In the hours before players need to be moved from the 60-day injured list back to the 40-man roster, the Boston Red Sox have a few tough decisions to make. Whether or not to take on Garrett Whitlock's club option for 2027 should not have been one. Yet, it took a few days for Boston to act.
The Red Sox on November 1 officially triggered the $8.25 million option to bring their star setup man back for another season. Whitlock has been with Boston for all six years of his major league career and he's under team control until after the 2028 season.
The delay in the activation of Whitlock's option had some fans speculating about whether the team was working on a contract extension for the righty. He and the Red Sox could still negotiate after the roster deadlines pass (but before the expected lockout) and it would be great to see him signed past the end of his current contract.
Whitlock has been one of the best relievers in baseball since he swiched back to the bullpen full-time in 2025. He clocked a 1.72 ERA, 0.898 WHIP and 59 strikeouts over 52.1 innings in 2026. Command is one of Whitlock's greatest strengths, as he walked just nine batters all season and his 4.5 walk percentage is elite.
Long wait for Red Sox's Garrett Whitlock contract decision had some fans wishing for an extension
Whitlock has the stuff to become the Red Sox's closer when the time comes. There is only one more year on Aroldis Chapman's contract, and despite the fact that he's shown zero signs of age (1.92 ERA, 71 strikeouts, 35 saves in 51.2 innings in 2026), it's hard to imagine Boston re-signing a 39-year-old Chapman before 2028.
If the Red Sox don't talk out an extension with Whitlock but he maintains his performance from the last two seasons, taking his $10.5 million club option for 2028 will be another no-brainer. But if Boston allows him to hit the free agent market, his asking price will skyrocket — any team that needs a lights-out righty reliever or closer will be calling and throwing money his way.
Whitlock has been a critical part of the Sox's bullpen since he became a full-time reliever. Pitchers of his caliber don't come around often and they certainly don't come cheap. Maintaining the strength of the bullpen should be a priority for Boston (3.00 bullpen ERA, 1.17 WHIP, best in the league), and keeping Whitlock around will go a long way toward that goal.
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