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    Notes about the team are posted here.

    90 rumors in this category

      Nick John

      With the Red Sox beginning to get back to full health with the additions of Masataka Yoshida and Alex Bregman, the roster is beginning to feel overcrowded. To help deal with it, the versatility of many players will be important down the stretch to not just give some players rest but to also get others into the lineup outside of their main position.

      Per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, Alex Cora said on Friday before game two of a four game series against the Tampa Bay Rays that rookie Marcelo Mayer will play a lot of games at second base while still getting some time at third base on days Bregman doesn’t play. If Bregman sticks to the current plan, he will play in two games in each of the next three series against Tampa Bay, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.

      Ceddanne Rafaela is another player who will be moved around with the roster currently having six outfielders on it. Cora also said that Rafaela will be looked at to play second base at least once or twice a week.

      The Red Sox look to end the first half on an impressive run as they go for their eighth straight win tonight. Does the plan to rotate Mayer between second and third seem like a good one? Should Rafaela remain in center field only? Leave your thoughts down below.

      Nick John

      With September officially here, MLB rosters can officially be expanded to 28 players (14 pitchers max). The Red Sox have done just that, as they have added pitcher Zack Kelly and catcher Ali Sánchez to the active roster according to MassLive's Christopher Smith.

      Kelly has been shuttled this season between Boston and Worcester with a stint on the injured list as well. His last appearance with Boston was on June 29 against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he would end up leaving with an injury.

      Overall on the season, Kelly has appeared in 17 games for Boston going 1-3 with a 5.56 ERA in 22 2/3 innings pitched. He’s been a victim of poor luck, as shown by his expected ERA being 3.70 and his FIP being 3.65. With Worcester, he’s appeared in 21 games and produced a 6.15 ERA in 26 1/3 innings pitched.

      Sánchez was previously acquired by Boston on August 8 when Carlos Narváez was banged up. Serving as the third catcher, Sánchez appeared in just one game as a defensive replacement before getting designated for assignment. After refusing an assignment to Worcester, Sánchez became a free agent and signed with the New York Mets. On August 31, he was traded back to Boston by the Mets and was assigned to the Worcester Red Sox this morning before being activated to the major league roster.

      To make room for Sánchez on the 40-Man roster, Marcelo Mayer was transferred to the 60-Day injured list.

      Both players will be active starting today as the Red Sox open the final month of the season against the Cleveland Guardians.

      Nick John

      With the need to open up a roster spot for the eventual activation of Alex Bregman from the injured list, the Boston Red Sox are optioning David Hamilton to Worcester per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.

      Hamilton, who has appeared in 61 games this season has struggled at the plate after putting up a respectable 2024 season that was cut short by injury. This season the speedy infielder has managed to hit only .179/.229/.276 in 123 at-bats. He also has three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs to go along with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

      With Bregman likely being activated for Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays it seemed that either Hamilton or rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer were going to be optioned back to Worcester. In the end the team decided to hold onto Mayer due to his fantastic defense at third base, shortstop and second base along with his timely hitting.

      Bregman’s addition will be a huge addition to an offense that has been on a roll and helped propel Boston onto a seven-game winning stream and having won nine of their last 10 games.

      Do you think the Red Sox optioned the right player? Should Mayer be in Worcester getting everyday at-bats? Leave your thoughts below in the comments.

      Matthew Lenz

      Following a disappointing 2025 season, the New York Mets parted ways with Jeremy Hefner, who had served as the team's pitching coach for six seasons.

      Will Sammon of The Athletic is reporting that Boston Red Sox Director of Pitching Justin Willard is "emerging as the favorite" to become the next New York Mets Pitching Coach.

      Willard, who has been in various roles in Major League Baseball since 2017, has been the Red Sox Director of Pitching for each of the last two seasons. He advocates for blending analytics and biomechanics with practical coaching instincts, focusing on maximizing a pitcher's best pitches while ensuring consistent strike-throwing. In a conversation with Ian Browne of MLB.com, Willard's philosophy is simple: "Throw nasty stuff in the zone."

      The Red Sox pitching staff was one of the best units in baseball in 2025, sporting a 3.98 FIP (10th) and an 18.4 fWAR (7th), though it posted a below-average 13.5% K-BB rate (18th).

      How do you think Willard's departure would impact the 2026 Red Sox pitching staff? Let us know in the comments!

      Maddie Landis

      On Wednesday, MLB notified teams of their bonus pool and pick values for the 2026 Draft. The Red Sox rank 23rd with a total of $8,219,000 across nine picks. Their first round selection (20th overall) accounts for more than half of that value ($4,373,900). 

