The Boston Red Sox have optioned Kyle Barraclough to Triple-A Worcester, clearing a roster spot for Garrett Whitlock, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.

Garrett Whitlock was one of the best relief pitchers in all of baseball in the 2021 and 2022 seasons after the Red Sox stole him from the New York Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft, but the Red Sox had tried to make him a starting pitcher in 2023. It has been reported that when Whitlock returns to the team, he will be returning to his old role in the bullpen, and the team will revisit him as a starting pitcher later on.

Kyle Barraclough had pitched in two games for the Red Sox this season, and was a depth arm.

The Red Sox entered Sunday three games out of a playoff spot, before they won their game agains the Detroit Tigers at home. They are chasing the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. The Blue Jays entered Sunday three games ahead, while the Mariners entered Sunday 2.5 games ahead of the Red Sox, trailing the Blue Jays by a half game for a playoff spot.

Whitlock returning to the bullpen should be a big boost for the Red Sox. When he was in that role in past years, he was dominant in multi-inning appearances, he was not someone who just pitched one inning. That probably explains why the Red Sox want to see if Whitlock could be a starting pitcher at some point in his career, but that will have to be determined later on.