RADIO
Red Sox Exercise Garrett Whitlock's 2027 Club Option
The Boston Red Sox, as expected, exercised right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock's $8.25 million club option for the 2027 campaign on Sunday, according to Ari Alexander of 7 News. It is no surprise that Whitlock will be back in Boston next year after another outstanding performance in 2026, going 7-2 for the BoSox with a career-low 1.72 ERA (2.11 FIP), 0.89 WHIP, four saves, 59 strikeouts, and only nine walks in 52 1/3 innings pitched across his 54 appearances out of the bullpen. Whitlock pitched through a broken tibia down the stretch of the regular season, but despite doing so, he did not give up a single run in his final nine appearances. He should be fully healed for the start of spring training next year and a key late-inning cog in front of veteran closer Aroldis Chapman for his seventh season in the big leagues. Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2025, Whitlock has been lights-out out of the Red Sox's bullpen, posting a 2.03 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 150:33 K:BB in 124 1/3 frames, but he has only five saves in that span, limiting his fantasy value to holds leagues.
Source: 7 News - Ari Alexander
Source: 7 News - Ari Alexander
Red Sox Expected to Pick Up Garrett Whitlock's 2027 Option
The Boston Red Sox will surely exercise right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock's one-year, $8.25 million ($1 million buyout) club option for the 2027 season, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Whitlock and left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman were an excellent one-two punch at the back end of the bullpen for Boston in 2026, so they will be looking to bring that duo back next year. Whitlock ended the season on the injured list due to a fractured tibia, but he has been a star as a reliever for the BoSox since he became a full-time reliever in 2025, recording a 2.17 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 107 outings (116 innings pitched). The 30-year-old former 18th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2017 from Alabama at Birmingham went 7-2 for Boston this year with a sharp 1.72 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, four saves, and 59 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings pitched. Whitlock should be fully recovered from his fractured leg by spring training next year and will once again be a valuable reliever in fantasy leagues that count holds.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Garrett Whitlock Pitched Through Leg Fracture
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock (leg) dealt with leg pain throughout the final month of the season, and a fractured right tibia was found after he underwent imaging after the Red Sox were eliminated from the Wild-Card round against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Whitlock is expected to avoid surgery on his leg, but he will spend around the next six weeks in a walking boot as his leg heals. Barring a setback this winter, Whitlock should be ready to roll for the start of spring training in 2027. The 30-year-old veteran has become a full-time starter over the last couple of years, and he was solid again for the BoSox in 2026 in his sixth year in the league. Whitlock recorded a career-best 1.72 ERA (2.11 FIP) with a 0.89 WHIP, four saves, 59 strikeouts, and nine walks in 52 1/3 innings pitched over his 54 appearances out of the bullpen in the regular season. He does not have high-end fantasy appeal as a reliever because of his lack of saves, but Whitlock has carved out plenty of value in leagues that count holds.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Garrett Crochet on Boston's Wild-Card Roster
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Crochet only managed to make six starts (30 innings) for Boston in his second season with the team in 2026 due to left-shoulder and lat injuries. The 27-year-old southpaw has been ramping up for the last month or so, but with time running out, he will not serve as a starter for the BoSox, at least not for the Wild-Card Series this week. The two-time All-Star was not very effective in his six starts during the regular season early in the year before he was shut down, as he went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in his 30 innings pitched. If Crochet can regain the form he showed in 2025, when he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting, he could be an indispensable relief asset for Boston this postseason.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Aroldis Chapman Should Be Cleared "in the Next Day or Two"
Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) "should be cleared in the next day or two," per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Chapman has not pitched since September 13 due to lat tightness, but it appears as though the 38-year-old is on the doorstep of a return to his role in the ninth inning for the Red Sox. Across 50 2/3 innings (52 games) in 2026, Chapman has recorded a 1.95 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 34 saves. The veteran left-hander has not been quite as dominant as he was in his first season with Boston in 2025, but he's still posted an excellent 32.4% strikeout rate and blown just two save chances. When healthy, Chapman remains a must-start closer for fantasy managers.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Garrett Crochet Sounds Ready to Go After Live BP Session
