Garrett Whitlock Jokes About Role Upon Red Sox Return

Injured Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock resumed baseball activities by throwing his first bullpen session in Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday and a second on Saturday.

While there is no timeline for Whitlock’s return, the 27-year-old is working his way back from a bruised elbow. He told NESN’s Adam Pellerin he doesn’t know what his role will be when he returns to Boston, but it doesn’t really matter to the right-handed pitcher.

“Shoot, I mean I told you all this since Day 1, I’ll be the freaking janitor,” Whitlock told Pellerin, as seen on NESN’s pregame coverage. “So, it really doesn’t matter. Whatever the team needs. That’s always been my mindset. That’s what I’m already doing, willing to do.”

Whitlock said he is waiting to hear from the training staff and coaches regarding the next steps in his rehab and that the elbow bruise wasn’t brought on by a single pitch or game.

“I think it was just a gradual, like overtime kind of thing,” Whitlock explained.

This is Whitlock’s third stint on the injured list this season, as he’s dealt with elbow issues since the start of the 2023 season.

Through 10 starts this season, Whitlock has a 4-3 record with a 5.23 ERA allowing 30 runs across 51 2/3 innings. In 2022, Whitlock pitched 78 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, posting a 3.45 ERA.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora told MassLive’s Christopher Smith on Wednesday that Whitlock might be better suited for the ‘pen given the injuries he’s suffered since becoming a starter.

“With X-amount of games left, maybe the bullpen is what we need to do in a different role so we can get him as soon as possible,” Cora told Smith. “But we’re not there yet.”