Riley Adams has already landed on his feet.
Before the 2026-27 offseason has even formally opened, the former Nationals catcher has agreed to a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, according to Ari Alexander of 7News in Boston. Adams was eligible to test free agency early because he has more than three years of major league service time and was not on Washington’s 40-man roster.
That closes the book on his time with the Nationals, who acquired him in 2021 from the Toronto Blue Jays for reliever Brad Hand.
Boston is an intriguing fit on paper, but the path to playing time looks crowded. The Red Sox traded for former No. 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman ahead of the trade deadline this past season, and Connor Wong and Mickey Gasper are already on the 40-man roster as backup catchers. That leaves Adams in what appears to be a depth role, much like the spot he occupied in Washington.
He never appeared in a major league game for the Nationals in 2026. After re-signing at the start of the winter in 2025, Adams was designated for assignment on Jan. 22 and then outrighted to Triple-A Rochester six days later. He spent the full season in the minors and produced strong numbers there, hitting .273/.389/.506 with a career-best 16 home runs, 15 doubles and 50 RBIs in 82 games.
That kind of output has not carried over cleanly to the majors. In 262 career MLB games, Adams owns a .215/.291/.361 line with an OPS+ of 83, which sits 17 points below league average. His 2025 season was especially rough, as he posted a .186/.252/.308 slash line while filling in more often because of Keibert Ruiz’s injury and appearing in 83 games as both a backup and starter.
For Adams to crack Boston’s roster, he’ll probably need injuries ahead of him or a standout spring camp showing. Otherwise, he looks positioned to spend much of his time in the same sort of depth role he held with Washington.
For the Nationals, his departure removes one of their long-tenured catchers from the picture. With Drew Millas still a question mark after surgery, the catching mix now features Ruiz as the starter, former top prospect Harry Ford as the backup and 2022 ninth-round pick Maxwell Romero Jr. as the Triple-A depth option.
In Other News...
Former Nationals Prospect Walks Away Earlier Than Fans Expected
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For Washington, it is another reminder of how many drafted players never quite make the final leap to the majors, even after years of development and multiple stops. Cluffs message was reflective and appreciative, noting the organizations that supported him throughout the journey, but the abrupt timing still leaves his next step beyond the game as the part left hanging. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Top Pitching Prospect Comes With A Complicated Timeline
Travis Sykoras rise through the Nationals system hit a major pause in July 2025, when the right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery. Before the injury, he had flashed real upside in the lower minors, even if Double-A brought a tougher test, and the organization still views him as one of its most important pitching prospects despite the long recovery ahead.
The timeline now stretches into 2027, which makes the next few months especially tricky for Washington. Sykora is Rule 5 eligible and may need to be protected on the 40-man roster this offseason, a decision that could shape how the Nationals manage his development while minor league baseball also faces the possibility of a lockout. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Rotation Question That Could Define 2027
The Nationals push to reshape their pitching staff for 2027 has already put a spotlight on Cade Cavalli, who looks like the kind of arm Washington would love to build around if he keeps moving forward. Under president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, the front office is treating the rotation as one of the clearest ways to raise the clubs ceiling, and that means exploring every path to adding more stability and punch on the mound.
Michael King, Tyler Mahle, Foster Griffin and Jack Flaherty are among the free-agent names tied to that discussion, each offering a different kind of fit depending on how aggressive Washington wants to be. The larger question is still unresolved, though, because the Nationals are weighing options rather than closing in on a finished answer, and the shape of the rotation could say a lot about how quickly this rebuild is expected to turn. [Read more 🡒]