In January, Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock declared that 2025 was his “year of health.” It turned out to be much more than that.
Whitlock, who had been limited by injuries to just 168 ⅓ innings from 2022-2024 and pitched in just four games in 2024 before requiring season-ending elbow surgery, was a major bright spot for the 2025 Red Sox. He was not only healthy, but also dominant, stabilizing a new-look bullpen as Aroldis Chapman’s setup man. Four years after breaking onto the scene with a stellar rookie year as a Rule 5 pick, Whitlock looked every bit the part of a bullpen staple. He turned in a 2.25 ERA in 72 innings over 62 games — and in his final 30 innings of the season (from July 6 on), allowed just one run (0.30 ERA) and 21 hits while recording a 40-to-5 strikeout-to-walk