Red Sox exercise 2027 club option for reliever Garrett Whitlock

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Boston Red Sox have exercised the 2027 club option on right-handed pitcher Garrett Whitlock, extending the team’s commitment to the reliever for the 2027 season. Whitlock, 30, spent the 2026 campaign working out of the bullpen in 54 Major League games and compiled a 7-2 record with 26 holds and four saves, finishing with a 1.72 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP over 52.1 innings pitched (10 earned runs).

The Red Sox noted that Whitlock’s 2026 home performance was a key component of his overall output. In 26 home games, he went 6-1 with 12 holds and two saves while posting a 1.42 ERA across 25.1 innings pitched, allowing four earned runs in that span.

MLB also described Whitlock’s 2026 standing among Major League relievers, citing league-wide rankings. The right-hander ranked fifth in ERA and sixth in WHIP among relievers with at least 50.0 innings pitched, while also tying for sixth in wins and for eighth in holds. Those comparative marks underscore how central he was to the Red Sox relief corps during the season that preceded the option decision.

Whitlock’s path to the Red Sox began with the New York Yankees, who selected him in the 18th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. He was later selected by Boston in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, and all of his Major League time since then has come with the Red Sox organization.

According to the Red Sox, Whitlock has played 219 career Major League games (23 starts) entirely with Boston, spanning the 2021 through 2026 seasons. Over that stretch, he has gone 32-16 with 71 holds and 14 saves while posting a 2.93 ERA across 366.0 innings and 402 strikeouts, statistics that reflect both his durability and his role as a late-inning option.

Beyond on-field work, the Red Sox highlighted Whitlock’s leadership within the clubhouse and community presence. He has served as the club’s Jimmy Fund captain in each of the last four seasons, including 2023 through 2026. The organization also recognized him for off-field contributions, noting that he received the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s 2024 Good Guy Award and 2025 Unsung Hero Award.

With the option exercised, the Red Sox will retain Whitlock for the 2027 season, keeping a long-tenured reliever in a role the team has relied on for multiple seasons. The decision means Whitlock’s contract status moves forward with Boston rather than entering the offseason as an unrestricted question, preserving a key bullpen piece as the Red Sox plan for their 2027 roster.