While free agency won’t open for a few more weeks at this point, the Red Sox already have plenty of work on their offseason to-do list. Earlier this month it was reported that several changes were coming to the club’s coaching staff, and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com recently floated a possible name for the job of assistant hitting coach: Dillon Lawson, who has spent the past year as chief baseball office Craig Breslow’s minor league hitting coordinator.
Prior to joining the Red Sox last winter, Lawson had worked as a hitting coach in the minor leagues for the Astros and Royals until he joined the Yankees in 2018. Lawson started out as the club’s minor league hitting coordinator, the same role he has now with Boston, before being promoted to the role of hitting coach prior to the 2022 season. Lawson lasted just a season and a half in the role before being fired mid-way through the 2023 season, the first time the Yankees fired a coach midseason since 1998.
Despite that unfortunate piece of trivia, however, it’s fair to note that it’s unclear how much blame Lawson really deserved to shoulder for the club’s offensive woes in 2023. After all, the club’s wRC+ after firing Lawson (90) was actually slightly worse than it was under Lawson’s guidance (93), suggesting that the club’s struggles may have been due to lackluster performances from individual veterans such as Kyle Higashioka, Giancarlo Stanton, and DJ LeMahieu. Regardless of who is to blame for New York’s struggles on offense last year, the Red Sox were clearly pleased by Lawson’s work with the club’s young players in the upper minors this year if they’re considering him for a role with the big league coaching staff.
Shifting focus towards the front office, McAdam also notes that there’s an apparent top candidate for the as-of-yet-unfilled GM role directly below Breslow in the club’s baseball operations hierarchy. Per McAdam, there’s “little doubt” that the top internal candidate for the role is assistant GM Paul Toboni, who was promoted to his current position back in January after previously acting as the club’s VP of amateur scouting and player development to become one of four assistant GMs below Breslow, joining Raquel Ferreira, Eddie Romero and Mike Groopman.
McAdam adds that an executive with another club suggested that Toboni could be highly sought-after by rival organizations if the club were to settle on another candidate for the GM role. An internal candidate to replace Chaim Bloom as chief baseball officer before the club settled upon hiring Breslow, it’s possible that Toboni could receive interest from another club such as the Giants (who are in the midst of their own GM search) or Twins (who recently parted ways with GM Thad Levine) in the event that Breslow ultimately settles on an external candidate to act as his second-in-command with the Red Sox.
Turning back towards the players on the field, McAdam also notes that the Rule 5 protection deadline next month will come with a number of decisions for the Red Sox. It’s hardly uncommon for a club to face tough calls about whether to add a prospect to their 40-man roster or risk leaving them exposed to that winter’s Rule 5 draft, but Boston has one particularly unusual candidate for protection: veteran right-hander Michael Fulmer. Fulmer signed with the Red Sox on a two-year minor league deal last winter after undergoing surgery on his UCL and appears to be on track to be ready for Spring Training in February.
The 31-year-old’s unique situation as an experienced big leaguer with a solid 3.55 ERA since moving to the bullpen back in 2021 would make him a very attractive addition to the majority of clubs’ bullpen mix, as he could be added without the uncertainty that surrounds typical Rule 5 picks that are plucked out of the minors without any big league experience under their belts. Given Fulmer’s big league experience and the fact that he has more than enough service time to reject an optional assignment to the minors anyway, opposing clubs would shoulder relatively minimal risk if they decided to select Fulmer, meaning the Red Sox will likely have to add him to their 40-man roster next month if they hope to retain him for 2025.
None of this matters if the Red Sox continue to insist they won’t try to win until at least 2026.
“continue to insist”…Clearly, the Red Sox haven’t gone all out the last few years, but when did they ever say publicly that they “won’t try to win” until 2026?
I don’t watch the Redsox 24/7 like some R’Sox fans, but if they didn’t say this you’re actually putting (false) words in their mouths. I’ll let the hardcore Sox fans correct me if I’m wrong about this.
I don’t recall if they stated a date but the one thing they lied to the fans on is they weren’t going to start spending until they got under the luxury tax penalty. Then they got under and reset the clock and did nothing for two years. For a team that has the money they were ‘in’ on everyone and signed no one.
The most telling thing this season was they didn’t jump in on Snell or Montgomery when the years dropped down to nothing and were easy commitments. They also didn’t go get Flaherty at the trade deadline when it only cost the Dodgers their 8th and 22nd prospect. They needed starting pitching badly.
I have no faith the current ownership will go acquire any big pieces via free agency or the trade market.
They never said “immediately” after dropping under the tax. It’s still after. As to not getting Flaherty, the Tigers wanted a near ready SS as part of the return. Would you have been happy giving up Mayer?
They haven’t.
Ken – Your constant lying is getting really annoying.
