The Boston Red Sox are in the middle of a brutal stretch, and not just because they've lost five games in a row. The Red Sox are in the throes of a 16-game marathon without a day off, their longest of the season, and they played a 13-inning game early in the run.
Over Boston's five losses, the offense has disappeared, putting extra pressure on the bullpen, which has already been stressed by the extra-innings epic against the Chicago White Sox. A report from after their third-straight loss to the Toronto Blue Jays doesn't make the bullpen picture any sunnier.
Despite the close games in Toronto, Garrett Whitlock hasn't pitched since August 9 against the Athletics. He's been unavailable since Tuesday as he deals with elbow inflammation, according to multiple sources. Before their getaway game against the Jays on Thursday, the Red Sox placed Whitlock on the injured list and recalled Greg Weissert from Triple-A Worcester, first reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
Elbow injuries are often a devastating sign for pitchers, as they can indicate a much more serious problem, like a UCL or flexor injury as the source of the discomfort. Whitlock underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and the internal brace procedure during the 2024 campaign, so any flare-ups around his UCL are concerning.
Red Sox lose Garrett Whitlock to injured list with elbow inflammation amid ugly losing streak
Whitlock and the Red Sox don't think there's any structural damage in his arm and he wasn't scheduled for an MRI as of August 12, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe (subscription required). However, the discomfort began a few weeks ago and has lingered off and on in that time. Boston's assessment of his injury isn't as reassuring as it maybe should be, given its struggles assessing players' symptoms this season.
Losing Whitlock to the IL for any length of time is brutal for Boston, especially during a losing streak when the good vibes from the winning spell have dissipated. The righty has posted a 2.05 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 49 strikeouts, seven walks, two saves and 21 holds over 44 innings. his 4.2 walk percentage ranks in the 100th percentile, the best in the league.
Hopefully, all Whitlock needs is some rest after a heavy workload in July — he pitched 12.1 innings with an excellent 0.73 ERA and 0.49 WHIP last month. A longer-term injury would crush the Red Sox's bullpen at a pivotal time.
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