Fenway Fest” event.

Whitlock and pitching coach Andrew Bailey both spoke candidly about how and why the decision was made, offering a peek behind the curtain at the Red Sox’s decision-making process.

“I think it’s a little bit of everything,” Whitlock said. “It’s one of those things where I still have the repertoire to start, and if they need me to do that I’ll do that… but they’re comfortable with me down there. It’s where I’ve had success, so it’s what we think is going to give the team the best chance to win.”

In his career, Whitlock has a 4.29 ERA in 109 innings as a starter, and a 2.65 ERA in 132 2/3 innings as a reliever. It’s clear that’s where he excels, but the Red Sox had forced him into action in the rotation by not acquiring more capable starters in years past.

Now that Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler are in town, though, Whitlock ranks no higher than seventh on the starting pitching depth chart, and potentially even lower. That should enable him to focus on a fireman role in the bullpen, which could prove hugely valuable to the team.