Red Sox agree to one-year contract with left-handed pitcher Justin Wilson
BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today signed left-handed pitcher Justin Wilson to a one-year contract for the 2025 season. Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 40.
Wilson, 37, has pitched in 587 Major League games over 12 seasons, going 34-29 with 20 saves and a 3.61 ERA (206 ER/513.2 IP) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2012-14), New York Yankees (2015, ’21), Detroit Tigers (2016-17), Chicago Cubs (2017-18), New York Mets (2019-20), and Cincinnati Reds (2021-22, ’24). In 11 career games at Fenway Park, the left-hander has posted a 1.04 ERA (1 ER/8.2 IP) with 13 strikeouts, having earned his first Major League save on July 27, 2016 in Boston.
Selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Wilson pitched in 60 games for the Reds in 2024, after missing the entire 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Anaheim native posted a 5.59 ERA (29 ER/46.2 IP) with 51 strikeouts and 13 walks, while ranking in MLB’s 95th percentile in chase rate (33.8%) and 73rd percentile in fastball velocity (95.5 MPH). Wilson’s walk rate of 6.2 percent was the lowest of his career and ranked in MLB’s 78th percentile.
Wilson’s father, Jim, played in the Red Sox’ minor league system from 1977-83, having been selected by Boston in MLB’s 1977 January Draft. Wilson’s grandfather, Bill, played in 224 Major League games with the Chicago White Sox (1950, ’53-54), Philadelphia Athletics (1954), and Kansas City Athletics (1955).
BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (40)
Pitchers (25): Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Cam Booser, Isaiah Campbell, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, Lucas Giolito, Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Guerrero, Liam Hendriks, Bailey Horn, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, Zach Penrod, Luis Perales, Quinn Priester, Chase Shugart, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson, Josh Winckowski
Catchers (1): Connor Wong
Infielders (6): Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez
Outfielders (4): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida
Infielder/Outfielders (4): Mickey Gasper, Romy Gonzalez, Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard