What we learned from Breslow's introductory presser

November 6th, 2023
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      This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

      Starting with the GM Meetings this week in Scottsdale, Ariz., new Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will continue to hit the ground “sprinting” as he put it a few days ago.

      With the leader of baseball operations from every team under one roof -- not to mention many of the top agents -- Breslow will start to build the foundation for a crucial offseason ahead.

      Here were some takeaways from Breslow’s introductory press conference on Thursday at Fenway that could shed some light on the next couple of months.

      Back in the spending game

      Though the Red Sox made some significant financial investments the last couple of years for free agents Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida -- plus a 10-year, $313.5 million extension for Rafael Devers -- they typically stayed out of the market for the most expensive players during Chaim Bloom’s four years in office.

      The feeling is that this is about to change. It will be interesting to see how engaged the Sox become with superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani and how much they are willing to offer Japanese pitching stud Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will soon be posted.

      “We know that we have to be competitive next year,” said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. “We're going to be competitive next year. You know that we're going to have to be full throttle in every possible way.”

      The Red Sox ranked 12th in payroll out of MLB’s 30 teams last season.

      “I don’t see financial resources as a limiting factor,” said Breslow. “I think that was something that was clear in the conversations that we had. Obviously, I think we have to line up a number of variables there. Interest and fit among two of them. The refrain I will keep hammering in these conversations is that there is a relentless interest in winning from all parties.”

      It starts with starting pitching

      While Breslow was careful not to expand too much on his analysis of the roster given that he has only been with the team a couple of weeks, it’s clear that his top goal will be to build a sturdier starting rotation. This would lessen the burden on oft-injured lefty Chris Sale and the talented but still emerging Brayan Bello.

      Yamamoto, Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell represent some of the top pitchers on the market.

      “Without going too deeply into specifics, as I do have quite a bit to learn over the next few weeks, starting pitching certainly stands out as an area of need,” Breslow said.

      It just so happens that pitching is Breslow’s area of expertise. This will help both in evaluating external targets and in helping build a pitching infrastructure similar to the one he essentially built from the ground up with the Cubs.

      “I’m still kind of getting a clear picture, but I think there are some great people here, specifically in [player development] leadership in Paul Toboni and Brian Abraham, and I do have some experience in building a pitching infrastructure,” Breslow said. “It’s one that I’m excited to dig in on. It’s no secret that pitching and specifically starting pitching is an area of need in this organization, and it’s something that we’ll kind of shift our focus to now that the other side of the equation is a really, really exciting, promising group of position players.”

      Defense and right/left balance

      While defensive metrics would have been kinder to the Red Sox if not for Story missing the first four months of last season due to right elbow surgery, Breslow still understands it’s an area for significant improvement.

      One path to improving the defense would be to give Story a regular double-play partner. Second base was a revolving door for the club last season, and that is one position-player spot the Sox will likely look to fill from outside the organization.

      Given that the current roster is left-handed heavy, look for any new additions to the middle infield to be right-handed hitters if possible.

      Front-office hierarchy will sort itself out

      Unlike when Bloom took over four years ago and immediately elevated Brian O’Halloran to the position of general manager, Breslow sounds as if he will get a lay of the land before deciding who his top lieutenant will be.

      Breslow could go inside or outside the organization for this position.

      “I think the most prudent path right now is to evaluate the landscape. I think over time, the right profile, the right thought partner will avail itself, but currently I'm not feeling any rush to do that,” Breslow said. “I think there's some other decisions that are more pressing.”

      For instance, the Red Sox need a pitching coach and a third-base coach, in addition to upgrading the roster.

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      Supervising Club Reporter Ian Browne has covered the Red Sox for MLB.com since 2002.