Boston Red Sox Interested In Devin Williams

[drewski6]

12 minutes ago, notin said:

In today’s bullpen-centric game, it’s a good idea to make game at most 5-6 innings long for opposing hitters…

Okay, but with this noodlebat centric team, Im more worried about making all nine innings short for opposing pitchers. Fix that first.

[notin]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

Okay, but with this noodlebat centric team, Im more worried about making all nine innings short for opposing pitchers. Fix that first.

It won’t be prioritized like that. Sign players when they’re willling to sign.  Both Alonso and Bregman didnt Sign until late February last year.  If they take that long tjis year, should Boston hold off on bullpen help and other needs until then?

[Hitch]

14 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

But another good $15M BP addition, instead of applying that $15M towards someone like Alonso?

Yeah, it's not instead of - I'm assuming we'll go big for this year. 

[notin]

5 hours ago, Hitch said:

Yeah, it's not instead of - I'm assuming we'll go big for this year. 

Well, more likely signing someone like Williams might cut into the extent of the “#2” starter everyone wants.  But that’s fair because he will also cut into the IP…

[moonslav59]

If JH is allowing the budget to go near the second line or higher, I'd be interested in signings like this, but I have serious doubts, and I still think we have higher needs. I guess another point is how much are we willing to trade away this winter?

I said the same thing last year, and it didn't really work out as I thought: we have so much SP'er depth that I think we can use some of them to fortify the pen with long relief guys. The amount of injuries to SP'ers got so high, we ended up trading for May and using two rookies not thought to be in the mix in April. This year, despite Houcks season-long injury, I think we have even more SP'er depth that can and will be used in the pen.

Crochet, Bello and Sandoval will be SP'ers. I doubt we mess with Early and Tolle in the pen, but if we have 5 SP'ers going strong, and we need pen help, we might resort to using one or both in relief roles. The higher odds pen guys might be (in this order)

1. Fitts

2. Criswell (out of option)

3. Perales 

4. Crawford

5. Dobbins

6. Harrison (maybe he's 4th or 5th)

(Sandlin was used in relief, last year, but struggled there.)

[drewski6]

On 11/14/2025 at 6:43 PM, notin said:

It won’t be prioritized like that. Sign players when they’re willling to sign.  Both Alonso and Bregman didnt Sign until late February last year.  If they take that long tjis year, should Boston hold off on bullpen help and other needs until then?

No, but dont blow the budget on bp arms and wind up with yoshida hitting third.

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

No, but dont blow the budget on bp arms and wind up with yoshida hitting third.

Agreed, and last year we invested in the pen & rotation, and got "our guy" (Bregman) at the last minute.

The pen is way down on my priority list.

[Old Red]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed, and last year we invested in the pen & rotation, and got "our guy" (Bregman) at the last minute.

The pen is way down on my priority list.

I agree the BP is down the list, but I don’t think you can count on Chapman having the year he had last year again.

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I agree the BP is down the list, but I don’t think you can count on Chapman having the year he had last year again.

No, but I'm counting on Slaten to stay healthy and an arm or two from our rotation depth to pitch in.

[notin]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

No, but dont blow the budget on bp arms and wind up with yoshida hitting third.

If Yoshida reverts to a low strikeout .825 OPS guy, is that a bad thing?  

[notin]

49 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

No, but I'm counting on Slaten to stay healthy and an arm or two from our rotation depth to pitch in.

If they trade Sox add Alonso and Williams, that helps a lot.  Sure, Fitts to the BP makes sense, and hopefully Slaten returns to 2024 form.  But Williams wouldn’t be replacing them; he’d be taking the roster spot of  someone like Criswell in the bullpen.  He might put Whitlock, Slaten and/or Fitts into roles that come in earlier, but thats far from a bad thing…

[drewski6]

26 minutes ago, notin said:

If Yoshida reverts to a low strikeout .825 OPS guy, is that a bad thing?  

Yes (that production as our top masher, not him giving that to us)

[notin]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

Yes (that production as our top masher, not him giving that to us)

#3 spot in the order doesn’t go to top mashers anymore.  Not since some figured out 3 spot hitters come up with 2 outs and no one on more often than any other spot in the lineup…

[drewski6]

30 minutes ago, notin said:

#3 spot in the order doesn’t go to top mashers anymore.  Not since some figured out 3 spot hitters come up with 2 outs and no one on more often than any other spot in the lineup…

When you start talking about limiting Ks and control of the strike zone, you are talking about a passive hitter.  Meet pitches out in front.  Comit to what you see, drive the ball.

I dont want to see us revolve our batting order around limiting strikeouts.  IF hes staying back and slapping singles, then he cant hit between 2 and 5. Im fine with him leading off and fine with him hitting 6,7,8,9

But are we just gonna put out a team of slap hitters?  Are we this comfortable with mediocrity.  More than anything,  I think the bar is too low.

I want aggressive hitters.  Who hunt. And are confident in their pitch recognition.  Guys who try to punish mistakes and hit the ball out in front.  None of this , wait and sit back and slap it through the infield.  WE have more of that than we need in Roman alone.

