ST. LOUIS — Garrett Whitlock’s anticipated return to the Red Sox rotation early next week has been delayed due to a new elbow injury, raising concerns about a potentially extended absence.
Whitlock, who has been out since April 17 due to a left oblique strain, experienced soreness in his pitching elbow following his rehab start at Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora mentioned that Whitlock’s pain began on Friday, prompting the Red Sox to take precautions. As a result, Whitlock has been shut down from throwing and returned to Boston for tests over the weekend.
“Garrett felt soreness around the elbow area yesterday,” Cora said before the Red Sox’s series opener at Busch Stadium on Friday. “We’re shutting him down for now and will assess the situation this weekend. We’ll know more on Monday.
“He stayed back home for tests over the weekend. We’ll gather information and see where we’re at.”
Whitlock allowed two hits and struck out five in 4 ⅔ scoreless innings for Worcester on Wednesday. This was expected to be his only rehab outing before rejoining the big league rotation, with plans for him to pitch Monday against the Rays at Tropicana Field. However, those plans have changed.
“He felt great during the outing,” Cora said. “He was feeling good throughout the night. Yesterday, he was doing OK. But then, when we stretched him out, he felt tightness and soreness.”
With Whitlock unavailable, the Red Sox will continue with their current rotation of five starters. This decision means that right-hander Cooper Criswell, who has a 2.67 ERA in 27 innings this season, will remain in the rotation. Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Nick Pivetta will face the Cardinals, and Tanner Houck is expected to pitch on regular rest Monday, five days after throwing a career-high 112 pitches against the Rays. Criswell is expected to pitch Tuesday in St. Petersburg, with Bello pitching in Wednesday’s road trip finale. The team had considered using a six-man rotation with Whitlock, but those plans are now on hold.
Whitlock’s elbow issue is the latest in a series of health setbacks over the past three years for the 27-year-old pitcher. After an impressive rookie season in 2021, he was limited to just 150 innings over the last two years due to hip and elbow injuries, including three stints on the injured list in 2023. He entered this year healthy, securing a rotation spot out of spring training and posting a 1.96 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 18 ⅓ innings over four starts.
The news of Whitlock’s new injury is a significant blow.
“I think it’s more about the last few years than anything else,” Cora said. “But one thing about this kid, he’s resilient. He’s strong. He has been through worse. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but we have to wait and see. In the meantime, we’ll stick with the same guys in the rotation and keep moving forward.”
