Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
Another strong showing in Monday’s 8-4 win over the Rangers by Red Sox rookie reliever Garrett Whitlock impressed his teammates so much, they were ready to start handing him awards.
Whitlock threw 2.2 innings, including the top of the 11th before Travis Shaw’s grand slam ended the contest in the bottom of the frame. He allowed a hit and a run (Nathaniel Lowe’s RBI single in the top of the 10th briefly looked like trouble before the Red Sox tied the game in the bottom of the inning), but he struck out four and walked no one.
“I don’t think he gets talked about enough from MLB or people like that,” Alex Verdugo said. “He’s having an unbelievable season.
“Definitely could be Rookie of the Year. He’s dominant, man. It doesn’t matter where you put him. You could put him in the seventh, have him go two-plus innings, get him in the ninth like we did today and have him go into extras and just eat up innings. The way he throws it is very impressive and it’s fun to watch. We’re happy we have that kind of guy on our side.”
Whitlock’s stats this season are pristine: 60.1 innings pitched, a 5-2 record with a 1.64 ERA and 1.11 WHIP as well as 67 strikeouts and just 15 walks.
But oddsmakers don’t rate him highly among American League Rookie of the Year candidates. Most odds sites don’t even list him — the top three candidates are most often Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, Astros pitcher Luis Garcia, and one of Whitlock’s opponents on Tuesday: Ranger outfielder Adolis Garcia. White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn, Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo, and Tigers catcher Eric Haase all seem to be in contention as well.
Still, Whitlock has made a name for himself, which is an important development for the Red Sox.
“You can’t say enough about him. He’s been unbelievable for us all year,” Nathan Eovaldi, who started Monday’s game, said afterward. “He had a bad outing last time and he was able to turn the page real quick. That’s one of the toughest things to do especially as a young player and he did that tonight.”
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
Stay up to date with everything Boston. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com