Garrett Whitlock of Red Sox honors late brother with song 'Bury Me in Georgia' when entering games
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.'
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
Rory McIlroy has major ‘concerns' as new driver leads to shocking early exit from Canadian Open
Rory McIlroy added something big to his resume, but not in any desirable way. On Friday at the RBC Canadian Open, the Masters champion suffered an early exit from the tournament after having his second-highest score to par in any PGA Tour round of his career, missing the cut by 12. He shot 8-over 78, and his biggest troubles came in a messy fifth hole with a concerning quadruple bogey 8. 4 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 18th tee during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 06, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario. Getty Images It marked McIlroy's highest score since shooting another 78 in the first round of the British Open last year. He had a double bogey on hole 11, along with four bogeys and two birdies. He also had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies on Friday. It ranked as McIlroy's highest score in any non-major PGA Tour round. 'Of course it concerns me,' McIlroy said, per ESPN. 'You don't want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that sort of was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn't.' Friday marked the fifth time in McIlroy's career that he has carded an 8-over round, trailing only the 10-over 80 he shot in the opening round of the 2018 U.S. Open. 4 Rory McIlroy hit his approach shot from the rough on the fifth hole during the second round of the Canadian Open golf tournament in Caledon, Ontario, Friday, June 6, 2025. AP McIlroy, at 9-over, was 21 strokes behind Cameron Champ, who entered Saturday with a two-stroke lead in the final event ahead of the U.S. Open. The reigning Masters champion isn't involved in weekend play in a non-major tour for the first time since the 2023 Players Championship. 4 Cameron Champ hits his tee shot at the 12th hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images 'Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways,' McIlroy said. 'Still sort of searching for the sort of missing piece off the tee.' McIlroy has previously won the Canadian Open twice — in 2019 and 2022. 4 Rory McIlroy said he had issues with his new driver. Getty Images Champ was at 12 under and played the first 36 holes without a bogey. 'It's firmed up a little bit, but fairly similar to yesterday,' Champ said. 'The fairways I feel like were firming up a little bit. The greens slightly, but pretty close to how they were yesterday.'
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- USA Today
BetMGM Bonus Code WIREBG150 Delivers $150 in Bonus Bets for UFC 316, NBA, NHL & More
BetMGM Bonus Code WIREBG150 Delivers $150 in Bonus Bets for UFC 316, NBA, NHL & More On the UFC's list of toughest pound-for-pound fighters, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is ranked No. 4. He puts his bantamweight belt (and his reputation) on the line tonight against Sean O'Malley as the main event for UFC 316. If you're excited about the card Dana White has pulled together at the Prudential Center in New Jersey and looking to make a wager, you can score $150 in bonus bets with the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150. The BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150 is available to new bettors in Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or West Virginia. It awards $150 in bonus bets to those who place and win a first bet of $10 or more. For new bettors in the rest of the states where BetMGM operates, the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE will be your thing — and you'll collect a protected first bet up to $1,500. You can't go wrong with either, as both are considered among the best sportsbook promos in the industry. This won't be the first time Dvalishvili and O'Malley have clashed in the Octagon. Last Sept. 14 in Las Vegas when O'Malley owned the belt, he was a slight favorite to win the UFC 306 main event but lost a unanimous decision to Dvalishvili. Since that time, Dvalishvili defended his title in January against Umar Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile, according to Yahoo! Sports, O'Malley has undergone hip surgery and quit using marijuana to maximize his chances to regain the belt. According to the BetMGM app — one of the nation's top sports betting apps — bettors are skeptical about 'Suga' Sean's chances. He entered the weekend at +240 to win. In the other title fight on the UFC 316 card, women's bantamweight champion Julianna Pena is a huge underdog (+500) to keep the belt against Kayla Harrison. Whether you're interested in UFC betting promos or the NBA Finals or the Stanley Cup Final or Australian Rules Football or 20 other sports, BetMGM is the place to play. It takes just minutes to activate the BetMGM bonus code offers once you click the nearest BET NOW button. BetMGM Bonus Code Promos: $150 in Bonus Bets or $1500 First-Bet Offer 📱 BetMGM Bonus Code SBWIRE / WIREBG150 🤑 BetMGM Promos First-Bet Offer up to $1500 (all states) / Bet $10, Win $150 (CO, MI, NJ, PA, WV) ✅ Terms and conditions New customers 21 and older in AZ, CO, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MA, MD, NJ, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA & WV. 18+ in WY, DC; 7-day expiration and 1x playthrough on bonus bets; casino credit has 10x playthrough ✔️ Last verified June 7, 2025 While we await the NBA Finals' Game 2 on Sunday night and the Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 on Monday night, we have some big Major League Baseball rivalries to enjoy. The Red Sox and Yankees are in the middle of their first series this season — and the Red Sox could use a few wins to get back into the pennant chase. Meanwhile, the Tigers own MLB's best record and the Cubs aren't far behind. