Riley Adams is heading to the Red Sox on a minor league deal, according to 7News' Ari Alexander. The former Blue Jays catcher gets a real shot at a big-league job in Boston.

The news broke Thursday, a day before the World Series opens. Game 1 between the Brewers and Rays is set for 8 p.m. ET Friday at American Family Field.

Boston's catching picture explains the move. Adley Rutschman is the only catcher on the Red Sox 40-man roster, with Connor Wong set for free agency.

That gives Adams a clear path to compete for the backup job. He's coming off a strong year at Triple-A in the Nationals system.

He slashed .273/.389/.506 there with 16 homers in 82 games.

His MLB track record is thinner. Over five seasons and 263 games, he's a .211 hitter with 21 home runs.

The Brad Hand trade sent Riley Adams out of Toronto in 2021

Toronto drafted him in the third round in 2017 out of the University of San Diego. He debuted with the Jays in 2021 and played just 12 games for them.

On July 29 that year, the Blue Jays traded him to Washington for lefty reliever Brad Hand. He spent most of the next five years with the Nationals.

He didn't appear in a big-league game in 2026 and elected free agency after the season.

Should Toronto have kept him around? Not really.

The Jays are loaded behind the plate. Alejandro Kirk, Brandon Valenzuela and Tyler Heineman all finished top five among catchers in Defensive Runs Saved and Fielding Run Value, so there was never room.

He's the musician who couldn't crack the main band but found steady gigs elsewhere. Some players just need the right stage.

For Boston, it's a smart, low-risk depth move. A catcher coming off big Triple-A numbers on a minor league deal costs almost nothing.

The Red Sox are retooling in a division where Toronto needs every edge. Adams won't swing the AL East, but he's one more reminder that Boston's front office is already moving.