Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Hurler on Roster Bubble Earns High Praise From Alex Cora

What are the youngster's chances
Jackson Roberts|
Aug 14, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora walks onto the field before a game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Aug 14, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora walks onto the field before a game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

Ryan Watson is trying to follow a well-established path for the Boston Red Sox.

This decade, the Red Sox have already had two noteworthy success stories from the Rule 5 Draft. Former New York Yankees prospect Garrett Whitlock and former Texas Rangers prospect Justin Slaten were Rule 5 pickups before the 2021 and 2024 seasons, respectively, and both have become stalwarts of the Boston bullpen.

Watson, who was a San Francisco Giants prospect before the Red Sox got him in the Rule 5 Draft this year by making a trade with the Athletics, has to not only make the opening day roster, but stay on the active major league roster (or injured list) all season, or the Red Sox will have to offer him back to the Giants.

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Watson off to a good start in roster bid

Ryan Watson
Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Ryan Watson (56) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

It's essential for Watson to make a good first impression in that regard, and according to manager Alex Cora, his live batting practice session on Tuesday was exactly that.

“He threw a lot of strikes today. That’s what we want," Cora said, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. "The stuff is really good. Obviously, everybody is going to start comparing him to Whitlock and Slaten's situation. One thing they did is throw strikes from the get-go. Today was a good day for him.”

Watson is a hard thrower with an interesting five-pitch mix, including a sinker, splitter, curveball, and slider. He posted a 4.26 ERA for Triple-A Sacramento last season (in the notoriously offense-heavy Pacific Coast League), with 64 strikeouts in only 50 2/3 innings.

That the Red Sox traded away Jordan Hicks and also cleared righty David Sandlin and lefties Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan off the 40-man roster was at least a reasonable indication that they have faith in Watson.

The next five weeks still have to determine quite a bit, but the early signs for the 28-year-old Watson making his major league debut for Boston at the end of March are trending upward.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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