      Round Pick Slot Value
      1 20 $4,373,900
      CB-B 67 $1,317,300
      3 96 $815,700
      5 156 $454,100
      6 185 $352,900
      7 214 $278,700
      8 244 $227,200
      9 274 $205,400
      10 304 $194,000

      As a brief refresher, two of the Red Sox’s offseason moves impacted their spending power. The Red Sox received the 67th pick in the supplemental second round (CB-B) in the Caleb Durbin and Kyle Harrison trade. After signing  Ranger Suarez five-year, $150 million contract, they lost their second and fifth picks and $1 million from their international bonus pool. 

      The 2026 MLB Draft is scheduled for July 11 to 13.

      Brock Beauchamp

      The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and we're looking to expand our video coverage. Have you ever considered being on-camera and talking about the Red Sox? If yes, we'd love to talk to you about it.

      Our videos are typically in a wide variety of styles: breaking news, analysis, and historical study. We're open to any and all ideas as long as they're centered around the Boston Red Sox. We're looking for serious baseball talk, so leave the hot takes at home.

      If you'd like to learn more about this cool little side gig, please email Brock Beauchamp at brock.beauchamp@talksox.com.

      Here is an example of a recent Red Sox video from us:

      Brock Beauchamp

      It's hard to predict how this offseason will unfold, as there is an increasing chance of (yet another) MLB lockout following the 2026 season. Will teams spend big this offseason, hoping to create surety in the face of an unknown collective bargaining agreement? Or will they be hesitant in hopes of a favorable outcome for ownership groups?

      No matter how it shakes out, teams will need to compete in the 2026 season, and they'll need to sign free agents this winter. DiamondCentric has compiled a complete list of free agents, sortable and searchable by pretty much any metric you need. Looking for a first baseman? A catcher? We have you covered. We offer two pages for your reference: one for position players, the other for pitchers.

      Free Agent Hitters In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

      hitters.jpg

      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Hitters

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent hitters in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.

      Free Agent Pitchers In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason

      pitchers.jpg

      dc-initials.png Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Pitchers

      DiamondCentric.net
      Here is a complete list of free agent pitchers in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.
      Alex Mayes

      The Boston Red Sox have placed reliever Justin Slaten on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain. To replace him in the bullpen, the team has called up LHP Tyler Samaniego before the series finale with the Brewers.

       

      Alex Cora revealed in his media availability after the 3-2 win on Tuesday that Slaten was dealing with soreness on his right side but hesitated to call it an oblique injury at the time. Now, we have conformation that Slaten will be missing time while he heals up. While Slaten has been useful out of the pen, his injury history isn't exactly brief, so it's disheartening to see him go down again so early in the year.

      Samaniego has appeared in three games for the WooSox, posting a 3.38 ERA with three strikeouts and a 1.31 WHIP over 5 1/3 innings. He was impressive in spring training after he fully recovered from some initial back issues. His fastball tops out at 97 mph but he lacks a solid secondary pitch at the moment. With some development, he could be an incredibly useful arm out of the bullpen down the stretch. Expect to see him serve as an up-and-down reliever for the entirety of the season.

      Justin Slaten landing on the IL again is not great news for a team already pushing their bullpen to the maximum this early in the season, but Samaniego has the opportunity to show that his strong spring was more than just a fluke once he arrives in Boston.

      Matthew Lenz

      After a season where the Boston Red Sox fell short of expectations, they've had a very busy start to the offseason with option decisions. These decisions have started to paint the picture of what the 2025-2026 offseason may hold and what needs to be done to the roster to meet their goals for next season.

      One of the bigger questions they're tasked with is figuring out the plans at first base. After a devastating knee injury to Triston Casas, first base was a bit of a merry-go-round with Nathaniel Lowe and Romy Gonzalez getting a bulk of the reps in the second half of the season. While both players are controllable in 2026, Casas is hoping to be healthy by the time Spring Training rolls around. However, at the end of the season, in an interview with Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was non-committal to Casas's future, stating, "I don’t think it makes a ton of sense on October 6 to say someone is or isn’t our first baseman. We’ll see how things play out..."

      Ultimately, it's those comments that may have prompted the cryptic message from Casas:

      Casas, who was struggling at the plate prior to his injury, is projected for a very team-friendly $1.7 million salary in his first year of arbitration.

      What do you think he means in his Instagram post? Should the Red Sox move on from him? Join the conversation in the comments!

