BOSTON — (AP) — Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock has quietly found a way to honor his younger brother, who drowned nearly two years ago.
When he enters from the bullpen at Fenway Park, the 28-year-old right-hander jogs to the mound with country artist Kane Brown’s song “Bury Me in Georgia” playing in the background.
“When my brother did pass away, I would hear that song and it would remind me of him a lot,” Whitlock told The Associated Press while standing at his locker before Friday's game against Atlanta. “I also just like the flow of it and stuff, so it kind of has dual purpose, but I do enjoy the song and that does remind me about my brother.”
On Sept. 2, 2023, Whitlock’s 23-year-old brother, Gavrie, slipped running down a dock and fell into Lake Lanier in suburban Atlanta.
Whitlock, the team’s Jimmy Fund Captain for the third straight season — a charity the club works with to help children with cancer since the 1950s — said he thought of using the song as a tribute “two or three weeks ago.”
“Just because I heard it for the first time in a long time and I was like: ‘Man, I really enjoy that song and it reminded me of my brother,’” he said. “So, I was like: ‘You know what, that would be kind of like a cool way to do both.’”
Whitlock said he hadn't even told his wife, Jordan, or his mother about the tribute.
Before making the switch, he walked to the mound to “Long Black Train” by Josh Turner.
“I hadn’t really told anyone yet,” he said. “I hadn’t told my wife or anything yet. I hadn’t told my mom anything. Actually, I don’t think Jordan’s heard it yet. She hasn’t been here when I pitched yet.”
Whitlock said he thought of his brother when he came out of the bullpen the first time after making the change.
“I did. That’s one of those: You know, when I think about him, I definitely get emotional and everything,” he said, speaking softly. “But, like I said, kind of a cool way to enjoy the song and always remember him.”
He didn’t think his teammates even noticed the tribute — except maybe fellow reliever Brennan Bernardino — because most of them weren’t with the team when he learned of his brother's death during a trip to Kansas City.
He said Bernardino approached him when the team was playing at Kansas City last weekend and asked how he was doing.
“A lot of these guys weren’t here when it happened,” he said. “Bernie came up to me in Kansas City and was like: ‘First time being back. You OK?’ I know Bernie’s really conscious of it.”
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