Craig Breslow teases that Red Sox are willing to make moves ‘at the expense of the future’ this offseason
"Exclusively looking at the future is not something that we should be prepared to do as we embark on this offseason, heading into 2025."
If Craig Breslow is to be believed, the Red Sox are willing to make moves that make their 2025 team better, even if it means hurting the future.
The Red Sox chief baseball officer said on NESN’s “310 to Left Podcast” that it would be a “fair characterization” to say that the team has “kind of shifted the dial toward the present at the expense of the future.”
“We are now in a different moment in time,” Breslow said while reminiscing over last offseason’s trade to Chris Sale-Vaughn Grissom trade. “Exclusively looking at the future is not something that we should be prepared to do as we embark on this offseason, heading into 2025. Otherwise, fans would be, rightfully, frustrated with this continued push-off into the future, the window of contention.
“Instead, we can no longer ask our fans to look to the future to think about a Red Sox team that’s capable of winning the division and capable of making a deep postseason run. I think, instead, we have to talk to decisive actions that we’re taking right now to put a better team on the field in 2025.”
Boston has taken an approach to build its farm system in recent years, opting to keep the vast majority of its top prospects rather than trading them. That approach dates back prior to when Breslow began his job as the Red Sox’ chief baseball officer, with Chaim Bloom building up the farm system during his tenure from 2019-23.
That approach might finally be paying some dividends, at least at the minor-league level. The Red Sox’ farm system has been widely ranked among the best in baseball over the last year, with three prospects (OF Roman Anthony, SS Marcelo Mayer, 2B/SS/OF Kristian Campbell) recently being listed on MLB.com’s top 100 prospects in all of baseball.
Those three prospects, along with catcher Kyle Teel (ranked as the 25th-best prospect by MLB.com), are on the precipice of reaching the majors. As exciting as that might be, the situation presents the Red Sox with a bit of a logjam at a few positions.
When asked if he anticipated trading prospects or players in order to improve other areas on the roster, Breslow seemed resigned to the idea that they might have to because they only have so many everyday roster spots.
“I think we at least have to be open to it,” Breslow said on the idea of trading prospects or players. “I don’t think we’re going to find ourselves in a position where we have to make a trade for the sake of making a trade. We would make a trade to address a deficiency or a void or an opportunity to improve somewhere else.
“But there are certain positional constraints and reality that we have to face – namely that only eight position players can be out there at a time. So, there are going to be a lot of really good Major League players that aren’t going to realize their value in Red Sox uniforms because only one guy can do that at a time at second base, shortstop, or center field.”
In terms of what the Red Sox could do with their possible overflow of players in prospects, Breslow hinted at a possible move for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
“We need guys that can start Game 1 of a playoff series, and whether or not Tanner [Houck] or [Brayan] Bello or Kutter [Crawford] can become those guys,” Breslow said when asked if the Red Sox’ approach to their rotation will be focused on adding depth or top-end pitchers. “We’ve seen it in spurts, whether [Richard] Fitts or [Quinn] Preister can take the next step. That remains to be seen. We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that happens.
“But there is also value of the guy you just write in as your No. 1 starter. He’s gonna make 30-plus starts, he’s gonna give you close to 200 innings, and he’s gonna keep you in every game that he starts.”
In addition to their wealth of prospects, the Red Sox are currently projected to have $64 million in cap room before reaching the competitive balance luxury tax (CBT), per @RedSoxPayroll on X. Following an 81-81 season, the Red Sox have the resources to improve with foundation that Breslow called “strong.”
“The reason you build a strong foundation is so that you can bring the focus closer, so that you aren’t talking about farm systems and top prospects – you’re talking about wins on the field,” Breslow said. “That’s what our fans deserve. That’s why we do this.”
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