After a promising 2025 season in which the Red Sox finally began to see meaningful production from their highly regarded group of young players, the organization enters the fall and winter with a fairly defined set of objectives. At the top of the list is injecting more power and consistency into the lineup. A major part of that conversation revolves around whether the team will pursue Alex Bregman, whose presence could significantly reshape the infield and overall offensive approach.
Just as important is strengthening the starting rotation. Boston has publicly stated its desire to find a strong No. 2 starter who can slot in behind Garrett Crochet, giving the staff more stability and reducing the pressure on the younger arms that contributed throughout the previous campaign.
However, while these priorities are well known, the Red Sox might also explore some unexpected paths as they look to build on their recent momentum. When the season ended with a wild-card defeat to the Yankees, the general belief was that the bullpen—one of the team’s major strong points—would largely remain intact. Most observers assumed that Boston would use the offseason to focus on the lineup and starting pitching while leaving the relief corps alone.
That assumption may not hold up. New reporting from The Athletic suggests the club is willing to be more aggressive with its bullpen than many anticipated.
According to the outlet, Boston has shown interest in pursuing free-agent reliever Devin Williams, who is back on the open market after playing out a one-year, $8.6 million deal with the Yankees. The fact that the Red Sox are even considering adding a high-end reliever implies a willingness to rethink their bullpen strategy rather than simply running it back.
Williams’ elite track record, built on his devastating changeup and history of closing out tight games, would give the Red Sox another late-inning weapon and potentially elevate a group that already performed well. It also hints that Boston’s front office sees an opportunity to build a more dominant relief unit rather than settling for one that was merely effective.
In short, while the Red Sox are clearly targeting lineup upgrades and a frontline starter, their offseason could involve more creativity and boldness than expected—including moves in an area many thought would remain untouched.
Devin Williams Due for a Bounce-Back
Describing the Red Sox as “prying” Williams away from the Yankees might be an exaggeration, largely because New York may not have a strong motive to keep him. Williams struggled significantly during his time in the Bronx, enduring the worst season of his career in 2025. He appeared in 67 games, posting a 4–6 record and a 4.79 ERA—numbers that fell well below the standard he had set earlier in his career.
Still, Boston might view his rough season as more of an outlier than a true indication of decline. Such an interpretation would be understandable given how dominant Williams had been during his six-year run as Milwaukee’s top relief weapon. In that span with the Brewers, he compiled a 27–10 record across 241 appearances while maintaining an exceptional 1.83 ERA. Those seasons established him as one of the premier bullpen arms in the league and showed the type of elite production that teams often hope to reclaim when a proven player has a down year.
Financially, Williams may also be appealing. Spotrac projects that he’ll be in line for just a one-year deal worth around $5.7 million this offseason. For a pitcher with his résumé, even considering his 2025 struggles, that figure would represent a low-risk investment with the potential for high reward. If the Red Sox believe Williams can bounce back to something close to his Milwaukee form, the contract could end up being a bargain.
However, there is reason to believe the cost could ultimately climb higher. Reports have indicated that Boston is one of roughly a dozen teams showing interest in Williams despite his disappointing season with the Yankees. A reliever with a strong track record—and still only 31 years old—was always likely to attract attention on the open market, and a competitive field of suitors could drive his price upward.
For the Red Sox, the decision will likely come down to whether they trust Williams’ body of work with the Brewers more than they fear his Yankees slump. If they believe his 2025 performance was merely a product of a poor fit or temporary issues, he could be exactly the type of rebound candidate capable of strengthening Boston’s bullpen at a reasonable cost. The level of league-wide interest shows that plenty of other clubs seem to be thinking along similar lines.
Red Sox Could Add Devin Williams in ‘Super Pen’
Despite the Red Sox having several higher priorities on their offseason agenda, there continues to be a growing sense around the league that Boston could enter the 2025 season with what some have described as a potential “super bullpen.” The Athletic recently explored this idea, suggesting that while it isn’t at the forefront of the team’s winter checklist, the front office is at least entertaining the possibility of adding another elite, late-inning arm to strengthen their relief corps.
According to the report, individuals familiar with the organization’s internal discussions say that the team is weighing the option of acquiring a reliable, high-leverage reliever—someone capable of taking on pressure-packed situations and giving the club even more stability in the late innings. This would allow the Red Sox to craft a bullpen structure that leans heavily on power arms and matchup advantages, building a group deeper and more imposing than what they featured in 2024.
In this envisioned configuration, both Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock would maintain their established roles. Chapman’s veteran experience and Whitlock’s versatility remain central to Boston’s plans, and neither would be displaced in any bullpen reshuffling.
Instead, the idea would be to supplement them with another reliever of similar caliber—someone who can reliably handle eighth- or ninth-inning duties, or even step into higher-stakes situations when matchups dictate it. Adding such a pitcher would not only preserve the existing hierarchy but elevate the entire bullpen operation, offering the coaching staff more options and reducing the workload on the current late-inning duo.
This is where Devin Williams becomes especially relevant. Known for his devastating changeup and track record of excellence in high-leverage innings, Williams embodies the type of reliever who would seamlessly fit the mold of what Boston is contemplating. His presence would instantly raise the bullpen’s ceiling, giving the Red Sox a trio of late-inning pitchers capable of overpowering opposing lineups and closing out tight games with confidence.
While there are still numerous factors influencing the team’s offseason direction—such as reinforcing the starting rotation and determining how to approach their lineup construction—the idea of forming a dominant, multi-headed bullpen remains very much alive. If the Red Sox do decide to pursue this path, adding someone like Williams could be the move that transforms a solid relief group into one of the most formidable units in baseball heading into 2025.
Red Sox ‘Open-Minded’ About Ways to Improve
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow appears willing to explore the idea of strengthening the bullpen, even if he has not placed it at the top of the team’s offseason agenda. In recent comments to The Boston Globe, Breslow emphasized that the organization intends to evaluate every possible route to improve its overall run prevention. While he stopped short of promising major bullpen additions, his remarks suggested that nothing is off the table as the front office considers how to make the pitching staff more reliable in 2025.
According to Breslow, the Red Sox recognize that reducing opponents’ scoring opportunities is essential, and there are several potential strategies to achieve that goal. He stressed that the team will maintain an open-minded approach as it assesses ways to tighten its pitching infrastructure.
From his perspective, the simplest and most direct method is to upgrade the starting rotation, an area he has consistently identified as a major need. Throughout the offseason, Breslow has repeatedly indicated that bolstering the rotation—with the goal of pairing Garrett Crochet with at least one more high-caliber arm—remains a focal point.
At the same time, Breslow acknowledged that the club must also be mindful of what happens after the starters exit a game. When the rotation turns the ball over to the relievers, any advantage the team has established must be protected.
This means the bullpen cannot simply be an afterthought, even if it is not the primary focus. Ensuring that leads do not slip away late in games is a critical element of a successful roster, and Breslow suggested the Red Sox will weigh bullpen improvements as part of their broader roster-building strategy.
Still, despite the willingness to examine multiple angles, Breslow made it clear that his main objectives remain unchanged. The organization continues to view the acquisition of impact starting pitching and key position-player upgrades as its top priorities.
While the concept of assembling a dominant “super bullpen” has generated some external discussion, Boston’s front office appears more intent on establishing a solid foundation in the rotation and strengthening the lineup. Enhancements to the relief corps may come, but likely as part of a secondary layer of improvements rather than the central thrust of their offseason work.
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