Houck, Whitlock ticketed for Red Sox rotation

Criswell to Triple A as Cora after upside

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox’ season-opening rotation is set. On Friday, manager Alex Cora announced that righthanders Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck had claimed the fourth and fifth starters’ spots.

The Sox will begin the season next week with Opening Day starter Brayan Bello followed (in order) by Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck.

“We feel comfortable with the rotation,” said Cora. “We feel comfortable with these guys. They’ve done an amazing job, all of them.”

Lucas Giolito, Bello, Pivetta, and Crawford entered camp as virtual locks to start, with Whitlock, Houck, Cooper Criswell, and Josh Winckowski competing for a fifth rotation spot. When Giolito underwent season-ending elbow surgery, it opened a second spot.

While Winckowski was taken out of consideration for that role, Criswell continued to make an impressive case through his final start Thursday, posting a 2.95 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks in 18‚ innings.

But in the end, Houck and Whitlock impressed in a way that suggested a higher ceiling. Houck made 21 starts last year, going 6-10 with a 5.01 ERA. Whitlock was 5-5 with a 5.15 ERA, including a 4-3 mark and 5.23 ERA in 10 starts. But Cora believes both are ready for steps forward.

The two 27-year-olds, after all, both spent the 2022-23 offseason recovering from surgeries — hip for Whitlock, back for Houck. This year, they both had full, healthy offseasons that produced improved stuff and strike-throwing — and in Whitlock’s case, a different pitch mix, with a new gyro slider to complement a bigger, sweepier slider (he objects to the nomenclature “sweeper”).

“Both of them have made huge adjustments with the repertoire, with the delivery,” said Cora.

Whitlock has said throughout the spring that he’s at peace with any role. Still, he embraces the responsibility that comes with being in the rotation.

“It’s a huge honor to be entrusted with that,” said Whitlock, who had a 3.45 ERA with 16 strikeouts and two walks in 15„ spring innings. “Obviously, I want to go out there and do real well with it. I’m just happy with how everything’s going this spring and just want to continue the way things are going.”

Houck believes he’s ready to take a step forward after his healthy offseason. He described himself as ready to “really jump forward in terms of who I am now” compared with 2023.

“I think my cutter is a lot better of a pitch this year,” he said. “My slider is more consistent than it was last year, as well as everything else is taking a tick up stuff-wise. I think just being fully healthy definitely has a lot to do with that.”

Criswell was optioned to Triple A Worcester, where he’ll be stretched out as a depth starter of first resort. It has yet to be decided whether Winckowski will open the year as a multi-innings reliever in the big leagues or a starter in Triple A. Cora said he is hoping to have two multi-innings relievers and, given the all-righthanded rotation, two lefties in the bullpen.

The rotation will be short on experience. Bello, Crawford, Whitlock, and Houck have a combined 135 big league starts. But Cora believes the group has the talent to take advantage of the opportunity.

“This is their chance, to be honest with you,” said Cora. “I think these guys are talented. They are. Now we have to go out there and prove it. I do believe they will.”