Garrett Whitlock An internal support process was conducted last May 30, which ended the right-handed season and seemed to ensure he missed some time at the start of the 2025 campaign. But, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Shows Whitlock is working hard to outperform the initial recovery schedule as Cora100%On opening day, it will be part of the Boston roster.
Cora’s statement came after Whitlock even took a live batsman this spring, although Whitlock plans to hold live batting practice tomorrow. The Rescuers have held several bullpen meetings, in line with the Deloaded Rehab strategy the Red Sox used with Whitlock in the offseason. As Jen McCaffrey of track and field sports detailed last week, the program allowed Whitlock to alternate between “mass throws” and “weeks of recovery.” This part of Whitlock’s recovery is over and he is expected to undergo a normal upgrade for the rest of the spring training.
If Whitlock has been seen as breaking the camp lock, the work seems to pay off. Internal support surgery is a relatively new variant of traditional Tommy John surgery that can be performed in some cases where UCL damage is less severe. The benefit is that the timeline for supporting the surgery is slightly shorter, while pitchers undergoing TJ procedures usually face 13-14 months of recovery, with the timeline for internal support surgery about 11-12 months.
Because this process has only become more common over the past few years, there has been no “normal” schedule that supports the procedure like “normal”, or at least the recovery process is smoother than the recovery time associated with Tommy John’s surgery. Nevertheless, Whitlock’s pace of returning to action just 10 months after the surgery is eye-opening, especially because of his past elbow problems. Whitlock underwent surgery for Tommy John in 2019, and elbow-related issues sent him to the injury list twice in the 2023 season.
Whitlock is strictly restored to relief pitcher, so his arm strength doesn’t have to be built to cope with the starter’s workload. The Red Sox have been starting pitching with Whitlock’s style over the past three seasons, but the right-hander has had the biggest success in his rookie season in 2021, when he released a 1.96 ERA as a multi-inning Relief weapon in 73 1/3 innings.
His production started in 2022-24 is even more unstable, with his 168 1/3 ERA of 4.01 in those three seasons. An injury will certainly hinder Whitlock’s overall performance, but he is usually still better than being a starter. Planning a return to the bullpen will likely help Whitlock stay healthy and return to his old consistent form, which will give Boston relief regiments a big boost.
Whitlock will be near the back Liam Hendrikshe returned in a prolonged absence after Tommy John’s surgery in August 2023. Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson Strengthen the bullpen that was overwhelmed last season.