I think Masa is redundant with Roman.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, notin said:

If they trade Sox add Alonso and Williams, that helps a lot.  Sure, Fitts to the BP makes sense, and hopefully Slaten returns to 2024 form.  But Williams wouldn’t be replacing them; he’d be taking the roster spot of  someone like Criswell in the bullpen.  He might put Whitlock, Slaten and/or Fitts into roles that come in earlier, but thats far from a bad thing…

Agree, and as we have seen the past few years you never have enough good BP arms. Especially in the backend.

[notin]

9 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

When you start talking about limiting Ks and control of the strike zone, you are talking about a passive hitter.  Meet pitches out in front.  Comit to what you see, drive the ball.

I dont want to see us revolve our batting order around limiting strikeouts.  IF hes staying back and slapping singles, then he cant hit between 2 and 5. Im fine with him leading off and fine with him hitting 6,7,8,9

But are we just gonna put out a team of slap hitters?  Are we this comfortable with mediocrity.  More than anything,  I think the bar is too low.

I want aggressive hitters.  Who hunt. And are confident in their pitch recognition.  Guys who try to punish mistakes and hit the ball out in front.  None of this , wait and sit back and slap it through the infield.  WE have more of that than we need in Roman alone.

I think Masa is redundant with Roman.

Did you just rename this team the Boston Strawmen?

The Sox are likely to only add 2 hitters, most likely a 1b and another who plays 2b or 3b.  I’d be surprised if they added a DH, despite the demands on countless forums.

Yoshida had a .825 OPS in August, 2024, when he suddenly dropped off a Cliff, quite possibly because that was when he tore his shoulder.  If he really can maintain that .825, is he really a slap hitter limited to singles? Just because he doesn’t strike out much? Joe DiMaggio didnt strike out much, but that doesn’t mean he was the prequel to Luis Arraez.  In fact, how many slap hitter gave a .825 OPS?

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, notin said:

I’d be surprised if they added a DH, despite the demands on countless forums.

This is why I'd be surprised if they went long on Alonso. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

This is why I'd be surprised if they went long on Alonso. 

I figure on him because long on Alonso is probably going to be shorter than long on Bregman or Bichette.  But signing either of those two does leave 1b open for cheap potential production guys like Hoskins, Bell, Casas (if healthy), Lowe, etc…

[mvp 78]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

I figure on him because long on Alonso is probably going to be shorter than long on Bregman or Bichette.  But signing either of those two does leave 1b open for cheap potential production guys like Hoskins, Bell, Casas (if healthy), Lowe, etc…

If I had to wager what the Sox did:

Breggie 5/something

Duran traded for prospects

BOS/MINN prospects traded for Ryan (extended in ST)

Hoskins 1/cheap

[notin]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If I had to wager what the Sox did:

Breggie 5/something

Duran traded for prospects

BOS/MINN prospects traded for Ryan (extended in ST)

Hoskins 1/cheap

Absolutely plausible.  The only part I question is Bregman for 5 years when literally everyone on Earth - including tribal members from North Sentinel Island - is predicting he gets 6 years.  You can argue with me, but you can’t argue with the North Sentinelese.  They’re very passionate.

Alonso for 5 and acquiring the very available Alec Bohm (for Kyle Harrison? Or part of a larger Duran trade?) and Duran or Abreu dealt for a SP or prospects flipped for a SP would be my prediction.  Better fit for the tight-fisted…

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, notin said:

If Yoshida reverts to a low strikeout .825 OPS guy, is that a bad thing?  

"Reverts?" Are you talking in season snippets?

.783 in 2023 (.826 on 8-19-23)

.765 in 2024 (.825 on 8-19-24)

.686 in 2025 (.738 after 8-19-25 but .837 in September '25.)

[notin]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

"Reverts?" Are you talking in season snippets?

.783 in 2023 (.826 on 8-19-23)

.765 in 2024 (.825 on 8-19-24)

.686 in 2025 (.738 after 8-19-25 but .837 in September '25.)

I mentioned 2024.  

At some point in that season, he tore a shoulder muscle.  I am theorizing it was around 8/19, after which he fell off a cliff and started hitting like someone with a torn shoulder muscle.  Obviously the date is a theory; it probably didn’t all happen in one day and Yoshida himself might not know exactly when.  But it certainly fits as a cause for his slump the rest of the way…

 

[moonslav59]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

I mentioned 2024.  

At some point in that season, he tore a shoulder muscle.  I am theorizing it was around 8/19, after which he fell off a cliff and started hitting like someone with a torn shoulder muscle.  Obviously the date is a theory; it probably didn’t all happen in one day and Yoshida himself might not know exactly when.  But it certainly fits as a cause for his slump the rest of the way…

 

For what it matters, I do think he's capable of hitting .800 to .825 for a full season, despite turning the dreaded 30 next March.

It's one reason I often pencil him in as our 2026 DH, sometimes platooning with Romy or with the possibly returning REF.

[drewski6]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Did you just rename this team the Boston Strawmen?

