Breslow’s Guys

In under two years, Craig Breslow has shaped this Red Sox roster.

This season is year two in the Craig Breslow era. So far, it’s been a bit rocky since Breslow took over back in the fall of 2023 with a few ups but more downs.

Everyone will point to the recent Rafael Devers saga, which was created from Breslow’s inability to effectively communicate as a major misstep. Doubters will also point to the Chris Sale trade or last year’s Trade Deadline as major missteps. And I’m not here to defend those moves. However, Breslow has added a lot of players to the current roster that shows he has an eye for finding talent and building an effective roster.

Let’s dive into his moves on the big league roster.

Isaiah Campbell

Acquired for Luis Urias

Acquiring anyone for Luis Urias at the time felt like a win but unfortunately Isaiah Campbell was a dart throw that just hasn’t worked out up to now. Last season, Campbell had a few blow up performances out of the Sox bullpen and had a 16.20 ERA in 6 innings before dealing with an injury. He appeared in a game earlier this week and struggled as he gave up a 2-run home run in mop up duty. The home run ball has really hurt Campbell as he has given up 4 in just 8 innings for the Red Sox. With roster spots being tight, it’s hard to imagine the Red Sox keeping Campbell on the 40-man roster.

Greg Weissert

Acquired for Alex Verdugo

Alex Verdugo wore out his welcome in Boston and moving him was one of the first things Craig Breslow did when he took over. Weissert has been a nice addition to the Boston bullpen. Last season, it was a tale of two halves. In the first half, Weissert had a 4.39 ERA in 41 innings. In the second half, Weissert had a 0.81 ERA in 22 innings. Weissert has been one of the Red Sox most reliable relievers in the first half pitching to a 3.27 ERA. Getting a quality reliever in Weissert along with other pieces for a player like Verdugo, who was on his way out of the game, is a definite win.

Richard Fitts

Acquired for Alex Verdugo

If Weissert was the only piece in the Verdugo trade, the Red Sox would have won the deal but also getting a starting pitcher out of the deal makes the trade a steal. Right now Fitts is a depth starter who is going back and forth between the big league club and Triple-A. However, with the loss of Hunter Dobbins it appears Fitts will be extremely important in the second half. In 12 big league starts, Fitts has a 3.31 ERA. The encouraging sign is Fitts has been able to increase his velocity as his fastball is sitting between 96-98. While Fitts’ role has not yet been determined, he’s a valuable arm to have in the organization at just 25 years-old.

Justin Slaten

Acquired for A+ pitcher

The New York Mets almost got a steal in the Rule 5 draft when they selected Justin Slaten. However, they decided to trade him to Boston for a pitcher who at the time wasn’t even in A+. Slaten had a terrific season last year in the Boston bullpen as he had a 2.93 ERA in 44 appearances. This season Slaten has been solid with a 3.47 ERA but his K/9 has dropped from 9.4 last season to 6.2 this year. Unfortunately, Slaten is dealing with an arm injury right now but when healthy, he is a legitimate weapon out of the pen.

Lucas Giolito

Signed in FA

When the Red Sox signed Giolito two offseasons ago, they expected Giolito to bounce back and be an innings eater. That unfortunately did not happen as Giolito did not throw a single inning last season as he blew out his elbow. For the first two months this season, Giolito looked a lot like the pitcher he was prior to his elbow injury as he struggled to limit damage. The Red Sox continued to tinker with Giolito’s delivery and a tweak of his arm angle changed everything. Over his last 7 starts, Giolito has a 0.70 ERA and looks like the pitcher he was in his early Chicago days when he finished in the top 10 of the CY voting. And while I would not classify this as a win for Breslow because Boston paid Giolito all of last year to rehab, the deal could become a good signing if Giolito has a big second half and helps the Red Sox make the postseason.

