Role
Whitlock was the bridge to Chapman in 2026: 26 holds, 4 saves, and a 1.72 ERA over 54 games. The job is the same in 2027, with more save chances whenever the 39-year-old closer needs a night off. Boston holds an $8.25 million club option on him for 2027 and a $10.5 million one for 2028, and MLB Trade Rumors expects the first one to be picked up.
Outlook
The numbers are as good as any setup man's in the league. He struck out 29.8% of hitters and walked 4.5%, and his slider held hitters to a .153 average (Baseball Savant). He did miss time with left knee inflammation in May and right elbow inflammation in August. After the season he told the Boston Herald's Gabrielle Starr he had pitched September on a fractured right tibia (per MLB Trade Rumors). It doesn't need surgery. He still allowed no earned runs over 7 1/3 innings that month, then gave up three in Game 2 against the Yankees.
Our take: picking up the option is the easiest call the front office will make this winter. Whitlock is the closer once Chapman is gone, and we'd start giving him more ninth innings in 2027.