Garrett Whitlock wants the ball. After he missed just about the entirety of the 2024 season from elbow surgery, the right-handed reliever is happy to be back on the mound and pitching once again for the Boston Red Sox.
Whitlock reared back for 95 MPH fastballs in his first outing of the spring, which kept him to a 15-pitch limit, but still managed to record several swings and misses. Once he maxed out his pitch count, he didn't want to step off the bump, which is a great sign of what the righty can provide this year in his new bullpen role.
With Kenley Jansen officially gone from Boston, there is now a job opening for the closer role. Could Whitlock take over? There are several options for the Red Sox, but Whitlock might just be the most obvious choice if he is healthy.
A closer needs to have a certain mentality. Included in that is wanting to pitch in the big games, and although this was his first spring training session, Whitlock is clearly in a mental state where he wants to compete.
Garrett Whitlock could upend Red Sox closer battle after Kenley Jansen departure
Caught the end of Garrett Whitlock’s throwing session.
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) February 11, 2025
He had a big audience cheering him on in the stands, including Tanner Houck and Richard Fitts. pic.twitter.com/1qyuZm3EqV
Whitlock would be a good fit anywhere out of relief, but maybe he is ready to take that leap as the next great Red Sox closer. He'll have to beat out experieced ninth-inning arms Aroldis Chapman and Liam Hendriks for the job. Chapman, however, was not the full-time closer with the Pirates last season, finishing 18 of the 68 games he appeared in. Hendriks missed all of the 2024 campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery, so although he has 116 career saves, he may not be ready for the challenge, either.
On paper, the Red Sox have a strong bullpen, and they can't seem to go wrong with who they ultimately decide to close games. Whitlock, though, has given early signs that he may be ready and willing to take the ball in the ninth inning.