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Red Sox’ Garrett Whitlock’s WBC title game appearance a reminder that it doesn’t always end well
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- Red Sox’ Garrett Whitlock’s WBC title game appearance a reminder that it doesn’t always end well
MIAMI — For the past few weeks, the World Baseball Classic was staged, or, as it threatened to become at times, the Red Sox Invitational.
Everywhere you look, there was a Red Sox connection. Here was Masataka Yoshida propelling Team Japan. Over there was Roman Anthony being preternaturally great for Team USA. And look, it’s Wilyer Abreu lugging Team Venezuela all the way to the championship game.
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Even in the title game, the Red Sox’ links were everywhere. Old friend Eduardo Rodriguez gave Venezuela 4.1 scoreless innings, facing Anthony, who, lest we forget, was chosen by the Red Sox as a compensation pick for losing Rodriguez. Talk about fate.
And then, in the ninth inning, there was Garrett Whitlock . The Red Sox set-up man had been almost perfect in the tournament, making three appearances, covering three innings and allowing a singular baserunner over that span.
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Bryce Harper , who has a knack for such things, had blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, tying the game at 2-2. After managing just two hits through the first seven innings, Team USA finally had some momentum.
Had Team USA been ahead in the ninth, manager Mark DeRosa would have gone to closer Mason Miller . But after promising the San Diego Padres that he would only use Miller late in the game with the lead, DeRosa opted for Whitlock.
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The initial hint that Whitlock wasn’t as sharp as he had been came when he walked Luis Arraez , the first hitter he faced, on five pitches.
After pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second, Whitlock had to content with Eugenio Suarez , who drilled a changeup to left-center, scoring Sanoja with ease. Suddenly, loanDepot Park, which had its mood shifted by Harper’s heroics, came alive with Venezuelan pride.
Team Venezuela didn’t tack on, but Team USA was overmatched in the bottom of the ninth. The final out came when Roman Anthony fanned, because, of course it did. The final out had to involve someone with the Red Sox.
And that left Whitlock, so dominant, so effective, with the loss in the biggest game he had pitched in his life.
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Nearly two hours later, as he walked to the team bus, he still wore the disappointment on his face.
“It was a fun tournament and a really cool experience,” he expressed in flat monotone. “It was really cool getting to be in the guys I was in the room with. Looking forward to the (season) and getting home.”
The leadoff walk he allowed was “definitely not was what I’m trying to do.”
The pitch to Suarez wasn’t a bad one, or even poorly located — a changeup, down and on the outer half that Suarez managed to square up.
“I mean, obviously, he hit it,” Whitlock said, “so it wasn’t in a good enough location.”
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It was Whitlock’s third appearance in five games, and it appeared as though his command was off, the result of one high leverage outing after another against some of the best hitters in the world.
On Sunday, in the semifinal, he had sliced through the trio of Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Manny Machado as though they were minor leaguers on a back field in Fort Myers, but the quality of stuff and the precision was not the same in the title game. Whitlock, not one for excuses, said his workload was not a factor.
Mere minutes after Venezuela celebrated and Team USA commiserated, commissioner Rob Manfred handed out silver medals to the American players, each responding as though they were being presented with a gag gift. Many took their medallions off before they could leave the field.
“There’s going to be a lot of memories from this tournament,” Whitlock said. “It was really cool getting to play in the tournament and represent the U.S. Again, couldn’t be more thrilled for opportunity that I had. It was definitely unique and special.”
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But his words belied his mood. Whitlock tried to express his gratitude and leave the WBC with his head up. But the scoreboard and the Venezuelans’ joyous celebration on the field told the real story.
This was one that did not end happily, the way so many had for Red Sox players the last few weeks, a reminder that, even in mid-March, disappointment always lurks.
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