      Matthew Lenz

      The Boston Red Sox continue to receive bad news regarding starting pitcher Kutter Crawford who was dealing with worst pain earlier this month.

      Now, Tim Healey of the Boston Globe is reporting that the 29 year old need wrist surgery and is "likely done for the year".

      It's a frustrating development for Crawford who started the season dealing with soreness in the patellar tendon of his right knee. He had previously been placed on the 60-day IL where he is expected fo stay for the majority and maybe now the entirety of the 2025 season.

      It's another tough blow to the Red Sox struggling rotation - a position group they'll need to bolster at the trade deadline if they intend to make a push for the playoffs in the second half of the season.

      With bad news continuing to rain down on the season, should the Red Sox be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Join the conversation in the comments!

      Nick John

      While the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers continue to battle it out in the World Series, the Boston Red Sox have begun to build up depth for the 2026 season. Late Sunday night, the team came to an agreement with free agent catcher Jason Delay on a minor league deal according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. It was first reported by Just Baseball Media's Aram Leighton.

      Delay, who has played parts of three seasons in the majors, will immediately slot in as the third catcher on the depth chart behind Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong. Delay will turn 31 in March and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He would go on to make his major league debut in 2022 and play in 134 games between then and 2024. Across that span, he hit .231/.295/.315 with 20 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 35 RBIs. In 2025, he split time with Atlanta‘s Double-A and Triple-A teams. In truth, Delay's glove is what he's better known for, as he was a strong framer in 2022 and 2023 while also throwing out 16 baserunners during his time in the majors.

      While the details of the contract are currently unknown, it is likely Delay has received a non-roster invite to spring training. The move, however, is more about acquiring depth at Triple-A in the event of a potential injury.

      Alex Mayes

      Trevor Story is hosting his informal “Story Camp” this week, and some familiar faces have joined the shortstop in Texas.

      Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Connor Wong, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, and Mikey Romero appear in all of the social media posts surrounding the event. When the first Story Camp was announced a few seasons ago, it seemed like a way for the veteran shortstop to connect with and mentor younger players while he was rehabbing from injury. Now though, it seems to be transforming into something different.

      With Duran, Wong, and Casas all being present. it showcases them putting in the extra work to improve on down or lost seasons in 2025. It also gives them more opportunities to work with members of the young core in Anthony and Mayer. Romero is penciled in to be the starting shortstop for the WooSox this season and working with Story can only help him improve at the position. Should Story go down with an injury, it’s likely Romero will be one of the first names called up to the big-league roster.

      Story Camp is a way for Trevor Story to further mentor the up-and-coming talent in the system. We can all hope that this extra time together will translate to positive results on the field in 2026.

      Nick John

      The playoffs haven't even started yet, but the Red Sox were dealt a tough blow Monday afternoon as manager Alex Cora announced that starting pitcher Lucas Giolito would not be on the roster for the Wild Card series. 

      Cora believes that the right-hander has been dealing with an elbow issue his past few starts according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier, but now it's gotten to the point where Giolito had to cut short his latest bullpen session. The right-hander is getting evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon, though any issue with the elbow is not good considering he had elbow surgery in 2024 that cost him the entire season.

      The news is a big loss for the Red Sox, as Giolito was a constant presence in the rotation after returning from the injured list on April 30. In 26 starts, he would end up going 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA across 145 innings. He also struck out 121 batters in that span while opponents hit just .239 against him. 

      While the official roster hasn't been announced just yet, it is likely a possible Game 3 would be started by either Kyle Harrison or Connelly Early. 

      Nick John

      In need of opening a 40-man roster spot to complete the signing of Ranger Suárez, the Boston Red Sox authored a trade with the Minnesota Twins per MassLive's Chris Cotillo and the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

      Being shipped from Boston to Minnesota was Tristan Gray, the utility infielder having previously been acquired in a trade on November 18. Gray, who has played 47 career major-league games, was viewed as potential utility depth by the organization thanks in part to his ability to play all infield positions.

      In return, the Red Sox received minor-league catcher Nate Baez. Baez, a former 12th-round pick back in 2022 will turn 25 in mid-May. The young catcher made it to Double-A last season where he played in 51 games and hit .237/.297/.400 with eight doubles, four triples, five home runs, and 31 RBIs.

      Baez is the sixth minor-league catcher that Craig Breslow had added to the organization as the team has overhauled their catching depth.

