Garrett Whitlock in the plans for the Red Sox rotation in 2023?
Whitlock on preference on being a starter: ‘Oh yeah’
Red Sox right hander Garrett Whitlock returned to the clubhouse on Tuesday following his arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in New York on Sept. 26.
Whitlock has been pitching for two months of the season with discomfort in his hip. With the Red Sox out of contention, it was an easy decision to have surgery.
“We looked at all the options and decided that this was the best option for [the] short term and long term,” Whitlock said. “We’ve got the time to do it right now and be ready for spring training.”
It’s expected that Whitlock will begin a throwing program in December. That would be the normal time frame for pitchers to begin to get ready for spring training.
Whitlock was 4-2 with a 3.45 earned run average in 31 games this season, nine of them starts. He was 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA and .261 BAA in 39 innings across nine starts.
The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham asked Chaim Bloom the plan for the right-handed hurler.
The chief baseball officer wasn’t ready to commit to an answer.
"I’m not ready to break news on that front," Bloom told Abraham. "I think we’re fortunate in him to have someone that wherever you put him he’s going to be able to impact the club.
"I will say I think that just because of the situation our bullpen was in and the situation he was in physically, I think there’s this perception he didn’t succeed as a starter. But when you really peel back the layers and look at what he did, it was pretty impressive. Especially having to (move into the rotation) on the fly.”
Boston signed Whitlock to an extension at the beginning of the regular season. He agreed to a four-year, $18.75 million contract extension. The deal can escalate to an six-year, $44.25 million deal.
Whitlock has a desire to be a starter in the big leagues. “In the Minors with the Yankees, we were always in a six-man rotation, so this was the first time I’ve ever been in a five-man. Getting in a routine like that, it was good to learn and have that experience.”
When asked if he wants to be a starter? “Oh yeah,” said Whitlock.
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