What team is Garrett Whitlock on?
Garrett Whitlock has been with the Boston Red Sox since December 2020. In 2021, he was named to the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster.
Whitlock arrived in Boston with modest promises but no immediate expectations after being released by the New York Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft. He then began pitching.
He did not allow a single run in his first six regular-season appearances with the Red Sox, striking out 18 batters in 13 13 innings.
Whitlock’s good start only kept going, following the team’s unforeseen path.
While everyone waited for the other shoe to drop, he kept slicing apart opposing lineups and winning the opportunity to pitch in more important places.
Whitlock had more WAR than any other full-time reliever on the Red Sox’s roster by the end of the regular season (1.6 fWAR and 3.0 bWAR).
Whitlock wasn’t just the most valuable reliever on the team; he was also the most used, pitching a total of 73 13 innings.
Whitlock’s remarkable campaign was bolstered by outstanding run-prevention efforts.
Whitlock not only had a 1.96 ERA, but he also had the peripherals, as he had a 2.84 FIP and his anticipated figures were also great (2.96 xERA and 3.22 xFIP).
Whitlock was 57 percent better than league average in ERA-, which is impressive an accomplishment for someone who had never pitched above Double-A before 2021.