Romy Gonzalez

Claimed off of Waivers

Romy Gonzalez is one of the best moves Craig Breslow has made. A player DFA’d by the team that would go on to set the MLB record for most losses in a season is someone that most teams would think has no value. But the Red Sox have found a real gem in Gonzalez. Boston quickly identified a real strength of Romy’s is hitting left handed pitching. And Romy has become one of the best hitters in the sport against lefties. Gonzalez ranks 4th in wRC+ (227) this season trailing only Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Paul Goldschmidt. He’s become a weapon for Alex Cora and the Red Sox. He also provides defensive versatility. How he could not play on the worst team in baseball history is a mystery I will never understand.

Liam Hendriks

Signed in FA

Signing Liam Hendriks came with a lot of risk. Craig Breslow and the Red Sox signed Hendriks to a 2/$10M deal two offseasons ago knowing that he was not likely to pitch in 2024 and he did not. The goal was for Hendriks to provide value in year two of the deal. But that just has not happened. In 14 games this season, Hendriks has a 6.59 ERA and his stuff just isn’t good enough to miss bats anymore (7.9 K/9). Hendriks is currently on the 60-day IL and it’s unclear if Hendriks will be able to help the Boston bullpen in the second half. Breslow has been intrigued by rehabbing pitchers but this is a deal that has not worked out at all.

Justin Wilson

Signed in FA

Wilson was the first player Craig Breslow signed last offseason and many Red Sox fans were left scratching their heads. Last season with Cincinatti Wilson had a 5.59 ERA but Boston obviously saw a pitcher who can miss bats and thought they could make a tweak. And that’s what they have done. Wilson has been a key member of the bullpen this season with a 2.54 ERA in 36 appearances. He has dominated lefties and has been a reliable option for Alex Cora. Wilson has been an excellent signing by Breslow through the first half.

Aroldis Chapman

Signed in FA

I am not sure there has been a more controversial free agent signing than Aroldis Chapman. Due to some bad mistakes in his past and his days playing for the Yankees, it was hard to even picture Chapman in a Red Sox uniform. But the truth is Aroldis Chapman may have been the best free agent signing from this past offseason. He has been a rock in the Boston bullpen and the best reliever in the American League. Chapman has a 1.22 ERA in 40 appearances and has converted 16 of his 17 save opportunities. Chapman is approaching prestigious territory as he has become about as trustworthy as Koji Uehara was back in 2013. At 37 years-old, what Chapman is doing is nothing short of incredible.

Garrett Crochet

Acquired for a Prospect Package

For years, the Red Sox have been looking for an ace. Acquiring Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in the offseason was exactly the move this organization needed. And while Breslow had to give up some of the organization’s best prospects to get the deal done, he was willing to do something his predecessor was unable to do and that’s make an uncomfortable deal. Not only did Breslow acquire Crochet but he was able to extend him to keep Crochet in Boston for his prime years. Crochet has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball (4th in fWAR among pitchers). No matter how the prospects turn out in Chicago, Boston secured an ace they desperately needed by being aggressive. Crochet is coming off of his first shutout yesterday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Carlos Naravez

Acquired for A+ pitcher

This is the best move in the Breslow era. After trading Kyle Teel to acquire Garrett Crochet, Boston desperately needed catching help. And while Narvaez was not acquired to be the starting catcher, that’s what has happened. Narvaez has shown the ability to be one of the best defensive catchers in the game (12 DRS). He has also shown the ability to be an above average offensive catcher with some legitimate pop (116 wRC+, 8 HR). At the age of 26, it appears that Craig Breslow has found his catcher of the future. Even if the A+ pitcher (Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz) becomes a big league pitcher, the Red Sox can never lose this trade if Narvaez is an every day above average catcher.

Walker Buehler

Signed in FA

Everybody was excited to get a pitcher with the ceiling of Walker Buehler. After his strong postseason, fans were hoping that was the version the Red Sox were getting and not the guy who had an ERA above 5.00 in the regular season. Up to this point in the season, Red Sox Nation has seen the regular season version of Buehler as he has the 5th worst ERA (6.12) among starting pitchers with at least 70 innings. So far, paying the same amount to Buehler that Nick Pivetta made ($21M) looks like a big mistake. A big second half is the only way to salvage this signing.

