The Red Sox’ Opening Day roster is coming into focus. Boston announced this morning that catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper and infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton were optioned to minor league camp. Non-roster catcher Matt Thaiss was also reassigned to minor league camp. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo suggests that Thaiss was not picked up by another club after using his upward mobility clause, so he’ll head to Triple-A Worcester as catching depth. That slate of moves sets the club’s bench with catcher Connor Wong, utilitymen Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio, and outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida.
Neither Wong nor Thaiss had a particularly strong spring, though the latter was the more productive of the two. Wong is already under contract for $1.375MM, however. He struggled through a career-worst season in 2025 but had a productive showing at the plate as recently as 2024 (.280/.333/.425).
Monasterio tops Eaton and Gasper for a bench spot after a strong spring showing: .300/.383/.425 in 47 plate appearances. The Sox picked Monasterio up alongside Caleb Durbin in the trade sending Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan and David Hamilton to the Brewers. He’s played in each of the past three seasons with the Brewers and is coming off a career-best .270/.319/.437 slash in 156 plate appearances in 2025. Monasterio gives the Sox a right-handed bat with experience across all four infield positions.
On the pitching side of things, Rule 5 righty Ryan Watson was informed he has made the team, per WEEI’s Rob Bradford. Left-hander Tyler Samaniego has been optioned to Triple-A, Cotillo reports.
The 28-year-old Watson was selected out of the Giants organization in December’s Rule 5 Draft (by way of a trade with the A’s). He’d posted 50 2/3 innings with a 4.26 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League last year. Watson punched out 28.1% of the opponents he faced in Triple-A, walked only 7% of them and also notched a solid 43.8% grounder rate. He’s had a shaky spring, allowing seven runs on a dozen hits and three walks in 11 2/3 innings (5.56 ERA). He hasn’t missed many bats, either, but the Sox believe in the raw arsenal enough to open the season with Watson locked into a bullpen spot.
As a Rule 5 pick, Watson cannot be optioned to the minors at any point. The Red Sox will need to carry him on the big league roster for the entire season if they want to secure full contractual rights over what would be five additional years of club control. If at any point the Sox remove Watson from the roster, he’ll be placed on outright waivers and made available to every other club before being offered back to the Giants (who would not have to place him on their 40-man roster).
I doubt Watson lasts the season but good for him
Whitlock and Slaten made it and turned out pretty well but we’ll see
I actually thought he would wind up with Mets to work with Holmes. But I guess he can relieve Bello. Watson, come here quickly, I need you.
why:
Holmes threw 165 innings last season. He’s a starter now and doesn’t need anyone to piggyback him.
It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to understand the joke from whyhazee above. John Holmes could’ve figured it out.
Well that’s just, like, your opinion, Dude.
I was repeating one of my favorite jokes. I apologize if it did not go over well with you.
I thought it was safe and that you would laugh along considering your profile picture is humorous?
You are safe here. This is a safe space, Gary <3
Gary-even the simplest comments we make on this site we’ll get you raked over the coals by the numerous commentators here who really think they know it all and honestly believe they know so much more than you and I.
It might take Sherlock Holmes, since the express “Mr. Watson come here, I want to see you” was famously uttered by Alexander Graham Bell, not Sherlock Holmes.
Bell had a Watson too? And if I understand my history correctly, those were the first words ever uttered via telephone?
Great catch Breslow. Obviously I’m no Sherlock Holmes myself.
And Larry Holmes.
Wad u say?
the easton assassin
I thought it was pretty funny…
They would lose him if they don’t keep him.
These moves are coming in hot!
Monasterio is a good player I was shocked that there was even a chance he didn’t make the opening day roster.
Apparently, there was not a chance he didn’t make the opening day roster.
Eaton and Sogard are not all that thrilled about it.
Watson’s nickname shall be known as rawdog to the Boston faithful for years to come.
Re: Watson – The Red Sox have had success with Rule 5 guys like Slaten and Whitlock. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stick the whole season.
I was hoping Gasper made the team to give Wong everyday AB’s in AAA
I believe Cora had to keep him for only one reason , he knowns the staff. Otherwise he’s is useless as tots on a bull at the plate.
Rather see what Gasper has than watch Wong play.
The problem is we already know what Gaspar has.
He’s 30 years old with a career .445 OPS over 58 games.
Thaiss never activated his upward mobility clause as Chris Cotillo only suggested he had one. Reports by Steve Adam’s are incorrect.
Watson hasn’t looked good and hasn’t succeeded in AA yet. Maybe they think the odds are against anyone trading for him now if they DFA him, so they will wait a bit into the season when pitchers may get hurt.
“odds are against anyone trading for him”
Has a Rule V player ever been traded before? I dont think thats the strategy.
