The Angels added another arm to a bullpen they’ve already been reshaping, claiming right-hander Ryan Watson off waivers from the Red Sox. Boston had designated Watson for assignment earlier this week, and the Angels had room to make the move after opening up three 40-man spots through deadline trades.
Watson’s status makes the claim a little different from a normal waiver pickup. Because he’s a Rule 5 player, he can’t be optioned to the minors, so once he reports to the Angels he’ll need an active roster spot. If he stays on the roster through the end of the season, the club would gain full control of his rights and could send him to the minors in future seasons.
The 28-year-old was part of the most recent Rule 5 draft, though the path to Boston came with a bit of maneuvering. He was technically selected by the Athletics from the Giants, but there was clearly a pre-arranged trade, and he was quickly moved from the A’s to the Red Sox for prospect Justin Riemer.
Boston gave Watson a chance in the majors after seeing encouraging work in the minors. He had been a starter earlier in his career before shifting to the bullpen a few years ago, and the move paid off on the farm. Over 2024 and 2025, he posted a 3.68 ERA across 85 2/3 innings, with a 27.3% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate.
The big-league version hasn’t matched that yet. Watson threw 55 2/3 innings in 35 appearances for Boston and finished with a 4.53 ERA.
His 7.9% walk rate held up, but he struck out only 17.9% of the hitters he faced. The Red Sox were forced to clear a spot after bolstering their bullpen at the deadline by adding lefty reliever Erik Miller in a deal that sent former top prospect Marcelo Mayer away, and Watson was the casualty.
Since he’s a Rule 5 pick, Boston couldn’t simply option him to the minors.
The Angels’ bullpen has been in flux for a while, and the deadline only made it more open. They dealt away Kirby Yates, Brent Suter and Ryan Zeferjahn in separate trades, leaving more room for a pitcher like Watson to stick. His Rule 5 restrictions still apply, but the current state of the relief mix gives Los Angeles a better shot at keeping him around.
The other Angels roster move involving Thursday’s shuffle also reached its endpoint. Designated hitter Jorge Soler cleared release waivers and is now a free agent after being designated for assignment. Once the trade deadline passed, he could no longer be traded, and given the way he’s hitting - .203/.291/.373 this season - plus the $13MM salary attached to him, a waiver claim never made much sense.
Now that Soler has been released, another team can sign him and would only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time he spends on the roster, with that amount deducted from what the Angels are still paying. Even with the down year, his track record still carries weight: Soler has 215 career home runs, and that could be enough to draw interest from a club looking for a low-cost rebound shot.
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