      Fortunately for both Gray and Baez, neither will have many issues dealing with finding new housing for spring training, as both the Red Sox and Twins have their complexes in Fort Myers.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox infield depth may have already taken a hit, as it was revealed by Alex Cora during the first media interview of spring training that Romy González injured his shoulder in the final series of the regular season and that the injury has bothered him throughout the offseason, as reported by the Boston Globe's Tim Healey.

      While unknown at the time, the injury could have played a role in González’s postseason struggles especially against left-handed starters Max Fried and Carlos Rodón after crushing left-handed pitching all season.

      Currently, there is no concrete knowledge regarding the current state of the injury, but the team and González will know more once he arrives to camp. However, the feeling right now is that he’s behind schedule. Should González miss time in spring training, his playing time will likely go to Nick Sogard, Mikey Romero and new acquisitions Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler.

      González said that his left shoulder originally got better but then he suffered a setback in January when he started hitting. He also received a PCP shot on January 23 and still plans to be ready for Opening Day, though things could change.

      For the Red Sox, they hope González can avoid missing significant time and will be able to catch up and be ready for the regular season.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox made a surprise signing Saturday night, as the club and star closer Aroldis Chapman agreed on a one-year extension for the 2026 season, along with an option for the 2027 season.

      The deal, first reported by Francys Romero, will be worth $13.3 million in 2026, while the option for 2027 is a vesting option based on innings. Should the vesting option not trigger, it will instead become a mutual option. Overall, Chapman could earn $26 million over the next two seasons should the option be picked up.

      Saying Chapman has been dominant this season would be an understatement, as the left-handed pitcher has appeared in 57 games this season going 4-2 with 26 saves and a 1.04 ERA across 52 innings. In that span, he has struck out 74 batters while allowing just 14 walks. After entering spring training as part of the competition for the closer role, Chapman made it his own and has solidified the ninth inning for the Red Sox.

      By locking up Chapman, the Red Sox have made sure the back end of their bullpen is all set for the 2026 season, as relievers Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten will also be under contract.

      Chapman, who will be 38 years old next season, made his eighth All-Star team this year and his first since 2021. For his career, he has appeared in 853 games across 16 seasons. In that span, he’s gone 59-47 with 361 saves and a 2.53 ERA in 812 innings.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox have begun to add to their spring training roster, naming seven non-roster invitees. While most names on the list are of no surprise, it also doesn’t close the book on other players being added as a non-roster invitee the closer we get to the team reporting to Fort Myers.

      The group of seven are made up of catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, right-handed pitchers Osvaldo Berrios, Hobie Harris, and Devin Sweet and left-handed pitchers Alec Gamboa and T.J. Sikkema. Among the seven players announced, six of them signed minor-league deals with the Red Sox across the offseason while the seventh (Harris) re-signed with the Red Sox on a minor-league contract back at the end of September. While non-roster invitees may not seem all too exciting, they help create competition in camp for the final few roster spots, along with exciting storylines. And, sometimes, they may even break camp with the team. Last season, the team saw non-roster invitees Kristian Campbell and Sean Newcomb make the team, while the likes of Trayce Thompson, Matt Moore, and Adam Ottavino created discussion pertaining to the back end of the roster.

      Overall, the group is comprised of veterans who have either limited experience in the majors or have spent several seasons in the minors as they attempt to showcase why they should be in the major leagues. Of the seven, four have some time spent on a major-league roster.

      Sikkema, a left-handed pitcher, signed with the Red Sox shortly before the announcement. Now 27 years old, he was a former first-round pick by the Yankees back in 2019 (39th overall). Last season, he split time in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization as he played for both Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville.

      Alex Mayes

      Three members of the Boston Red Sox have been named as 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove finalists. They are catcher Carlos Narvaez, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and right fielder Wilyer Abreu. 

      This nomination marks the second year in a row that Abreu has been nominated, and he hopes to take home the award in back-to-back years. The calf injury that kept him out towards the end of the season could hamper his chances, but he still put together an incredible season while on the field.

      Narvaez led all catchers in the league in runners caught stealing with 24, good for a 29% clip. He was one of the best defensive catchers in all of baseball, but his catcher interference calls could work against him to a point.

      Finally, Rafaela is up for his first nomination after a stellar year in, mostly, center field. He logged enough hours at his primary position to be considered for the award this year and the sheer amount of highlight reel catches he made in 2025 should make him an overall favorite to bring home the hardware.

      The Red Sox are showing they have an eye for above-average defensive talent at a few key positions. These three names should continue to show up on these nomination lists for years to come.

