When the Red Sox missed out on Justin Slaten in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, they quickly traded for the promising right-hander and watched as he became one of the club’s best relievers.
Now Boston hopes history will repeat itself.
Shortly after he was plucked out of the San Francisco Giants system by the Athletics with the No. 6 pick in the Rule 5 Draft, the Red Sox moved to acquire right-hander Ryan Watson, according to a source.
The A’s will receive minor league infielder Justin Riemer in exchange. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo was first to report news of the Watson trade.
The Red Sox did not make a selection of their own, and the club also lost right-hander Jedixson Paez to the Chicago White Sox with the No. 2 overall pick.
Watson, 28, stands at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and is coming off a strong season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. He posted a 4.26 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 50.2 innings, occasionally serving as his team’s closer and recording nine saves on the year.
As a Rule 5 pick, Watson must spend the entire 2026 season on the Red Sox active roster. If he does not, the Red Sox would have to place him on waivers, and if he goes unclaimed he’d be offered back to his original team, the Giants.
Riemer, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, spent most of last season at High-A Greenville and saw significant time at second base, third base and in the outfield. He batted .231 with only one home run but also posted a .421 on-base percentage after drawing 69 walks against 60 strikeouts.
Paez, a 21-year-old righty, spent all of last season in Greenville and missed the majority of the season due to a calf strain. Paez posted a 2.79 ERA in 19.1 innings over seven starts, and he finished the year ranked as Boston’s No. 19 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.
In addition to Watson and Paez, the Red Sox made three selections and lost three players in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.
The club picked left-hander Caden Vire from the Brewers’ Double-A roster, outfielder Matt Lloyd from the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate and catcher Raudelis Martinez from the Rays’ Florida Complex League club.
The Red Sox also lost right-hander Eybersson Polanco to the Angels, right-hander Alvaro Mejias to the Rays and right-hander Jonathan Brand to the Rangers.