The Sox are likely to only add 2 hitters, most likely a 1b and another who plays 2b or 3b.  I’d be surprised if they added a DH, despite the demands on countless forums.

Yoshida had a .825 OPS in August, 2024, when he suddenly dropped off a Cliff, quite possibly because that was when he tore his shoulder.  If he really can maintain that .825, is he really a slap hitter limited to singles? Just because he doesn’t strike out much? Joe DiMaggio didnt strike out much, but that doesn’t mean he was the prequel to Luis Arraez.  In fact, how many slap hitter gave a .825 OPS?

If they add 2 hitters, with OPS who were higher than .850 LAST YEAR.  Not 3 years ago, for 2 monhths , he had an OPS of .850 and thats who he may be......Because thats just more of the same.  Not going after good hitters, going after if maybe potentially could be , if you squint really hard and use reach logic hes a good hitter

WE need good hitters, and your bar for what counts as good is too low.  What are we even trying to do here?

Now I understand you are trying to be reasonable, and assume tight budget and gotta use what we have who can contribute anything - and you are just in my opinion letting them off the hook too easy.

A team that let themselves get outbid for the top hitters is exactly what youve seen teh last 6 years.  Are you wanting more of the same?

Yoshida, when healthy, is an above average hitter.  But you appear to me to be more interested in not letting the 36m committed to him go to waste, than you are in building a team that can beat the yankees and dodgers.

If your lineup goes Roman Anthony, Bregman, Yoshida, Hoskins, then we might as well jsut punt.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

If I had to wager what the Sox did:

Breggie 5/something

Duran traded for prospects

BOS/MINN prospects traded for Ryan (extended in ST)

Hoskins 1/cheap

3rd place liklely gets into playoffs as wild card. Not a serious contender.

(Im not disagreeing with you that this is one of the most likely scenarios, and Im not even suggesting that this would be a terrible season)

But when do we get to say, you guys have been avoiding top hitters for the last 6 years, we want one. Ever? Do we ever get to say: I want a top 10 hitter in baseball?

Or is it just about getting solid-average players at every positions?

Moon isnt letting them off the hook and neither am I.  Give me elite players.

[notin]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

3rd place liklely gets into playoffs as wild card. Not a serious contender.

(Im not disagreeing with you that this is one of the most likely scenarios, and Im not even suggesting that this would be a terrible season)

But when do we get to say, you guys have been avoiding top hitters for the last 6 years, we want one. Ever? Do we ever get to say: I want a top 10 hitter in baseball?

Or is it just about getting solid-average players at every positions?

Moon isnt letting them off the hook and neither am I.  Give me elite players.

A top ten hitter?

This year in FA, that limits you to Kyle Tucker.  
 

We can all aim where we want, or aim where we think “reasonable” resides.  It impacts nothing either way.

But some of us are more likely to be disappointed than others…

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

A top ten hitter?

This year in FA, that limits you to Kyle Tucker.  
 

We can all aim where we want, or aim where we think “reasonable” resides.  It impacts nothing either way.

But some of us are more likely to be disappointed than others…

1. Judge, 2. Ohtani, 3. Soto, 4 Springer, 5. Cal R., 6. Schwarber

But we're not interested becasue for a 2 month span 3 years ago Yoshida had an OPS of .825 and whats teh difference between that and the sixth best hitter in baseball?

[drewski6]

Just now, drewski6 said:

1. Judge, 2. Ohtani, 3. Soto, 4 Springer, 5. Cal R., 6. Schwarber

But we're not interested becasue for a 2 month span 3 years ago Yoshida had an OPS of .825 and whats teh difference between that and the sixth best hitter in baseball?

Devers was 27.  Bichetee is 33, Bellinger is 40 Polanco is 41.

Finally found the first red sox! Its Duran at 57.  There are like 6 yankees higher beffore you get to him.  But we're trading him for ALec Bohm or prospects, right? SO we gotta keep looking....

Roman comes up at 60.

[drewski6]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

A top ten hitter?

This year in FA, that limits you to Kyle Tucker.  
 

We can all aim where we want, or aim where we think “reasonable” resides.  It impacts nothing either way.

But some of us are more likely to be disappointed than others…

Correct, those of us that see a team with no elite hitters, and one sitting there in free agency (Schwarber) are likely going to be more disappointed than someone fine with a team that has 0 top 50 hitters from last year.

Schwarber or we riot.

[notin]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

1. Judge, 2. Ohtani, 3. Soto, 4 Springer, 5. Cal R., 6. Schwarber

But we're not interested becasue for a 2 month span 3 years ago Yoshida had an OPS of .825 and whats teh difference between that and the sixth best hitter in baseball?

I drank my ten best hitters differently, using 3 year sample sizes and prefer wOBA or wRC.  On those rankings, one name in the top ten is Ketel Marte, whom I’ve been mentioning as a good target since before reports Arizona would make him available.

Also he can play a position of need, unlike Schwarber.  And Yoshida is already here and likely isn’t going anywhere, so it’s hardly a stretch to assume he’s the DH again…