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) said what happens next is up to president of baseball operations Craig Breslow and manager Chad Tracy after his 16-pitch live batting practice session on Tuesday against Ceddanne Rafaela, in which he hit 96 mph on the radar gun, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "I felt like, with the way that went, I could go get outs," Crochet said. The 27-year-old southpaw has not pitched in a big-league game since May due to shoulder and lat issues, but he appears to be on the verge of returning from the 60-day injured list to help Boston's bullpen for at least the postseason and the start of a wild-card series against the division-rival New York Yankees next week. The two-time All-Star has a 6.30 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in his six starts over 30 innings this year, but he was the runner-up in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 and could be a huge weapon for the BoSox out of the bullpen in the postseason if he is back to his pre-injury form.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Chad Tracy Becomes Full-Time Manager, Lands Three-Year Contract
The Boston Red Sox named Chad Tracy as their full-time manager on Tuesday by signing him to a three-year contract with a club option for the 2030 season, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The Red Sox also announced that they exercised chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's 2029 and 2030 options. Tracy is the 49th manager in Red Sox history after taking over on April 25 when Breslow fired Alex Cora. Boston was 10-17 at that point. With Tracy as the skipper, Boston has gone 74-55 and clinched a spot in the 2026 playoffs on Sunday. Tracy started 32-46 as the team entered play on June 25, but they turned in a 20-3 stretch that vaulted them into wild-card position. That insane stretch included 15 straight wins from July 3 through July 22, which tied for the longest win streak in club history. The Red Sox are currently in possession of the second American League wild-card spot and are likely to face the division-rival New York Yankees in the AL wild-card round for the second straight season at Yankee Stadium.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Aroldis Chapman Won't Pitch This Weekend
Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) felt some tightness in his lat while working out before Tuesday's game against the Texas Rangers and has not pitched since. Chapman said that he will not pitch this weekend against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, but he expects to return during the final homestand of the regular season, which starts on Tuesday, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. The veteran southpaw downplayed the injury on Friday, saying that the Red Sox are being conservative and that he felt healthy enough to play catch before the series opener against the Rays, but the team told him not to. "I'm not worried at all," Chapman said. "From the first time I felt it to today, I feel very good. I was going to go out and throw, but the team wants to take it slow, and they want me to take my time." Fantasy managers will be without Chapman this weekend, but for championship matchups next week, he will hopefully be ready to return to ninth-inning duties. The 38-year-old has been excellent in 2026 in his second year in Boston, posting a 1.95 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP, 34 saves, and 68 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings pitched. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock should handle a save situation this weekend if it arises in Tampa.
Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne
Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne
Aroldis Chapman "Not Worried At All" About Lat Strain
Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) said he is "not worried at all" about his lat strain that made him unavailable to pitch in Thursday's late-inning comeback win over the Texas Rangers, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. Chapman said he has felt improvement since it first popped up on Tuesday, and he is confident he will pitch again before the end of the 2026 regular season. While the 38-year-old veteran southpaw appears to have dodged a bullet, it is unclear how quickly he might be available to pick up another save for fantasy managers playing for a championship late in the season. If Chapman misses more time, right-hander Garrett Whitlock, who picked up his fourth save of the year in Texas on Thursday, is expected to get the first crack at more save opportunities. Chapman continues to defy Father Time in 2026 and has been great with a 1.95 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 34 saves, and 68 strikeouts in his 50 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in his second year in Boston. Last year, Chapman had a 1.17 ERA and 32 saves.
