Garrett Whitlock is the first real offseason call the Red Sox have to make, and it’s not a complicated one. Boston holds an $8.25 million club option on the right-hander, and the expectation is that it will be picked up.
That decision won’t become official until after the World Series ends later in October. Once that happens, the Red Sox will have five days to sort out contract options, and Whitlock is the name at the top of that list.
There are, of course, a few things hanging over the conversation. The biggest one is the possibility of a lockout this winter.
MLB and the MLBPA are still negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, and if a salary cap is introduced, it could force every team to rethink how it spends. In that kind of climate, even an $8 million-plus commitment gets extra scrutiny.
Whitlock also has his own health questions. He’s currently dealing with a fractured tibia after being spotted on social media in a walking boot, and that naturally got people talking.
The injury has since been identified, and it adds another wrinkle to the Red Sox’ decision. Injury concerns have followed Whitlock at different points in his career.
Still, when he’s been right, he’s been a major weapon. He was excellent down the stretch, and the source material puts it plainly: when healthy, he’s arguably the best setup man in baseball.
So while Boston has a few variables to consider once the season ends, the balance of the argument still leans heavily toward exercising the option. There are question marks, but far more reasons to keep Whitlock in the fold than to let the decision linger.
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Payton Tolle Is Giving Red Sox Fans A Classic New Debate
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For Red Sox fans, the fun part is that this is not just about the look. Tolles pitching performance has helped make him a name worth following, and the mustache comparisons naturally invite a little nostalgia for the long line of Boston players who became icons for theirs. The debate now is less about whether Tolle fits the look and more about where he belongs in that Red Sox tradition, a question that seems likely to keep getting louder as he keeps taking the mound. [Read more 🡒]
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Brewers Trade That Shocked Fans Looks Bigger Than Ever Now
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David Hamilton, in particular, has made the trade look even louder in hindsight, with a key playoff role helping fuel Milwaukees run. Harrison and Drohan have also been part of the Brewers regular-season and postseason picture, which only adds to the intrigue for Boston as the organization weighs what it gave up and what it got back. For a front office that has to think about both now and the years ahead, this is the sort of swap that can linger well beyond the first round of reaction. [Read more 🡒]