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Is Garrett Whitlock a Must-Stash Closer?
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock continues to be very effective for the Red Sox, but his future role has been clouded a little bit by his team's recent success. Before the Red Sox won nine straight games heading into the All-Star break, it seemed inevitable that Whitlock or his fellow reliever Aroldis Chapman would be traded at the deadline, with the Red Sox well out of the playoff race. Now that Boston is back in the battle for a Wild Card spot, there's a greater chance the team holds both relievers through the deadline, which would likely keep Whitlock in a setup role. The 30-year-old has been very effective in his 34 games, posting a 2.18 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in his 33 games with 37 strikeouts and two saves. He has huge potential if he steps in as the closer for the Red Sox or another team, depending on where all the pieces land at the trade deadline. If you can stash Whitlock in deep leagues, he still has an elite ceiling down the stretch if he becomes a full-time closer. Since it now seems less certain that he gets that chance, though, he can be left on the waiver wire in standard-sized leagues until the situation becomes clearer as we near the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
