SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — For Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock, “amazing” was the word of choice Saturday afternoon.
It’s how the 26-year-old described how he feels physically, which should be music to the ears of Red Sox fans, after undergoing season-ending hip surgery in September.
“I feel amazing,” Whitlock said at Red Sox Winter Weekend. “I feel like I’m back in high school again.”
The rejuvenated Whitlock comes following a grind of a season in which he shuttled back-and-forth between the bullpen and starting rotation all while pushing through a right hip injury.
Whitlock said it took about six weeks following surgery to get back in a routine and he thinks he’s now right where he needs to be with a new season on the horizon.
“My arm feels great,” Whitlock said. “Never fell behind in that. Arm is feeling amazing. Been doing all my rehab throwing program, everything like that. My arm is feeling amazing as well.”
Whitlock, who will transition into being a full-time starter this season, believes he has a stronger foundation in his lower-body now to ensure the hip injury won’t be a reoccurring problem going forward.
“For me, I feel better now because last year it felt like I was almost trying to make it break, and feel like I was trying to get break on the two-seam,” Whitlock said. “Now, playing catch it was back to the way it was before where I don’t have to try. It just does. So, that’s the nice thing. I’m not searching for a certain feeling anymore. Now, it just feels like back to natural and back to the way I’ve been throwing my whole life.”
