Dealing with the mental side of the game, with Brandon Guyer
Up until the Red Sox became thick with debates and controversy, one of the go-to topics of conversation was whether or not they should have left Garrett Whitlock in the bullpen instead of trying to make him a starting pitcher.
It was an easy talking point considering how dominant Whitlock was as a reliever, totaling a 2.24 ERA while coming out of the bullpen, while limiting opponents to a .214 batting average and .603 OPS.
Oh, and in games Whitlock did pitch as a relief pitcher the Red Sox' record was 47-21. It was a formula that sure seemed both effective and necessary.
And then you had Whitlock, the starter.
Good. Bad. Injured. Good. Bad. Injured.
But now? The narrative might be changing for good.
In his 16th career start, Whitlock pitched as many as seven innings for a second time in what would be the Sox' series finale win over the Rockies. The righty allowed just two runs while striking out seven and walking one.
There was the same image Whitlock had presented as a reliever, one which had seemingly complete command of three pitches - a fastball that sat at 95 mph, a slider which got six whiffs in 12 swings, and what has become one of the better changeups in the game.
From the time he got on his out-of-nowhere run in 2021, Whitlock has become a factory of intrigue. The guy whose extension his pitches sits only behind three pitchers in baseball, with what sure appears to be a constant command of a trio of offerings along with all that goes with becoming a major leaguer - on and off the field.
Has it all come together, at least for three of Whitlock's last three starts. There was the gem in Arizona (5 IP, R), those 6 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium (one earned run), and then Wednesday night when the Red Sox desperately needed some sort of jumper cables.
For a team in real need of good news and some definition, Whitlock afforded it both at just the right time.