      Gold Glove winners will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 2.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox have seemingly decided upon their bench for Opening Day, as Nate Eaton has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. Eaton was in a competition with Andruw Monasterio for the final bench spot, but in the end, it was Monasterio who won it.

      What may have swung the decision towards Monasterio was his ability to play second base and the potential to platoon with Marcelo Mayer by hitting left-handed pitching well.

      Eaton signed as a minor league free agent prior to the 2025 season and played well enough to garner a call up to Boston. In 41 games with the big-league club, Eaton hit .296/.348/.383 with four doubles, one home run, four RBIs, and nine stolen bases. He can also play all three outfield positions and third base will provide excellent depth in Worcester. He will likely be one of the first players called up should injury or inconsistent play occur.

      The Red Sox's bench now should look as such come Opening Day: Connor Wong, Masataka Yoshida, Andruw Monasterio, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

      In other roster-related news, Ryan Watson was informed Monday that he made the team. Watson was a Rule 5 pick over the winter and was required to be on the active roster in order to remain with Boston. In response, Boston optioned Tyler Samaniego to Worcester per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. 

      The roster is nearly complete, as the only spots remaining is who out of Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early,  and Payton Tolle will be the final member of the rotation and who might be the final bullpen arm.

      Alex Mayes

      The Red Sox have made another series of spring training moves, reassigning multiple names to minor-league camp. This group is exclusively pitchers this time, which makes sense in the wake of the team signing southpaw Danny Coulombe last week. The names being reassigned are: left-handed pitcher T.J. Sikkema, and right-handed pitchers Seth Martinez, Wyatt Olds, and Noah Song. 

      This leaves big league camp at 54 while Craig Breslow and the coaching staff begin to whittle away the depth options in the bullpen. It’s been a mixed bag for each of these four pitchers during their time in spring training. Song posted a stellar 1.13 ERA across six games, but lacked control as evidenced by his three wild pitches. He did post nine strikeouts though, indicating that there’s still life left in his pitch mix and he should be pushing for a spot on the 26-man roster at some point this season.

      Olds fared much worse, posting a 6.75 ERA over seven games, but he also struck out nine. Martinez held a 7.27 ERA with only five strikeouts. Sikkema clocked in with the highest ERA at 9.00 over three games, but struck out five in those three appearances. 

      Song is perhaps the most shocking name to be reassigned so far in camp, but he doesn’t have a true spot in the bullpen as it’s currently constructed. Should he show out in Worcester early in the season, expect to see his name called early and often. As for the other three, the reassignment makes sense as none of them have shown to be dependable enough in camp to warrant consideration for the big-league roster at this point. 

      We’re getting closer and closer to Opening Day, so expect more names to be reassigned to minor league camp as Breslow and Alex Cora start making the tough roster decisions.

      Nick John

      Following the trade deadline, the Red Sox are promoting one of their top prospects to Worcester. As reported by Beyond the Monster’s Andrew Parker, the Red Sox are promoting infielder Mikey Romero to Triple-A Worcester.

      Romero, a former first-round draft pick, is likely being promoted to fill the roster spot left by traded corner infielder Blaze Jordan. Romero, who was initially drafted as a shortstop has seen his time in the field split between third base, second base and shortstop. He has also spent time as the designated hitter.

      Known for his offensive potential, Romero appeared in 65 games for Portland, where he hit .250/.313/.436 with 17 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, and 39 RBIs. What may be most impressive for Romero is the fact that he’s on pace to play in the most games of his professional career, beating the 78 games played last season.

      Romero will likely see the majority of his playing time come at third base and shortstop as the team sees how he can handle the increased level of play.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox continue to shake up their pitching staff as the team prepares for the final month of the season. With the news of top pitching prospect Payton Tolle making his major league debut Friday night in Boston, the team needed to open a roster spot. According to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, the team has released struggling pitcher Walker Buehler.

      Buehler, who signed a one-year, $21.05 million contract with a $25 million mutual option for 2026, struggled throughout the 2025 season. In 23 games, Buehler made 22 starts and went 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA in 112 1/3 innings. In that span, he only struck out 84 batters while walking 55 and allowing 22 home runs. Along with that, Buehler spent close to a month on the injured list due to right shoulder bursitis.

