BOSTON (AP) \u2014 Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock has quietly found a way to honor his younger brother, who drowned nearly two years ago.<\/p>\n
When he enters from the bullpen at Fenway Park, the 28-year-old right-hander jogs to the mound with country artist Kane Brown\u2019s song \u201cBury Me in Georgia\u201d playing in the background.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen my brother did pass away, I would hear that song and it would remind me of him a lot,\u201d Whitlock told The Associated Press while standing at his locker before Friday’s game against Atlanta. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sept. 2, 2023, Whitlock\u2019s 23-year-old brother, Gavrie, slipped running down a dock and fell into Lake Lanier in suburban Atlanta.<\/p>\n
Whitlock, the team\u2019s Jimmy Fund Captain for the third straight season \u2014 a charity the club works with to help children with cancer since the 1950s \u2014 said he thought of using the song as a tribute \u201ctwo or three weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because I heard it for the first time in a long time and I was like: \u2018Man, I really enjoy that song and it reminded me of my brother,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cSo, I was like: \u2018You know what, that would be kind of like a cool way to do both.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
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Whitlock said he hadn’t even told his wife, Jordan, or his mother about the tribute.<\/p>\n
Before making the switch, he walked to the mound to \u201cLong Black Train\u201d by Josh Turner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t really told anyone yet,\u201d he said. \u201cI hadn\u2019t told my wife or anything yet. I hadn\u2019t told my mom anything. Actually, I don\u2019t think Jordan\u2019s heard it yet. She hasn\u2019t been here when I pitched yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whitlock said he thought of his brother when he came out of the bullpen the first time after making the change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did. That\u2019s one of those: You know, when I think about him, I definitely get emotional and everything,\u201d he said, speaking softly. \u201cBut, like I said, kind of a cool way to enjoy the song and always remember him.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He didn\u2019t think his teammates even noticed the tribute \u2014 except maybe fellow reliever Brennan Bernardino \u2014 because most of them weren\u2019t with the team when he learned of his brother’s death during a trip to Kansas City.<\/p>\n
He said Bernardino approached him when the team was playing at Kansas City last weekend and asked how he was doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of these guys weren\u2019t here when it happened,\u201d he said. \u201cBernie came up to me in Kansas City and was like: \u2018First time being back. You OK?\u2019 I know Bernie\u2019s really conscious of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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