Sure, the Boston Red Sox had a rocky start to the season, losing five of their first six games, but they have shown improvement lately by winning series against the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners. To build on that momentum, they have now brought in Sam McWilliams, whose long-awaited MLB debut could finally happen this year. After spending about a year in the Mexican League, the 6-foot-7 right-hander is back in affiliated baseball just weeks ahead of the trade deadline.

According to the MLB transactions log, the Red Sox signed McWilliams on July 2 on a minor league deal after his Mexican team, Toros de Tijuana, released him the day before. The Red Sox have assigned the RHP to Triple-A Worcester for now.

This move comes amid speculation that the Red Sox could be sellers at the August 3 trade deadline. Despite winning 5 of their last 7 games, including a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees, the Red Sox are still dead last in the AL East. They hold a 37-48 record and are 6 games away from securing a playoff spot.

At a time when every game counts, the Red Sox suffered back-to-back blowout losses to the Washington Nationals (8-1 and 10-2). So, whether the Red Sox signed McWilliams to bolster their pitching, which consists of an injured rotation and a taxed bullpen, or as a potential trade chip, remains to be determined.

Currently, the Red Sox are heavily dependent on their farm system to support their pitching. The latest blow to the rotation came on July 1, after Connelly Early exited his Nationals start early with left elbow inflammation. Meanwhile, Garrett Crochet is still on the 60-day IL (placed on June 5) with left shoulder inflammation and lat strain. A recent setback has nullified his chances of coming back before the All-Star break.

Hence, with the bullpen carrying a lot of the pitching load, the Red Sox are in immediate need of a fresh arm, and McWilliams can definitely provide that. Aside from being a trade chip, his strikeout numbers add to the RHP’s appeal.

During his time with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League, the 30-year-old reportedly registered 42 strikeouts across 26.2 innings. In 27 games, he posted a 3.04 ERA and a 2-1 record. This is his second stint in the Mexican league.

Before signing with the Tijuana team, McWilliams played for the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Over the past two years, he has posted elite strikeout rates, measured by strikeouts per nine innings (K/9). McWilliams recorded a 13.50 K/9 in 2025 with Triple-A Nashville, up nearly one full strikeout per nine innings from his 12.51 K/9 in 2024.

If not as a rotation piece, the Red Sox can use McWilliams out of the bullpen to get some late-inning strikeouts that can help them to crucial wins. Chad Tracy can definitely find a use for the RHP on his roster.

In his minor league career, the RHP has accumulated 105 starts in 208 games with 607 strikeouts. He holds a 38-51 record and a 4.67 ERA. But where did it all begin?

Sam McWilliams’ baseball journey so far

Sam McWilliams started his pro baseball career in the Philadelphia Phillies’ farm system. He was selected in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB draft from Beech High School in Pennsylvania. The Phillies then traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks the following year in exchange for Jeremy Hellickson. From there on, McWilliams navigated multiple major league affiliates.

His career then took him to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, from where the Kansas City Royals picked him in the Rule 5 draft. However, the Royals returned him to the Rays shortly after.

McWilliams became a minor league free agent after the 2020 season and spent until May 2021 inside the New York Mets system before they designated him for assignment.

McWilliams’ quest for a major league debut then continued with the San Diego Padres and then the Cincinnati Reds, before he abandoned affiliated baseball for Mexico in 2023.

A strong performance in Mexico brought him back to the minor league scene with the Chicago Cubs before the Brewers signed him. However, it did not last long, as the Brewers released him from their Triple-A affiliate in July 2025. The move saw him back in the Mexican league with Toros de Tijuana.

Sam McWilliams is once again back in a major league team’s farm system. But the chances of an MLB debut with the Red Sox look better than ever.