      After his start on August 19, the Red Sox decided to move him to the bullpen instead of keeping him a starter. Part of the decision was likely due to a contract escalator he had where, for every two starts after his 20th start, Buehler would make an additional $500,000 until he hit 28 starts. After being moved to the bullpen, Buehler only made one more appearance on August 24 in a blowout loss to the New York Yankees

      A former top pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Buehler was signed with the hope that he could continue the pitching he showcased throughout the playoffs in 2024 with the Dodgers. Instead, he was inconsistent with the Red Sox and could never get into a groove with his new team. Buehler will now hit free agency and should a playoff team sign him before September 1, he could potentially be added to their playoff roster.

      Nick John

      The Boston Red Sox are making a few moves prior to their home opener on Friday. With a need for pitching, the Red Sox have recalled pitchers Zack Kelly and Tyler Uberstine, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.

      Kelly, who seemed to have a bullpen spot secured during spring training until the final week, opened the season with Triple-A Worcester. During the first week of the minor league season, he’s pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two. Since 2022, Kelly has made 98 appearances with the Red Sox. He’s tossed 115 innings with a 4.15 ERA.

      Uberstine is being called up for the first time in his career after fighting for a bullpen spot during spring training. In his lone start with Worcester this season, he tossed four innings, allowing one run on two hits, and struck out three batters. Uberstine is currently TalkSox's 17th-ranked prospect.

      In response, Garret Whitlock is being placed on the paternity list as he and his wife are expecting their next child in the coming days.

      Johan Oviedo was also placed on the injured list with a right elbow strain. Oviedo's velocity was noticeably down in his final spring training appearance and his Red Sox debut, leading to some speculation that an injured list stint could happen for the right-hander.

      The Red Sox spent the offseason acquiring pitching depth to handle such injuries, and it seems to already be paying off.

      Alex Mayes

      MassLive’s Chris Cotillo has reported that the Boston Red Sox have announced a rather large group of non-roster invitees to spring training this year.

      INF Mikey Romero could be pushing for playing time in Boston later in 2026, so it’s not surprising to see his name included here nor is it shocking to see so many catching options. The team has long been rumored to still be looking for a way to upgrade the backup catching position this offseason so putting their top-level catching options through their paces at spring training makes sense.

      On the pitching side, Noah Song is the name that should jump out the most to Sox fans. Song has a very interesting path to the majors and finally looked like a contributing member of the organization during his quick rise to Triple-A Worcester last season. Once he arrived there, he left quite a bit to be desired but it was his first full, healthy season in pro ball since he finished his military commitment.

      These 14 guys are being given a chance to stake their claim at big league camp. It will be interesting to watch how they perform. Other names are likely to be added as non-roster invitees as we get closer to pitchers and catchers reporting to Fort Myers on February 10.

      Alex Mayes

      The Boston Red Sox made yet another round of cuts in camp, mere days away from Opening Day. Notably, OF/INF Kristian Campbell headlines the group reassigned to minor-league camp. Pitchers Alex Gamboa, Tayron Guerrero, and Kyle Keller were also reassigned. Catcher Jason Delay, infielder Vinny Capra, and outfielder Braiden Ward were also reassigned, but they are remaining in major league spring training for now. 

      Obviously, Campbell headlines the reassignment group for this round. Campbell came into camp with more muscle and with new mechanics at the plate. While he had some promising moments, his performance left a bit to be desired. He appeared in 18 games for the Red Sox this spring, slashing .220/.304/.645 with one home run, two doubles, a 23.9 K%, and a 4.3 BB%. If you’ve tuned into any spring training games so far, you’ll have noticed that he seems far more comfortable at the plate now, but he’s still adjusting to his new swing. When it clicks, he should take a giant step forward to hopefully become the player the team envisioned when they extended him at the start of the 2025 season.

      Guerrero was impressive in camp but his reassignment seems to indicate that the Andrew Bailey-led pitching lab doesn’t think what he’s currently working with is sustainable at the big-league level, yet. He’s a flamethrower, but the rest of his game needs more refinement. Keller has looked overmatched for much of spring training so his reassignment isn’t surprising. Gamboa falls into the same category as Keller; both obviously need more work and aren't likely to see the big-league roster any time soon.

      Delay, Capra, and Ward being reassigned also isn’t surprising. but the decision to keep them in Major League spring training is an indicator how high the organization is on them as capable depth options. Ward is likely going to be a late season call up to give the team a boost off the bench in pinch running situations, so look for him to continue to shine on the basepaths with Worcester for the bulk of the season. Delay was in the mix for the backup catcher role but this likely means he’s out of that race for now. Capra proved to be more than capable at handling infield duties while guys were given days off for rest down the stretch of spring training.

      Watch for at least one more round of cuts as the front office gets the team down to the 26-man roster before Opening Day on March 26.

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