Boston Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock is competing for a starting rotation spot at spring training this year. Whitlock opened last year as a starter, but he was moved to the bullpen eventually and finished 2023 with a career-worst 5.15 ERA (4.27 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, one save, 13 walks and a career-low 72 strikeouts in 22 appearances (10 starts) covering a career-low 71 2/3 innings. Elbow injuries limited his workload along the way and most likely compromised his effectiveness as well. Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford should be locked into the top four rotation spots in Boston, so Whitlock will be competing with Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski for the No. 5 spot after lefty Chris Sale was traded to the Braves in the offseason. If he can stay healthy and earn a rotation spot, Whitlock still has some upside as a matchup-based, deep-league streamer.