The Boston Pink Sox face their arch-rival New York Yankees for a vital four-game sequence beginning Friday within the Bronx.
With Boston closing in on the Yankees within the wild-card standings, and home-field in a possible best-of-three wild-card playoff sequence on the road, the four-game set appears more and more just like the sequence that can outline the 2026 season for each groups.
Earlier than making the journey to Yankee Stadium, after finishing a three-game set in Miami in opposition to the Marlins, the Pink Sox obtained an replace on their high right-handed aid pitcher, who has been on the injured listing with an arm situation since Aug. 13.
Whitlock confronted reside hitters Wednesday afternoon in Miami, boosting his probabilities of returning to the Boston Pink Sox bullpen as quickly as Friday.
Whitlock threw at loanDepot Park forward of Boston’s sequence finale in opposition to the Marlins, placing out each hitters he confronted, Eli White and Caleb Durbin, in line with MLB.com’s account of Wednesday’s session. The appropriate-hander has been sidelined since Aug. 10 with proper elbow irritation.
“You don’t need to go too many days with out having somebody try to swing off you,” Whitlock stated. “Knock the rust off. Ensure that all the pieces’s shifting the best way it’s alleged to.”
Interim supervisor Chad Tracy struck a equally encouraging tone.
“He regarded good. He felt good. In order that’s a superb consequence,” Tracy stated, including the membership nonetheless needs to see how Whitlock’s arm responds Thursday earlier than deciding on an activation.
Whitlock stated he believes he’s prepared.
“I really feel like I’d be good,” as quoted by MassLive reporter Christopher Smith. “I’m simply gonna allow them to make that call. So I’m not that decision-maker.”
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Garrett Whitlock’s Elbow Harm Timeline
The Pink Sox positioned Whitlock on the 15-day injured listing Aug. 13, retroactive to Aug. 10, after discomfort that had been constructing for weeks compelled him out of a scheduled outing in Toronto, in line with a Boston Globe report. He final pitched Aug. 9 in opposition to the Athletics.
Tracy stated on the time the difficulty had first surfaced on Boston’s earlier West Coast journey. Whitlock has a prolonged elbow historical past that features Tommy John surgical procedure and a 2024 internal-brace process, however he downplayed any worry of a repeat operation.
“I don’t assume we’re fearful about it needing surgical procedure or something like that,” he stated. “It’s nothing that regarding.”
Greg Weissert was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to fill the roster spot Whitlock left open. Whitlock carried a 1.20 ERA over his last 15 outings earlier than touchdown on the injured listing.
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Garrett Whitlock’s Season and Profession Arc
Whitlock has been one among Boston’s most dependable relievers in 2026, posting a 6-1 report with a 2.05 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in opposition to simply seven walks throughout 44 innings, establishing for nearer Aroldis Chapman, in line with Whitlock’s official MLB.com web page. He carries a 1.67 ERA in 24 profession appearances in opposition to the Yankees.
Boston discovered Whitlock within the Rule 5 Draft, deciding on him from the Yankees group in December 2020 after New York left him uncovered following Tommy John surgical procedure that, mixed with the canceled 2020 minor league season, worn out practically two years of his growth, in line with a CBS Sports activities report. He made Boston’s Opening Day roster as a rookie in 2021, posting a 1.96 ERA over 73 1/3 innings, then signed a four-year contract extension in April 2022.
The 30-year-old, a former College of Alabama at Birmingham pitcher, has posted a 2.99 ERA throughout 210 profession video games for Boston, working as each a starter and setup man. He additionally missed roughly two weeks in late Could with left knee irritation, a separate situation from his present elbow bother. The Pink Sox bullpen leads the majors in ERA at 2.87 this season, effectively forward of the second-place Yankees at 3.06.
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