Craig Breslow got here to the Red Sox entrance workplace as virtually an entire unknown. We knew he was a pitching man, clearly. We knew that Theo appreciated him. We knew that he went to an Ivy League faculty and thought of finding out medication and spent most of his enjoying profession as the neatest man within the room (although that’s not onerous to do if you’re ceaselessly in a room with Jonathan Papelbon). However we didn’t know what sort of GM he can be.
Do we all know what sort of GM he’s now?
Coming into at present, you may simply make an argument that he was the kind of GM who appreciated to go huge. Two of his first strikes had been the trades of Alex Verdugo and Chris Sale. He put collectively a large prospect bundle to land a man who’s going to complete within the top-five of the Cy Younger voting this yr in Garrett Crochet. He traded away the group’s greatest hitter.
Perhaps he hasn’t fairly been AJ Preller — baseball’s model of Napolean Bonaparte, casually promoting the territory of Louisiana from his bathtub — however Breslow has not been afraid to rock the boat, seeming to be a markedly totally different strategist than the risk-allergic Chaim Bloom.
However not at present. Although there was a flurry of studies a couple of last-minute effort to pry Joe Ryan away from the Twins, the Pink Sox concluded the 2025 commerce deadline with two strikes that solely marginally enhance the group, if in any respect.
Simply earlier than the deadline, the Sox acquired beginning pitcher (and pending free agent) Dustin Might from the Dodgers in trade for James Tibbs, one of many prospects lately acquired within the Rafael Devers deal. Dustin Might has spent his profession as a tantalizingly gifted pitcher who might by no means keep wholesome. He’s thrown a few of the nastiest pitches I’ve ever seen come out of a starter’s hand… he’s additionally posted a unfavourable bWAR this season and has already thrown by far probably the most innings of his profession as he recovers from an esophageal tear that he suffered whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. He has time to show issues round this season, but when good Dustin Might ever emerges once more, it’ll in all probability be on no matter group he indicators with as a free agent within the offseason. It’s onerous to name him an improve over Richard Fitts for the remainder of 2025.
Steven Matz, whereas hardly a game-changer, is a helpful piece to have in your bullpen. And the Pink Sox basically bought him totally free. Blaze Jordan was not going to be protected against the Rule 5 Draft this winter, and guys like Blaze Jordan — defensively restricted right-handed energy hitters who put up barely higher than league common stats in AAA — are actually, very easy to seek out. I’m fairly certain the espresso store down the road from me provides you a free Blaze Jordan should you get 10 punches on their loyalty card.
Matz, in the meantime, will instantly be thrust right into a high-leverage position, significantly towards lefties. And whereas it looks like the Pink Sox bullpen is slightly unbalanced vis-a-vis left-handers, Brennan Bernardino’s been labored so onerous that the tendons in his elbow are threatening to go on strike alongside the Fenway concessions employees, so it’s a good suggestion to get him some assist. Matz additionally a man who has spent the vast majority of his profession as a starter, and made two five-inning begins again in April, so he could possibly be plugged into the depth chart there, although clearly he hasn’t been stretched out.
As to the large query: did the Pink Sox do “sufficient”? That’s unimaginable to reply, in no small half as a result of, due to the bloated playoff format, it’s onerous to know what “sufficient” means. Any group that may get to, oh say, 86 wins can get to the postseason. And any group that may get to the postseason can win the World Series. If that’s the objective, then the Pink Sox began the day with “sufficient,” if solely simply.
However the issue with the Pink Sox is that they’ve been intentionally taking pictures for “simply sufficient” for 5 straight years. They’ve been tip-toeing into each the commerce and free agent market as a substitute of diving in, working below the misguided perception that payroll and roster flexibility routinely result in roster high quality.
This yr ought to have been totally different. Alex Bregman and Aroldis Chapman could possibly be on new groups in 2026. Ceddanne Rafaela might regress from his All-Star type. Garrett Crochet could possibly be on an working desk at Mass Basic (that’s simply the truth of pitching at present — you’re by no means assured one other begin, not to mention one other Cy Younger caliber season). And but Breslow couldn’t swing a deal to place the group excessive.
The Pink Sox can nonetheless make the postseason and so they can nonetheless win the World Collection. That’s simply how baseball works. However with an opportunity to meaningfully enhance the roster, the Pink Sox but once more failed to satisfy the second, preferring to kick the can down the street as soon as extra.
What sort of GM is Craig Breslow? At present, he was John Henry’s sort.
