There's plenty of season left, but at this point, Garrett Whitlock is having one of the best rookie campaigns by a relief pitcher in baseball history.
Seriously.
Whitlock, acquired by the Red Sox from the New York Yankees during the offseason Rule 5 draft, has emerged as one of the most reliable pitchers in Boston's bullpen. He was a big reason for the Red Sox being one of Major League Baseball's top teams in the first half.
In 27 appearances this season, the 25-year-old is 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA and 1.051 WHIP. The hard-throwing right-hander has struck out 50 batters while walking 11 and holding opponents to a .222 batting average. His ERA ranks first among all rookie pitchers, as does his 1.7 WAR.
Speaking of that ERA, it's historically good for an American League rookie pitcher.
Check out this tweet from Boston Sports Info:
If Whitlock can keep up his current level of performance, he likely will earn high-leverage innings during the stretch run and, potentially, in the postseason.
As for what the future holds for the Georgia native, it's hard to imagine he and his impressive three-pitch mix not getting a look as a starter next spring training.
