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Red Sox trade for big reliever taken in Rule 5 draft, add to spring bullpen competition
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- Red Sox trade for big reliever taken in Rule 5 draft, add to spring bullpen competition
ORLANDO, Fla. — In recent years, the Red Sox have hit on relievers Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten as Rule 5 draft selections. They’re hoping history will repeat itself for a third time in 2026.
According to multiple major league sources, Boston traded for right-handed pitcher Ryan Watson who was selected by the Athletics in Wednesday’s Rule 5 draft, and shipped infield prospect Justin Riemer to the A’s.
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Watson, 28, is a 6-foot-5, 225-lb. righty who spent 2025 with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento, then was taken by the A’s with the eighth pick in Wednesday’s draft. An Auburn product who went undrafted before signing with the Orioles in 2020, Watson posted a 4.26 ERA and struck out 64 batters in 50 ⅔ innings at Sacramento last year. He pitched in part of four minor league seasons in the Orioles organization before being traded to San Francisco midway through the 2024 season.
Watson owns a 3.97 ERA in 11 ⅓ innings in the Dominican winter league with Licey this year. He has never been a top prospect but comes with a big frame and has a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio as well as a fastball that can reach 97 mph.
“Ryan Watson is a guy that we’ve liked for a long time,” said chief baseball officer Craig Breslow . “Actually tried to acquire him a couple times during the course of the season. We believe a deep mix, a big guy with good extension and good strike-throwing ability, that should translate to success in the big leagues. He can provide, probably, some bulk relief and then potentially even match up (with certain hitters).”
As with all Rule 5 selections, Watson will have to remain on Boston’s active roster (or the injured list, if he’s hurt) for the entirety of the 2026 season or else be placed on waivers. If he shows something in spring training, he could make the Opening Day roster as a right-handed bullpen weapon. If not, he would be waived (and offered back if he clears).
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Riemer, 23, was Boston’s fourth-round pick in 2023. The Wright State product spent his first year in pro ball rehabbing a torn ACL before appearing in 38 games in 2024, reaching High-A Greenville. In 2025, he hit .231 with one homer, 18 RBIs and a .696 OPS, appearing in 76 games for Greenville and six for Double-A Portland. He has played all over the field but likely profiles as a second baseman down the road.
SoxProspects did not have Riemer ranked among the top 60 players in Boston’s organization. The Red Sox lost a pitching prospect early in the Rule 5 draft as Jedixson Paez (No. 20, via SoxProspects) was taken by the White Sox with the second overall pick. They cleared a 40-man roster spot for the addition of someone like Watson by trading infielder Vaughn Grissom to the Angels for an outfield prospect on Tuesday .
Watson joins lefty Tyler Sanamiego, who was acquired in last week’s deal that netted Johan Oviedo from the Pirates, as early-winter bullpen additions by Breslow. The Red Sox will have a different looking middle-relief group in 2026 after trading Chris Murphy , Brennan Bernardino and Luis Guerrero , designating Josh Winckowski for assignment and watching Steven Matz and Justin Wilson (the latter of which remains unsigned) enter free agency.
The Red Sox are open to more bullpen additions, too.
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“We’ve talked about rounding out the bullpen a little bit,” Breslow acknowledged. “I think some of that will depend on how things play out with some of the starting pitching bulk that we have and whether or not we want to shorten some guys up and have them pitch out of the ‘pen or keep them stretched out potentially in Worcester, I think we’ll evaluate that in real time. There are some guys that have a chance to compete for bullpen spots, but also we’ll be open to improvements and upgrades, whether that’s through free agency or some small trades.”
The Red Sox added three other players to their system in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. They poached left-hander Caden Vire from Milwaukee , first baseman Matt Lloyd from St. Louis and catcher Raudelis Martinez from Tampa Bay.
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