The Boston Red Sox have signed reliever Sam McWilliams away from the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol’s Toros de Tijuana and assigned him to Triple-A Worcester.
McWilliams, 30, was drafted in the eighth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies out of Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., and reached Triple-A for the first time as a 23-year-old in the Tampa Bay Rays chain, throwing 44 innings for Durham in 2018.
He’s since appeared in Triple-A while pitching in the minor leagues with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations, throwing 157 2/3 innings at the top level of affiliated baseball over parts of four seasons, posting a 7.76 ERA with 197 strikeouts and 110 walks.
In 20 2/3 innings with Triple-A Nashville in 2025, McWilliams had a 5.56 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 17 walks before heading south of the border to Tijuana.
He’s pitched well since coming to the Toros, generally pitching one inning or less per relief appearance. In 27 appearances this season, he’s thrown 26 2/3 innings for the Toros, allowing nine earned runs on 23 hits, striking out 42 and walking 12 with an ERA of 3.04. He’s only allowed one homer, which is notable in a league that plays a lot of games at high altitude and in hitter-friendly ballparks.
Tijuana has put McWilliams on its reserve list, retaining his rights should he want to return to pitch in the LMB.
Photo: Sam McWilliams has been solid in relief for the Toros de Tijuana, and has signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox. (Photo courtesy of the Toros de Tijuana)
