As the Red Sox turn their attention to 2026, bolstering the bullpen will be an obvious priority.
With that in mind, MassLive MLB insider Chris Cotillo predicted Boston will sign two relievers to complement Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock — one of them being Yankees right-hander Luke Weaver.
“The Red Sox have many areas of need this winter,” Cotillo wrote. “High-octane bullpen help, while a luxury for all teams, is not one. Depth will be the goal for (chief baseball officer Craig) Breslow as he looks to augment a group that will be headlined by Chapman and Whitlock.
“The prediction here is that the Red Sox sign two arms — a righty and a lefty — but don’t break the bank for either. There are many trustworthy options internally (including some projected as starters) who can be counted on, too. Wild guess? (Justin) Wilson and Luke Weaver.
Red Sox Look to Complement Back of Bullpen
While the Red Sox had the second-best bullpen ERA (3.41) in baseball in 2025, they ran out of quality backend arms down the stretch. By re-signing Chapman, who had a 2.26 ERA and was 32-of-34 in save opportunities, the Red Sox ensured they’ll bring back the same dominant 1-2 punch to close games.
But as Cotillo noted, Wilson and fellow veteran left-hander Steven Matz are both free agents and could sign elsewhere.
The Red Sox have several lower-leverage arms still under contract, including righties Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert and Zack Kelly, as well as lefties Brennan Bernardino and Chris Murphy. Jordan Hicks is also expected back, though he may be on a short leash after turning in an 8.20 ERA and 1.98 WHIP across 21 appearances with Boston following the Rafael Devers trade.
Weaver Was Roughed Up in Playoffs
The 32-year-old Weaver was one of the Yankees’ most trusted relievers last season before getting roughed up in the playoffs. Weaver allowed two runs and failed to record an out in a 10-1 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
That came on the heels of a strong regular season in which Weaver had a 3.62 ERA and 72 strikeouts over 64.2 innings (64 appearances). He also recorded eight saves.
After reinventing himself with the Yankees, Weaver is shaping up to be one of the top relievers available in free agency. New York may be reluctant to let him walk, especially for the rival Red Sox, but Weaver has exhibited success as a closer and will be looking to cash in.
Interestingly, Weaver told New York Post MLB insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman last month that he’d be open to transitioning back into a starter.
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