Latest Garrett Whitlock injury update is nothing short of terrible

The Boston Red Sox, a team many predicted to finish at the bottom of the AL East for a third straight season, have actually had a decent start to the 2024 campaign, going 24-24 in their first 48 games of the season. The biggest reason why they've been able to succeed despite a myriad of injuries is the major improvement that they've seen from their starting pitching.

The starting rotation was expected to be a major weakness for this Red Sox team, especially after Lucas Giolito suffered a season-ending injury before throwing a single pitch for Boston, but it has been anything but. Their 2.63 starting pitcher ERA is good for second in the majors. Their 2.99 staff ERA is also good for second in the majors. Pitching has carried the team.

While guys like Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have stolen the show, virtually everyone to start a game for Boston has pitched well including Garrett Whitlock who pitched brilliantly in his four starts before suffering an oblique strain.

Whitlock was on his way back to the majors when he wound up suffering a whole separate injury. It's the last thing any Red Sox fan wants to hear.

Latest Garrett Whitlock injury update is the last thing anyone wanted to hear

Whitlock felt pain in his right elbow after making a rehab start for AAA Worcester. It turns out that after tests, he has a partial tear in his right UCL. What's next is unclear, but surgery is on the table. It feels like a return in 2024 is at the very least unlikely right now which is heartbreaking not only for Red Sox fans but for Whitlock.

The right-hander has been an important piece for this Red Sox team since he debuted in 2021 but has had a lot of trouble staying on the field. He missed much of the first half of last season due to elbow troubles. He had a hip issue that ended his 2022 season prematurely. A pectoral strain ended his 2021 campaign. He's just had brutal luck, and this is only the latest evidence of that.

What makes this worse is it looked like Whitlock was finally settling in as a starting pitcher. He had a 1.96 ERA in four starts and 18.1 innings of work, allowing two runs or fewer in all four appearances. He wasn't going very deep into games but was extremely effective. The 27-year-old has always had a ton of talent but continues to suffer these brutal injuries. If this elbow injury requires a major surgery, it'll be the worst one of them all.

Perhaps rest will do the trick, but make no mistake. This is the worst-case scenario for the oft-injured Whitlock. Cooper Criswell has pitched well in his place, but that doesn't make anyone feel better about this awful situation.