Just two weeks remain until spring training camp opens and the Red Sox arguably have a worse starting rotation on paper than they did in 2023.
Boston traded Chris Sale to the Braves and let James Paxton leave in free agency for the Dodgers.
The Red Sox signed Lucas Giolito to a one-year, $19 million contract with a player option for 2025. He’s all they have added though, except for inking depth starter Cooper Criswell (one year, $1 million) who likely will begin the season in Triple-A Worcester’s starting rotation.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has done little after declaring starting pitching the top priority when the offseason began. There are still free agent starters out there but don’t expect the Red Sox to pursue top options Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell who remain unsigned. Team president Sam Kennedy said he expects Boston’s 2024 payroll to be lower than it was in 2023.
That means the Red Sox need internal rotation options, including Garrett Whitlock, to step up.
“I’ve always thought Whitlock is like super gross,” Josh Winckowski said. “I think you saw his upside is crazy high. But I can tell you, I was with him last offseason and I’ve been with him this offseason and he is miles ahead of where he was at last offseason (when rehabbing from hip surgery). … I just played catch with him on Thursday and his stuff is at a crazy good level right now. So I’m really excited to see where he’s at. I think he’s going to have a good year.”
Super gross?
“There’s something with Whitlock, there’s not many people in baseball that can do it, it’s like you play catch with him and you can be at 60, 90 feet and the ball will hit your glove and it will feel like it’s still speeding up,” Whitlock said. “It’s something that’s truly unique to him. So I’m really excited where he’s at right now.”
The Red Sox told Whitlock, Winckowski and Tanner Houck all to prepare as starting pitchers for spring training.
Boston moved Whitlock into the starting rotation during the first month of the 2022 season. He made nine starts before landing on the 15-day injured list with right hip inflammation. He returned to the bullpen after being activated from the IL, then saw his season end prematurely when he underwent hip surgery.
Injuries again in 2023 prevented Whitlock from staying in the rotation for a lengthy enough period of time for the Red Sox to get a true read on his ability there. The righty spent 27 games on the injured list with right elbow ulnar neuritis and 32 games on the IL with an elbow bone bruise.
The Red Sox moved him to the bullpen after his second arm injury and things didn’t go much better with his performance. He posted a 5.23 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 10 starts, then a 4.95 ERA in 12 outings (20 innings) out of the bullpen.
“I’ll be the first to say, I think I was the worst guy on the team last year,” Whitlock said. “So I think I need to pick it up a lot. I think AC (Alex Cora) would tell you that. I think anyone who saw me last year would tell you that. I’ve put a lot on myself to try and really step it up.”
Whitlock spent the offseason strengthening his shoulder, legs and core.
“Honestly, there’s just an excitement to be here this year and kind of come in and be like, ‘Hey, I’m fully built up and fully healthy,’” he said. “They’re not playing with kid gloves anymore.”
The Red Sox had to use kid gloves last year after Whitlock didn’t have a full offseason to prepare. He spent much of it rehabbing from his hip surgery.
“Obviously any time you can’t help the team and you’re just sitting on the sidelines, it’s very frustrating and it’s unfortunate,” Whitlock said. “But that’s one of the things I’m focusing on is like, ‘Hey, go out there and try to post every single day this year.’”
Like Whitlock, Houck also hasn’t had a consistent, long stretch to prove himself in the starting rotation. He missed significant time last season after getting struck in the face with an 89.7 mph comebacker June 16. He suffered a facial fracture and had a plate inserted into his face during a surgical procedure June 27.
That said, both Houck and Whitlock have performed better as relievers. Houck has a 4.17 ERA in 41 career starts (198 ⅓ innings) and a 2.68 ERA in 33 career relief outings (53 ⅔ innings). Whitlock owns a 4.76 ERA in 19 career starts (90 ⅔ innings) while he has posted a 2.65 ERA in 80 career relief outings (132 ⅔ innings). Both have shown flashes in the rotation.
“Come into camp as a starter, go and compete for a job,” Houck said. “That’s what I want. And I want to start. I love starting. It’s what I want to do. I enjoy starting a lot. I love the routine of it. I know last year was up and down a little bit for me. But at the same point, I feel really confident this year with the offseason I had. Having a true, full offseason of not worrying about my back or anything like that. So it’s been a great offseason and spring training is right around the corner.”
Houck underwent back surgery in September 2022, preventing him from a full, healthy offseason entering ‘23.
Winckowski enjoyed so much success as a reliever with a 2.88 ERA in 84 ⅓ innings. But the Red Sox still wanted him to prepare as a starter as well.
“Obviously nothing’s ever guaranteed,” Winckowski said. “It’s been relayed to me to build up as a starter, be ready to earn a spot in the rotation. Excited for the opportunity obviously. And I think I’ve progressed quite a lot since my time as a starter in 2022. I think adding the cutter and being better with that last year went a long way. So I’m going to head into this spring built up for starting and do my best.”
Winckowski said he is most interested in the role that gives him the best opportunity to help the team.
“Even as a reliever, I was still throwing three, four pitches, which is obviously a starter thing,” he said. “So I’ve always not crossed it off completely.”
Brayan Bello enters spring training as a lock to make the starting rotation. Kutter Crawford has a good chance to win a spot in the rotation after posting a 4.04 ERA and 3.83 FIP in 31 outings (23 starts) last year.
Breslow, meanwhile, has said he expects Nick Pivetta to be a member of the starting rotation after the righty thrived in a hybrid role in 2023.
“I’m very confident in the group that we have,” Pivetta said. “Kutter took some really big steps last year. Brayan Bello, he’s been very good. He has a lot of upside to him. He works really hard.”
BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS
STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org.
Pivetta said he tries not to think too much about his role.
“I think going through last year, there’s a lot of facets of the game and there’s a lot of facets to help the team compete and win,” Pivetta said. “And that’s my biggest goal. I get to play baseball whatever it happens to be. Everybody knows I prefer to start but I prefer to win at the end of the day. Whatever they think I can do to help the team win, I think is the most important thing.”
Pivetta posted a 3.16 ERA and 3.28 FIP in his final 30 outings, eight starts (102 ⅔ innings) of 2023. He often was used as the bulk reliever following an opener.
“I’ve had a number of years here, a number of years in the big leagues now. It’s time for me to put everything together,” Pivetta said. “Time for me to be the player that I know I am and everybody expects me to be.”
