Boston Red Sox Starting Pitcher Takes Big First Step in Elbow Recovery

The Boston Red Sox are currently just 1.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the American League.

Even with that success though, the Red Sox situation feels tenuous. The team is out multiple starting pitchers on the injured list and has to use bullpen games and piece things together just to get by.

While the Sox are still a long ways from being whole as they push for the playoffs, they did get some good news this week regarding Garrett Whitlock.

The following update comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

Whitlock (elbow) played catch Monday, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

ANALYSIS
Whitlock reportedly felt "great" after throwing for the first time since he landed on the injured list July 4. He still has a long way to go in his rehab process, but it's a good sign to see him trending upward. Whitlock put up a 5.23 ERA and 1.32 WHIP through 51.2 frames before suffering a bone bruise in his right elbow.

Whitlock has been on the injured list multiple times this year as he's made a full-time transition to being a starting pitcher. He's 4-3 this season in 10 starts, striking out 47 batters in that 51.2 innings.

He was a reliever in 2021, helping the Red Sox make the American League Championship series before serving in a hybrid role in 2022.

The Red Sox are 51-45 this year and will take on the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday afternoon.

First pitch is scheduled for 3:37 p.m. ET as Brayan Bello pitches against Ken Waldichuk.

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