Red Sox Star Ready to Roll! Alex Cora Confident $19 Million Star will Bounce Back From…
The Boston Red Sox’s additions to the starting rotation have positive side effects, too.
It’s not only the rotation that benefits from bringing in Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Lucas Giolito. The Red Sox are also moving a pitcher who has bounced between starting and relief roles back to his natural spot in the bullpen.
Boston announced in January that Garrett Whitlock would be moving back to the bullpen on a full-time basis, which is excellent news based on past productivity. Over a similar sample size, Whitlock has a 2.65 career ERA as a reliever, compared to a 4.29 mark as a starter.
Coming off a season-ending elbow injury last April, there was also some question earlier this winter of whether or not the righty would be ready. But on Sunday, manager Alex Cora left no doubt about the chances of Whitlock being ready for the Red Sox’s 2025 season opener.
“100 percent,” Cora told MLB.com’s Ian Browne on Sunday.
Browne also reported that Whitlock will soon throw his second live batting practice session of the spring, though he’s not yet scheduled to make his return to game action.
Whitlock, 29, signed a four-year, $18.75 million arbitration extension in 2022 that takes him through the 2026 season, with club options for 2027 and 2028. The deal’s total value could reach $37.5 million plus various performance escalators if the Red Sox pick up those options.
The 2025 campaign is a critical one for the Red Sox to commit to Whitlock’s role as a bullpen fireman and for Whitlock to prove he can still be as effective in that capacity as he was in 2021, when he posted a 1.96 ERA in 73 1/3 innings.
If there are no setbacks, it will be a breath of fresh air for Red Sox fans to see Whitlock jogging in from the bullpen at some point during the opening series from Mar. 27 to 30.
