Aroldis Chapman's historic season has occupied most of the discussion when it comes to the Red Sox bullpen. But Garrett Whitlock has been nearly as good, having pitched the most innings out of the pen and allowed just one earned run since the All-Star Break. But believe it or not, Whitlock still doesn't feel like he's "kicked the rust off" following last year's UCL surgery. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Slaten went down with shoulder inflammation back in May and has been sidelined ever since. Slaten made his big league debut with Boston in 2024 after being plucked from the Mets in the 2023 Rule 5 draft and has been excellent. The 27-year-old touts a 3.09 ERA and 2.78 FIP in 78 2/3 big league innings. This year, Slaten pitched in 24 games with a 3.47 ERA and 3.09 FIP.