Whitlock has an opportunity
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Garrett Whitlock now has a stronger chance to secure a spot in the Red Sox starting rotation.
Lucas Giolito won’t be ready for the start of the season as he’s dealing with what the team described as elbow soreness. Yet ESPN reported that initial imaging of Giolito’s elbow showed a partially torn UCL and flexor strain, which would sideline him for the season.
“These guys, they have to step forward,” said manager Alex Cora Tuesday morning. “I’ve been saying it all along, it doesn’t matter who you sign, who you don’t sign. The guys here have to take a step forward. And now, most likely, somebody has to do it.”
Whitlock, Tanner Houck, and Josh Winckowski entered camp competing for one rotation spot. However, with Giolito’s injury, two of them now will likely claim spots.
“I think that we’re always looking to try and make an impact,” said Whitlock. “We’re really looking forward to stepping up and being reliable and hopefully durable.”
In his third start of the spring on Tuesday, Whitlock’s outing was just OK, as he allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in three innings in a 7-4 win over the Rays.
Whitlock emphasized refining his craft and focusing on the process, a crucial component during the spring.
[I always want] to attack the strike zone,” he said. “Make sure the changeup is working good. I’m really trying to get that movement hammered out and everything along with it.”
Whitlock said recently that he stopped thinking about being a starter. At times over the last two seasons, he put too much pressure on that being the end result.
Durability, more than lack of performance, forced Whitlock out of the rotation mix during the previous two seasons. Whitlock’s ability to locate his pitches is a strength, more so than with Houck and Winckowski.
Considering Giolito’s absence, Whitlock’s strike-throwing should give him a decent shot at a rotation spot.
Power display Tyler O’Neill’s
home run off
Ryan Pepiot in the third inning was a reminder that O’Neill had 34 homers three seasons ago with the Cardinals. It was a tape-measure shot, traveling over the faux Green Monster and disappearing near the back fields at Fenway South.
O’Neill finished the 2 for 3 with three RBIs, with Enmanuel Valdez also driving in three runs.
“He’s been good,” Cora said of O’Neill. “He’s been putting together good at-bats, working the count, taking his walks. He got a pitch in the zone and hit it out of the ballpark.”
Much like last year with Adam Duvall, the Red Sox were enticed by O’Neill’s pull-side power, believing that it will play well at Fenway. The Sox are confident that the Green Monster will work in O’Neill’s favor even when he doesn’t barrel the ball. In the fifth inning, for example,
O’Neill didn’t catch much barrel against Jake Mangum, but the ball still hit off the wall, resulting in an RBI double.
“That’s good feedback for him to understand that that [wall] is right there,” said Cora. “You don’t have to crush it. You just have to be able to beat it to a spot. But it was also a reminder too that he can stay on fastballs to right-center and whatever spins in the zone, he can can hit it out of the ballpark.”
Duran exits
Jarren Duran exited Tuesday’s game with left ankle tightness. During an at-bat, Duran was seen wiggling his ankle in an effort to loosen it up. The initial thought was that Duran aggravated his surgically repaired big toe, which cost him the final month of last season. Cora said Duran is expected to play Thursday... Cooper Criswell will get the start Wednesday against the Twins. Criswell signed as a free agent during the offseason, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is optimistic. “Criswell has come in and impressed with the strike-throwing ability, and the power has ticked up a little bit,” said Breslow. “I think what we have talked about is like, ‘Hey, best-case scenario, these guys emerge as bona fide starters.’ And now that we’ve got the chance to see them with a few weeks under our belt, I don’t think that that’s so far from reality.” . . . Representatives from the Players Association were at JetBlue Park early Tuesday to meet with players, led by executive director Tony Clark. Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who serves as a special adviser to Clark, also was present.