Yes. Rule 5 players can be traded after being DFA’d.
Just so you guys know, you have the wrong Ryan Watson link. The one you have there now is the Ryan Watson in the Jays farm system.
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wat…
Thanks. So, the correct Ryan Watson has succeeded in AA and AAA. It makes more sense now why they are giving him a shot.
What happens with Casas when he gets healthy? Does he platoon with Contreras? Bench bat, taking Yoshida’s spot? Zero trade value, atm.
Leave him in Worcester as long as necessary. He doesnt have to be promoted.
Breslow – correct. Casas had all 3 options remaining. The Red Sox can leave him in AAA as long as they want. He does not need to be added back to the active 26-man roster and simply be optioned to AAA. Yoshida can not be optioned per his contract.
Great questions. I’m sure they’ll take their time with Casas, and barring injury I’m sure they’ll need it considering their unbalanced roster.
One thing very obvious this spring is that there’s absolutely zero takers for Yoshida. Let’s hope he rewards the Red Sox initial faith in him with a great first half.
They can say what they want about Yoshida but he can hit.
If he can play he has trade value. The dude has a career .800 OPS. People seem to forget that
If he gets traded, the Red Sox will have to eat a significant portion of his salary and get very little in return. I don’t have the info. in front of me and I don’t really want to do the research, but compare him to other free agent signings. I don’t think anyone with his numbers and limited defensive ability got anywhere close to $18 million for two years. Let’s just hope he becomes a weapon off the bench and contributes.
The IKF signing still baffles me… 6 million… smh… Eaton belongs on the club.
Mayer should be playing SS, Story should be at 2B.
$6M for a high-floor utility player who doesn’t get hurt is not that bad. IKF also isn’t going to complain if he gets squeezed out of playing time.
Tbh, Idk wth the Sox are thinking on IKF, I guess abbreviated duty, smh & lol. 🤣
Th Red Sox panicked with that signing. No way the guy got an offer anywhere close to $6 million from another team. It reminded me of the Dustin “What?! He’s all that’s left?” May trade in July.
Eaton belongs on the roster, but I’m not the least bit surprised he isn’t.
Gasper deserves to make the team. Him and Braiden Ward. Though there is no room for Ward. Regardless, both played extremely well this spring training.
Not sure what Gasper can do better. The other catchers on the roster minus Narvaez are complete bums who belong in a beer league, especially Connor “0-for” Wong. He is awful.
Gasper hit well this spring but the average level pitcher he faced was AA level. We already know he can murder minor league pitching. It’s major league quality he can’t handle.
Gasper can’t be worse than Wong or the other garbage at catcher. At least Gasper can get on base.
Again, what Gaspar “could do better” is have a higher than a career .445 OPS
I hope Ranger comes around. He’s been a slow starter in the past but hoping all is well with him
We shall see. Outside of Crochet, I am not fully sold on the rotation. I know I’m in the minority here. Lots of uncertainty. It could be really good, or just average. Gray, Suarez and Bello were atrocious this spring. Oviedo is still an unsure commodity. I can’t wait for the pitching prospects to make it full time to The Show!
I’d probably go with what Gray, Suarez and Bello have done over their careers, as opposed to a couple of meaningless spring training games.
Wouldn’t you?
Suarez has never pitched more than 157.1 IP. Bello is wildly inconsistent. Gray is 36 and regressed over the past few years. Like I said, the rotation could be really good or average.
Suarez and Bello were behind schedule due to the WBC. Bello left the WBC to come back to spring training to get more work in.
S. Gray had two very good outings to finish up ST. He’ll be fine.
Over his last four starts (since March 4), Bello has only given up one earned run on nine hits over 19 innings with two walks and 23 strikeouts. Why are you concerned about him?
Bello has been inconsistent for his entire career. Hopefully that changes this season.
Additionally, I saw that Connelly Early made the team. Now this is going to be interesting. I want him in the rotation. Is someone injured?
What is happening with Patrick Sandoval? Is he starting the season on the IL? Same with Kutter Crawford. These are two more very solid #5 starters and a fully healthy Sandoval could be as high as a #3 starter. The Sox rotation is loaded with veterans, along with Early & Tolle (AAA) ready to contribute. They are 8 starters deep and last years draft class (1st 3 pics were highly ranked college pitchers) are ready to show what they can contribute as well. Breslow may have left the Sox a few players short on offense, but he has completely revamped the pitching staff and pitching pipeline as well:
The starting pitching depth is very very deep. A few guys will get moved before the season ends. Someone like Bello, who has an affordable contract, may be attractive to other teams. If Sandoval and Crawford are healthy, they could be moved as well.