Source: MassLive.com - Sean McAdam
Source: MassLive.com - Sean McAdam
Aroldis Chapman Unavailable Due to Lat Issue
Boston Red Sox left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) was unavailable to pitch in Thursday night's game in Texas against the Rangers due to a lat issue, interim manager Chad Tracy told The Boston Globe's Tim Healey. Chapman had been dealing with it for a couple of days, and the Red Sox will be "conservative" with it, according to Tracy. With Chapman unavailable on Thursday night, right-hander Garrett Whitlock came in to pick up the save, throwing a clean inning with one walk to lower his season ERA to 1.78. The Red Sox will need Chapman down the stretch as they hunt for a playoff spot in the American League, but it sounds like the veteran closer might not be available going into Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. The nine-time All-Star and two-time closer of the year has been excellent for the BoSox as their primary closer in 2026, posting a 1.95 ERA (2.60 FIP), a 1.14 WHIP, 34 saves, 68 strikeouts, and 23 walks in his 50 2/3 innings pitched in his 17th year in the big leagues. Fantasy managers desperate for some saves at this juncture should look to pick up Whitlock off the waiver wire.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Aroldis Chapman Continues to Defy Father Time
Boston Red Sox veteran left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman has not pitched like a 38-year-old in 2026. The nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series winner has been fantastic in the ninth inning for the BoSox in his second year with the team and his 17th in the big leagues, going 3-4 with a 2.03 ERA (2.52 FIP), a 1.13 WHIP, 33 saves, and a 65:20 K:BB in 48 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen. The Cuban southpaw has been even better in the second half of the season, with a 1.80 ERA, only eight walks, 29 strikeouts, and 14 saves in 20 innings pitched. He has converted 17 straight save chances since his last blown save on June 28 against the division-rival New York Yankees. Since the beginning of August, Chapman has a 3.00 ERA (3.35 FIP) with only three walks, 16 strikeouts, one win, and seven saves in 12 innings pitched. Chapman has only blown two of his 35 save chances this year for the Red Sox, and he has been a big reason why they are in the mix for a wild-card spot in the American League down the stretch in the 2026 season.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Garrett Crochet Progresses to Playing Catch Off a Mound
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) has begun playing catch off a mound, per Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. It's largely been a lost season due to injury for Crochet, who has pitched just 30 innings (six starts) in 2026 due to shoulder and lat injuries. However, the 27-year-old continues to progress towards a potential return before the end of the regular season. Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2025, recording an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts across 205 1/3 innings (32 starts). While he may not be stretched out to a full starter's workload down the stretch of 2026, Crochet has experience working out of the bullpen and could be an impactful piece as a reliever for Boston. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues are unlikely to get much value from Crochet in 2026, but his draft stock entering 2027 would likely rise considerably if he's able to return and be effective in October.
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Garrett Whitlock's 12-Appearance Scoreless Run Adds Value Beyond Saves
Boston Red Sox right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock worked a perfect eighth inning in Monday's 6-5 win over Baltimore, striking out one and earning his fifth victory. It was his 12th straight scoreless appearance. Whitlock has allowed four hits and no walks over 11 1/3 innings during that run, with 10 strikeouts. His season numbers are just as useful: a 2.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 39 strikeouts, and two saves across 36 innings. Aroldis Chapman remains Boston's closer and recorded his 22nd save Monday, so Whitlock is not an immediate ninth-inning play. He is still the direct backup and one of the better ratio relievers available. Whitlock is rostered in 24% of Yahoo leagues. That makes him a strong add in deeper formats and leagues that count holds, where the clean innings, strikeouts, and occasional wins already carry value. Any additional saves would be a bonus.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eduardo Rivera to Start Game 2 of Friday's Doubleheader
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera will get the starting nod for Game 2 of the team's doubleheader on Friday at Fenway Park against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, interim manager Chad Tracy told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. It will be Rivera's third major-league outing and his second start. The 23-year-old Cuban southpaw has thrown seven shutout innings so far in his two big-league outings with two walks and six strikeouts. In his first MLB start against the New York Mets on July 7, Rivera held them scoreless in 3 2/3 frames with two walks and three K's. Rivera is a pitching prospect to keep an eye on in dynasty/keeper leagues as Boston's No. 25 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he won't be a recommended streamer against the first-place Rays with a likely short leash in the second game of the twin bill. Rivera has mostly operated as a multi-inning reliever rather than a full-time starter in 2026. In his 20 outings (two starts) at Triple-A Worcester earlier this year, Rivera had a 6-2 record, 2.84 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 46:21 K:BB in 38 innings pitched.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Are Aroldis Chapman's Recent Struggles a Reason for Concern?
Across 28 2/3 innings (30 games) in 2026, Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman has pitched to a 2.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 19 saves. The veteran left-hander has not been quite as dominant as he was in his resurgent 2025 season, but he's still posted an impressive 29.8% strikeout rate and has blown just two save chances on the year. However, there may be some underlying reason for concern in Chapman's profile. After allowing just one earned run through his first 18 2/3 innings of the season, Chapman has allowed six earned runs across 10 innings since the start of June. His average fastball velocity is currently a career-low 97.0 miles per hour, and his walk rate has crept back above 10% over the last two months. Additionally, Chapman may be a trade candidate if Boston cannot sustain its current hot streak after the All-Star break. While he could easily remain a closer following a trade, there's no guarantee that Chapman would remain in a ninth-inning role with a new team. Managers should require a major haul in return, but Chapman could be a sell-high candidate ahead of the second half of the season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
