Red Sox's Alex Cora Gives Timeframe For Young Star's Return

The Boston Red Sox will be happy when the hurler is back to action

May 7, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia,USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) in the dugout prior to / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox have fought through an enormous amount of injuries this season and are still managing to hang on to the third-best record in the American League East.

A league-best 2.75-team ERA is proudly held by the Red Sox, which is a stat that almost no one could have predicted at the beginning of the 2024 season. Despite injuries, Boston's rotation is off to a hot start -- thanks to pitching coach Andrew Bailey and a resilient starting pitching staff that is about to be even stronger.

"Probably not,” Alex Cora told MassLive's Christopher Smith when asked if Garrett Whitlock will make a couple of rehab starts. “We feel like he’s in a good spot. Let’s see how this one goes and we’ll go from there. But if everything goes well, we’re comfortable where he’s at.”

Whitlock has a 1.96 ERA and a 17-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .212 batting average against and a 1.15 WHIP in 18 1/3 innings pitched across four games this season.

The 27-year-old hit the injured list on April 17 with a left oblique strain, but will seemingly only need one rehab start in Worcester before he makes his return to the majors. Cora also told Smith that Whitlock will be returning to the rotation, not the bullpen.

Cora similarly pushed both Nick Pivetta and Brayan Bello to the big leagues after just one rehab outing per hurler. That appears to be a new trend to keep an eye on.

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