Red Sox Sending Signals About 28-Year-Old's Spot On MLB Roster

The Sox appear confident that Jovani Morán can be a stalwart

Aug 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jovani Moran (47) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Perhaps the Boston Red Sox always had an eye toward 2026 when they traded for Jovani Morán?

Last winter, Boston acquired Morán from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for infielder/catcher Mickey Gasper. Morán, the 28-year-old lefty reliever, spent nearly the entire season in Triple-A and only made two big-league outings for the Red Sox. He burned through his final minor-league option, too.

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Entering this offseason, Morán looked like a candidate to be one of the first players off the 40-man roster. Instead, everything the Red Sox have done since the season ended has indicated that they plan on giving him a bigger role next year.

Sure seems like Jovani Morán will have a key role

First and foremost, Morán has been playing winter ball in Puerto Rico for Criollos de Caguas, who are managed by Red Sox bench coach Ramón Vázquez. According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, the southpaw is sitting between 93-95 mph with his fastball, up a full tick from the regular season.

“The stuff is there,” Vázquez said, per Speier. “He can be a guy that can help us [in the big leagues], definitely.”

No less than four left-handers from the Red Sox's playoff bullpen have since exited. Justin Wilson is the lone lefty who could return in free agency, while Steven Matz signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Red Sox traded away Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy.

Morán allowed three earned runs in four major league innings this year, but at Triple-A, he posted a 3.58 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.

Bernardino and Murphy played, at various points, the exact role that Morán would project to have. Boston always needs a lefty mop-up guy who can lock in and get some big outs against a pocket of big lefty bats when in a pinch.

Obviously, things can change at any point if Morán struggles, and that begins in spring training. He could lose any advantage he has right now if someone like Shane Drohan comes to camp after being promoted to the 40-man roster and outshines him.

However, if there's a leader in the clubhouse for that southpaw role, everything the Red Sox are doing indicates that it's Morán.

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