The Red Sox's Reinforced Pitching Staff Impresses Garrett Whitlock Ahead of Spring Training
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Garrett Whitlock stepped out of the Red Sox clubhouse on Wednesday morning, his eyes drawn to a group of pitchers engaged in catch practice. The right-hander expressed his awe, stating, 'We've got a bunch of arms this year. It's impressive.'
Whitlock's opinion carries significant weight. He resides just a few minutes away from Fenway South and has been utilizing the facility since the conclusion of last season, which ended with a playoff loss against the Yankees. During this period, Whitlock has closely observed the team's strategic additions, including Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, and Ranger Suárez, to a starting rotation led by Garrett Crochet, who finished second in the American League Cy Young Award voting. The Red Sox also boast Kutter Crawford, who had a 4.36 earned run average over 33 starts and 182.2 innings during the 2024 season before missing the subsequent season due to knee and wrist injuries.
Crawford has been at Fenway South since mid-January and threw his latest bullpen session on Tuesday. Pitching coach Andrew Bailey anticipates that Crawford will compete for a spot in the rotation. 'I feel great,' Crawford stated on Tuesday. 'Ready to go and get out there. I’m not holding back at all.'
Nine of the 15 starters the Sox utilized last season are no longer with the organization. Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito, who combined for 48 starts, remain free agents. Others were traded. Whitlock noted the presence of numerous major leaguers at Fenway South, surpassing the usual number for this time of year. Nearly half of the 40-man roster was on the field on Tuesday, and live batting practice sessions are scheduled for Friday.
Despite the possibility of players working independently or at private facilities, the sight of so many players in camp was notable, given that the first official workout for pitchers and catchers is not until next Tuesday. To add a touch of fun, pitching coach Andrew Bailey brought a large Bluetooth speaker to the field, providing background music for the workout. He was joined by bullpen coach Chris Holt and catching coach Parker Guinn.
'It’s exciting for me to see all these guys on the field,' Carlos Narváez said. 'As a catcher, I want to get to know them, especially the new guys. You look at the rotation and it’s great for our team.'
Brayan Bello reported early to prepare for the World Baseball Classic. He will join Sandy Alcantara, Cristopher Sánchez, and Luis Severino in the rotation for the Dominican Republic. This early preparation is a testament to his status in the game after posting a 3.35 ERA last season.
In addition to pitchers, outfielders Wilyer Abreu and Kristian Campbell, along with infielders Marcelo Mayer and Romy Gonzalez, were also present. Campbell spent much of the morning on a back field, engaging in outfield drills with coach Kyle Hudson. The Sox played Campbell primarily at second base last season, with eight starts in center field and one in left before he was demoted to the minors in June. He then began playing more in the outfield.
The fact that the Sox are preparing Campbell as an outfielder adds fuel to the speculation that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow might trade one of the outfielders to acquire an infielder and address an apparent roster gap. Mayer, who can play second or third base, must first demonstrate his ability to stay on the field, having yet to play more than 91 games in five professional seasons.
Gonzalez and Nick Sogard are alternative options, but manager Alex Cora often emphasizes the need to be cautious with Gonzalez, who profiles more as a backup. Alex Bregman wasn’t signed until February 13 last season, so the Sox have ample time to complete their roster puzzle.
For now, the focus is on players returning to the field, preparing for the upcoming season. Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at peteabeglobe.bsky.social.
