Red Sox Have a Reliever Who Must Go—And It's Not Greg Weissert

Regrettably, the experiment has to end

May 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) reacts to hitting a two-run home run as he crosses home plate during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox fans are fed up with right-handed reliever Greg Weissert, and rightfully so.

Weissert's latest blow-up outing put the Red Sox behind the 8-ball on Thursday night in a painful 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He's definitely held them back more times than he's helped this season. But if anyone is going to lose their job first in the bullpen, it actually shouldn't be Weissert.

After Weissert exited Thursday's game, it was Ryan Watson's task to try to maintain a 5-3 deficit. He couldn't come close to doing so, and it's regrettably time the Red Sox take a good, hard look at the experiment they've been running all season and admit defeat.

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Ryan Watson experiment: cooked or salvageable?

Apr 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Ryan Watson (56) looks on after giving up a home run against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

After allowing three earned runs on a Chandler Simpson triple and Junior Caminero moonshot home run, Watson's ERA ballooned to 6.46 in 23 2/3 innings. He's only racked up 17 strikeouts while allowing 30 hits, including five home runs.

Watson's presence on the opening day roster was simple enough to explain. He was a Rule 5 Draft pick, so he either had to spend the entire year on the active roster (or injured list), or Boston would have to offer him back to the San Francisco Giants for a nominal fee.

Boston also didn't just take Watson with a Rule 5 selection, they traded with the Athletics to secure the rights to him, meaning they gave up infield prospect Justin Riemer, a former fourth-round pick who is putting up decent numbers in the A's system this season.

But enough is enough. It's time for the Red Sox to cut their losses, because Watson is proving he wasn't ready for the majors to begin with. On a sub-.500 team fighting to stay in the playoff picture for the long haul, there's no leeway for one of the eight relievers to be a true detriment.

Yes, the Red Sox will lose a depth option because Watson can't be sent to Triple-A. But they're better off finding out if someone like Jack Anderson or Tommy Kahnle can be the extra productive righty they need than continuing to hope a failing experiment suddenly turns around.