Abraham Toro

Minor League Deal

When Toro signed in the offseason to a minor league deal, nobody thought this move would be significant. Even when Toro was called up to replace the injured Triston Casas, most thought he was destined to be DFA’d in a few weeks. But Toro has not only stabilized the first base position but he has made people forget about Triston Casas. Toro is hitting .271 / .321 / .418 and often hitting in the middle of the Red Sox lineup. I’m not sure Craig Breslow could have imagined Toro being this important to the Red Sox. It’s a massive win for Craig Breslow and the front office.

Alex Bregman

Signed in FA

Prior to the Bregman injury, the Red Sox third baseman may have been the best free agent signing from last offseason. Bregman was slashing .299 / .385 / .553 with an OPS+ of 157. Bregman was an early season MVP candidate prior to injuring his quad. Despite getting elite production from Bregman, this signing is complicated because of the drama that it caused with Rafael Devers. If Craig Breslow cannot work out an extension with Bregman, the signing will likely be viewed in a negative way because the Red Sox jeopardized their relationship with their franchise player for only one season of Alex Bregman. If they can get a deal worked out with Bregman, most will forget about the Devers saga and buy in to Alex Bregman being the face of the Boston Red Sox.

Jordan Hicks

Acquired for Rafael Devers

It’s early to have any real opinion on Jordan Hicks. Obviously, he will always be attached to Rafael Devers, which means fans will expect Hicks to be a significant arm in the Boston bullpen. Hicks needs to be relevant in the pen because he will make $25M over the next two seasons. This move has potential because Hicks has the makeup to be a closer or at the very least a setup man over the next two seasons. Can the Andrew Bailey pitching program get him back to the pitcher he was in 2023 when Hicks had a big year pitching out of the Toronto bullpen? TBD on this one.

Jorge Alcala

Acquired for A+ outfielder

Alcala was a move simply on the belief that Andrew Bailey can fix Alcala’s struggles. Alcala had a dreadful start to 2025 with the Twins as he had an 8.88 ERA in 22 appearances mainly due to awful command (5.5 BB/9). So far, the Bailey pitching program has seemed to have worked for Alcala. In 10 appearances, Alcala has a 0.87 ERA with a 8.7 K/9 while only walking 2.6 per 9 innings. We will see if Alcala can handle higher leverage situations but Alcala looks to be a win for Breslow, Bailey and the Red Sox pitching program.

Breslow’s Impact

In less than two calendar years, you can clearly see Breslow’s imprint on the roster. 46% of the roster has been players added to the active roster whether by trade, free agency, minor league deals, or the Rule 5 draft in the past two years. Other than Isaiah Campbell and Walker Buehler, the players that Breslow has brought to Boston have impacted the roster in a positive way. Three players that he signed last offseason became the only All-Stars the Red Sox have.

Due to the Devers situation and the performance of the team prior to their current 9-game winning streak, there is a portion of the fan base that wants Breslow to be fired. I believe the jury is still out on Breslow.

This year’s Trade Deadline will be fascinating to watch. Breslow will have to do much better than he did at last year’s deadline. He must improve his communication skills with everyone in the Boston organization because the Devers situation cannot happen again. But Breslow has added some impact players to this roster. He has an eye for talent with some savvy moves. Breslow has also done a good job at turning around the Red Sox pitching program throughout the system and he had a pitching heavy draft in his first draft last summer that looks quite promising.

Breslow hasn’t been perfect. He’s learning on the job. With the amount improvement this young club has made with the veteran additions, Breslow deserves a lot of credit for the team that he has put together that appears to have turned a corner.

Tyler O’Neill

Cooper Criswell

Vaughn Grissom for Chris Sale