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Co. visit the Tigers this weekend. Check the latest MLB odds to see all the ways to play on today's MLB schedule. Best Bets with BetMGM Bonus Codes: Saturday, June 7 MLB: Cubs at Tigers, 1:10 p.m. Cubs at Tigers, 1:10 p.m. MMA: UFC 316, 6 p.m. UFC 316, 6 p.m. MLB: Red Sox at Yankees, 7:35 p.m. Red Sox at Yankees, 7:35 p.m. WNBA: Fever at Sky, 8 p.m. Caitlin Clark's following has grown so huge, the Chicago Sky rented the United Center for tonight's game and almost all the tickets are sold. There's just one catch: Angel Reese will be there for the Sky, but Clark isn't expected to play for the Fever because she has been dealing with a quadriceps issue and his missed four straight games. Nonetheless, it's the WNBA's fiercest rivalry and there could be fireworks even if there's no Clark. If you're a big tennis fan — or at least a fan of big events — keep an eye on the odds for the French Open men's singles final on Sunday morning. Judging by the matches leading up to the championship, this match should be epic on the Roland Garros clay. Ready to get rolling? The BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150 and the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE are here for you. Tap a BET NOW button, answer a few questions and your weekend will be off to a flying start. How to Sign Up for the BetMGM Bonus Code Offers If you're 21 or older (in most states) and in one of the more than 20 states where BetMGM operates, you can sign up for a new account with a BetMGM bonus code in a matter of minutes. Here's how: Select a banking option and place at least a $10 deposit. Click any BET NOW link to be directed to the BetMGM offer page then select your state. Click on the Sign Up button to launch the registration page and create an account. Verify age, location and identity, provide your mobile phone number. Your BetMGM bonus code (whether it be SBWIRE or WIREBG150) should automatically be applied if you tapped BET NOW in this article; if not, type or paste in the proper code BetMGM Bonus Code Terms & Conditions If you're signed up for the $1,500 BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE, place your first bet on any of today's matchups (or any other set of odds), and if it settles as a loss, you'll get bonus bets back. For wagers of $50 and up, the refund comes as five equal bonus bets, while smaller wagers get a single matching credit. With the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150, you can wager on any set of odds, and if it comes back as a win, you get your winnings plus three $50 bet credits. After signing up for your BetMGM bonus code offer, place your qualifying bet within seven days. You'll have a seven-day window from when bonus bets are deposited to use them or they will expire.
Fox Sports
34 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Coco Gauff levels French Open final against Aryna Sabalenka
Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff has leveled the French Open final at one set apiece against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. After a topsy-turvy opening set that Sabalenka edged 7-6 (5), the No. 2 seed responded with an immediate break and won the second set 6-2. Gauff raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set, her dominance highlighted by a superb backhand return that secured a double break. Although an error-strewn sixth game allowed Sabalenka to break back, the Belarusian player continued to be visibly frustrated, shouting after each mistake. She dropped her serve for a seventh time in the match and Gauff closed out the set with a confident hold. The match has been full of tension and momentum swings so far, amplified by the windy conditions. Sabalenka came out strong on Court Philippe-Chatrier, finding her stride early and pushing Gauff onto the back foot with deep groundstrokes and assertive net play. Sabalenka quickly built a 4-1 lead but a string of errors and double-faults allowed Gauff to get back into the match. Sabalenka managed to break again for a 5-4 lead yet her game continued to fluctuate between unforced errors and flashes of brilliance. Gauff stayed patient and composed, breaking back to level the score once more. They traded breaks again and the set, which lasted around 80 minutes, was decided by a tiebreaker. Sabalenka trailed 3-0 but recovered from the poor start to close out the set at the net. Despite a chance of rain later Saturday afternoon, organizers opted to keep the retractable roof open. Both women are aiming to win the title for the first time. Gauff lost the 2022 French Open final at age 18 but the American beat Sabalenka in the 2023 U.S. Open final, Gauff's only major so far. The 27-year-old Sabalenka, who is from Belarus, has won three majors but is appearing in her first French Open final. It is the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years. Sabalenka and Gauff have split their 10 previous matchups evenly, but Sabalenka won their most recent encounter, also on a clay court at the Madrid Open a month ago. ___ AP tennis: in this topic
