Bad News for Boston Red Sox, Garrett Whitlock

UPDATE: MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo reported that Garrett Whitlock has landed on the Injured List due to his elbow issue. Greg Weissert will replace him.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Boston Red Sox's cold streak continued on Wednesday night with the club's fifth straight loss.

Losing a fifth game in a row is enough for it to have been a tough night for Boston, but that's not all. With the score knotted at one heading into the eighth inning, the Red Sox turned to Tyron Guerrero out of the bullpen. He has been great for the Red Sox this season, but it was a bit surprising not to see veteran reliever Garrett Whitlock in that scenario.

Ultimately, the Red Sox allowed five runs in the eighth inning and went on to lose 6-4. After the game, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy revealed that the reason why Boston didn't turn to Whitlock is because of the fact that he's dealing with elbow inflammation.

"He was down," Tracy said. "He's dealing with a little bit of inflammation in his elbow so we have to check in and see where we're at there."

Tracy on this rough patch: "We're pretty battle tested... we gotta fight our way out of it."

On Whitlock: "He's dealing with a little bit of inflammation in his elbow... it's been a hit and miss thing that's come about..."

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After the game, Whitlock addressed the elbow issue, as transcribed by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

The Red Sox Reliever Is Hurting

Aug 5, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock (22) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I don’t think there’s anything structurally wrong with it. My concern for need of any drastic measures is very low," Whitlock said.

It's positive that Whitlock's concern for "drastic measures" is "very low," but any time you hear about an elbow issue impacting a pitcher, it is concerning. Tracy acknowledged that Whitlock has been dealing with the inflammation off and on throughout the season to this point.

With the playoff push approaching, this isn't the type of news you want to hear about the best bullpen in the business. Whitlock is a key part of that. He has pitched in 45 games this season and has a 2.05 ERA in 44 innings of work. He's among the best overall set-up men in baseball. If he needs to miss any time at all, that's concerning, especially with the Red Sox riding their five-game losing streak right now. Boston has one more game against the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon before kicking off a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

When it comes to Whitlock, injuries are always worth watching as well. Back in 2023, he dealt with right elbow ulnar neuritis and right elbow inflammation and appeared in just 22 games, including 10 starts. Then, in 2024, he pitched in just four games before having to undergo an internal brace procedure to repair his elbow. Plus, he missed some time earlier in the season, although due to a knee issue.

For now, we wait. The club announced the inflammation on Wednesday and Whitlock said his concern level is "very low." We should find out more information in the very near future.

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