The Boston Red Sox had several veteran relievers competing for a position on the roster, but the club will instead turn to Ryan Watson to round out the bullpen to begin the 2026 regular season.
The 28-year-old Watson has made the team, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The right-hander was selected by the Athletics in the Rule 5 draft from the San Francisco Giants. He was traded to the Red Sox for infielder Justin Reimer. Rule 5 picks must stick with the big-league club for the entire season, either on the active roster or the injured list. If they don’t, they head to waivers. Once the player makes it through waivers, he has to be offered back to his original team.
Watson was battling Tommy Kahnle, Kyle Keller, and Tyler Samaniego for a bullpen job, among others. Kahnle was recently added on a minor league deal. Keller has an upward mobility clause that can be triggered on April 15, per Cotillo. Boston could be forced to make a decision on him a few weeks into the season.
Boston Red Sox Roster Update: Ryan Watson Expected to Make the Team
Watson didn’t necessarily dominate during Spring Training. He tossed 11.1 innings with a 5.56 ERA across nine spring appearances. Watson had a paltry 14.6% strikeout rate, though he did keep the walks to just a 6.3% clip. The driving force behind the decision to have Watson make the club was likely his Rule 5 status. Putting him on the roster allows Boston to preserve him as an asset, avoiding sending him back to the Giants.
The Red Sox were likely more interested in Watson’s recent minor league track record. He posted a strong 2.83 ERA across 28 outings at multiple levels in 2024. The righty split that season between the Giants and the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched one game at Single-A, but the majority of his work came at Double-A and Triple-A. Watson wasn’t as effective from a run prevention perspective this past season (4.26 ERA), but his strikeout rate jumped to 28.1%. It was his best full-season mark since his pro debut with the Orioles back in 2021.
Red Sox Have a Strong History With Rule 5 Picks
The majority of Rule 5 picks never amount to much, but there were a handful of productive players in last year’s class. Shane Smith went to the Chicago White Sox and provided a solid 3.81 ERA across 29 starts. The righty is expected to be the club’s Opening Day starter this season. The Miami Marlins picked up Liam Hicks from the Detroit Tigers. He combined with rookie Agustin Ramirez to form a respectable platoon behind the plate.
The Red Sox boast two of the most recent success stories out of the Rule 5 process. Relievers Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten were both Rule 5 selections. Whitlock has compiled a 3.13 ERA across five seasons in Boston. He’s operated as both a starter and a reliever. Whitlock is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign that saw him notch a 31.1% strikeout rate and a team-leading 24 holds. Slaten has a 3.43 ERA in two years with the organization. He secured three saves and seven holds in 2025.
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