McAdam: Rule 5 pick Garrett Whitlock hoping to make the most of his opportunity

Had Tuesday merely represented his first time on the mound in a major league spring training game, that would have been momentous enough for Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock.

But the outing represented so much more than that to the lanky righthander. It was also the first time he had been in a competitive environment since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019.

All of which might have made the results of secondary importance. But as an added bonus, Whitlock was sharp in two scoreless innings (one hit allowed, two strikeouts) against the Tampa Bay Rays, making the day a complete success all around.

Whitlock was selected by the Sox in the Rule 5 draft from the New York Yankees last December, which means he has to remain on the team's 26-man roster (or the IL) for the entire regular season. That makes for a big jump for someone who has never pitched above Double A, but Tuesday represented a good first step toward that goal.

"You can see the stuff,'' said Alex Cora after the Red Sox' 9-3 win. "I'm happy for him, that he was able to go out there and compete. It hasn't been easy for him to keep building up. Seeing him (do what he did), that was good.''

"It was a lot of fun to go out there and compete,'' said Whitlock. "To be in that situation was really exciting and fun.''

Following the arduous rehab of the last two years, Whitlock now feels completely healthy, and in his own words, "ready to get after it.''

The Red Sox are bullish on his prospects, too, believing that, in time, he can evolve into a valuable pitcher who can induce a lot of groundouts and perhaps contribute as a back-end starter. For now, with a bolstered rotation and some additional depth candidates (Matt Andriese, Nick Pivetta), Whitlock appears ticketed for the bullpen.



There, he could serve as a potential spot starter when the Sox are faced with doubleheaders, or someone who could provide multiple innings in relief.

"I just want to pitch,'' shrugged Whitlock. "(Pitching out of the bullpen) will definitely be an adjustment, but it's something I've been talking about to (pitching coach Dave Bush) about and no matter when I go out there, I (have to treat it like) a 0-0 ballgame and I have to compete and attack. Whether it's starting or relieving, you just have to attack.''

Whitlock's profile suggests that he's not one to overpower hitters. He's averaged almost a strikeout per inning, but he's not going to succeed on swing-and-miss alone.

"I'm always just working on filling up the zone and throwing strikes,'' he said. "I know my role is to miss barrels and not miss bats, so with my stuff, I want to get quick outs and that's what I'm focused on -- making sure that each of my pitches is helping me accomplish that goal.''

His status as a Rule 5 pick should be something of an advantage, since the Red Sox are motivated to have him succeed so that they keep him for the year and oversee his continued development. They've invested in him for a reason, and as they did with infielder Jonathan Arauz last year, are motivated to help him stay.

Whitlock, however, sees no such edge for himself.

"The way I'm looking at it is, I've got to earn a spot,'' he said. "Nothing's given to anybody and there's a ton of talented guys in that locker room and everywhere around here. So I'm just going to compete and let the chips fall that may. That's my thought process.''

Should he make the club, he'll find a big jump in the quality of hitters he's facing. In Double A, hitters might miss your mistakes; in the big leagues, they'll make you pay.

"They're the best in the world,'' said Whitlock flatly. "That's why they're in the big leagues.''

Whitlock doesn't appear cowed by the step up in competition. And even if he were, he's gotten plenty of advice from within the Red Sox clubhouse.

"Bush, (Chris) Sale and (Nathan) Eovaldi have all helped me a ton,'' he said, "With saying, 'Hey, slow things down, stay under control and just attack the zone.' If you attack hitters, (you'll be successful). That's what my thought process has got to be. You respect every single person out there, but at the same time, you've got to attack and be who you are.''

On Tuesday, he got the chance to begin that journey.