Red Sox remain undecided on Garrett Whitlock’s role; he’s good with either

SAN ANTONIO — Righty Garrett Whitlock’s role with the 2025 Red Sox is still to be determined. He’s good with either starting or relieving.

“I think we will define it,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said about Whitlock’s role Tuesday at the GM Meetings. “I think those conversations will be ongoing. I think fortunately his rehab is going really well. And also, he’s been outspoken about doing whatever he can to help us win games.”

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Whitlock began both 2023 and ‘24 in the starting rotation. Both years he ended up getting injured. He made just four starts last year (1.96 ERA, 18 ⅓ innings) before undergoing a season-ending right elbow ulnar collateral ligament repair and internal brace procedure.

Whitlock dominated out of the bullpen as a rookie in 2021, posting a 1.96 ERA in 73 ⅓ innings. He stayed healthy except for a right pectoral strain that sidelined him for 12 days late in the season.

The 28-year-old has a 2.65 ERA in 132 ⅔ career innings as a reliever and a 4.29 ERA in 109 innings as a starter.

“He’s going to be a weapon,” Breslow said. “We’ll figure out how to best deploy him. But some of that will be dictated by what happens this offseason. Some of it is a decision that we’ll make independent of all the rest of it. So we’ll continue to have those conversations.”

The Red Sox extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to Nick Pivetta earlier this week. If he accepts it, Boston will have five returning starters in Pivetta, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito who exercised his $19 million player option after missing 2023 because of elbow surgery.

The Red Sox also are expected to pursue a front of the rotation starter. If they are able to add one, they likely will have enough in the rotation to use Whitlock as a reliever. Of course, they also will be in the market for addition starting pitching depth.