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Garrett Whitlock pitched through a fractured tibia at end of season for Red Sox

Boston Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock finished the 2026 regular season with a career-best 1.72 ERA, but his strong late-season performance came despite an undiagnosed fracture in his right tibia. Whitlock, who made eight appearances in September—allowing zero earned runs across 7⅓ innings—continued pitching through leg discomfort, including a playoff push that secured Boston’s American League wild-card spot.

The fracture was only discovered after the Red Sox were eliminated by the Yankees, ending Whitlock’s postseason with a brutal 20.25 ERA in limited action. The injury, which does not require surgery, will keep him in a walking boot for four to six weeks, though he is expected to return healthy for spring training next year.

Whitlock, who also battled a knee injury and elbow inflammation earlier in the season, remains under team control with options for 2027 and 2028.

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