Everytime they say full throttle we are all in we mean it this time. Anytime they say stuff like this they mean they have no intention to compete
Actually John Henry does want to win but he thinks he is smarter than everyone else in MLB and can win through moneyball practices
Their actions say it and show it
IB – Exactly.
At the All-Star Break they were 10 games over .500 and just 5 out of first place and just 1 out of the 2nd WC … and their “acquiring pitching and a RHB” involved getting Paxton, Hill, Ramirez, Jansen, Sims and Garcia. The team obviously knew ownership had no desire to win this year, and understandably their performance suffered.
Mlb – I was going to politely say, for the millionth time, ownership has repeatedly stated they will not attempt to contend by pushing in their chips and increasing the payroll by supplementing the roster with talented free agents or prospect trades until CMAT becomes established major league players, which obviously won’t happen until next offseason at the earliest considering none of CMAT has yet to play a MLB game.
And if you followed the standings at all, you’d know ownership stuck by that statement last offseason and during the trade deadline.
But your last sentence in which you state you’ll “let others correct you” is extremely obnoxious, insulting, and has me on the verge of muting you. I sincerely hope the next post you direct at me is an apology.
Don’t ask me a damn question and then say only other people’s answers count.
@mlb fam is full of condescension. I’ve politely corrected him before and he’ll ghost the thread.
Fever Pitch Guy: “ownership has repeatedly stated they will not attempt to contend by pushing in their chips and increasing the payroll by supplementing the roster with talented free agents or prospect trades until CMAT becomes established major league players”
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False and misleading. This has never been said.
“Obnoxious, insulting..verge of muting you”..You clearly have issues unrelated to baseball. When your answer is 95% insults, it strongly implies your original point is mostly bs.
The Redsox have plenty of reasons to be criticized by fans, but when you have to make up stuff, it shows you’re not really paying attention and are too emotionally invested to be truthful. And like I really care if you “mute” me. Grow up broham.
Mlb – One of life’s lessons that hopefully you’ll learn someday … don’t insult and disrespect people if you can’t handle the consequences.
But you don’t seem like you’re very good at learning.
when did they ever say publicly that they “won’t try to win” until 2026?
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The Red Sox have never said this. This is more trolling from Fever Pitch Guy.
“Never said this”…I guess Fever Pitch couldn’t think of anything accurate or intelligent to say, so he fabricated quotes.
And what’s more he’s one of those delicate, insecure softies that threatens to “mute” anyone that calls him out on it. He’s so arrogant and full of himself, that he thinks removing himself from others is punishment to website users.
that’s generally what Fever does. Fabricate quotes and make stuff up
Next year is the year our Red Sox return to glory. Breslow has done an outstanding job and the pieces are finally coming together
Terry – I like Bres, but the Sale trade and deadline moves and Gio signing and Cora extension and Rafaela extension all disqualify him from “outstanding job” status, obviously.
@Fever – What issue so you have with them extending Rafaela? I think this was an excellent move by the team. Rafaela is the closest player to Mookie that they have developed. He obviously won’t be as good as Mookie, but he is a future gold glove outfielder or possible GG infielder, depending on where he settles defensively. He has excellent speed, an excellent arm and surprising power for a kid his size. I see nothing but upside in Rafaela and he bats RH too, which the Sox need more of with Anthony, Mayer & Teel all batting LH.
I agree the Sale trade was a big swing & miss, but the Gio signing was just bad luck. He had an excellent track record (health wise) before they signed him. Hopefully he bounces back in 2025. At worst, he’ll be a solid #3 for this team with the upside of a quality #2 starter. Breslow has already won the Verdugo deal with Weisert pitching quite well for them and Fitts looking good in his first 3 starts as well. I’m optimistic that that the Priester deal might end up being sneaky good for them too. Lastly, the David Sandlin trade with KC may end up being a steal for Boston. Breslow realized the Sox are short of pitching talent so he went out and made these trades for some interesting, young pitchers. Now let’s hope the owners allow him to spend some money this offseason and we can really judge him after doing so.
Dorothy, I agree with much of what you posted. The Yankees however made the WS and despite a mostly down season, AV was. excellent in the championship round playing defense that they desperately needed. Thus, it could end up being a rare win-win trade.
Dotty – My biggest issue is the Red Sox rushed the two big extensions this year, and they most likely did it because everyone was livid about their lack of spending last offseason after another last place finish.
If they truly want to model the Braves, they should have known Atlanta gives the huge extensions ONLY after the player has performed exceptionally well for at least a full season at the major league level. Both Strider and Acuna proved themselves in the majors, whereas Bello and especially Rafaela did not.
Now that’s not to say that Rafaela won’t earn his contract, he has plenty of time to blossom into a very good player. But paying him 5 times the salary this year was obviously a huge mistake.
I’m sorry but the Mookie comparison seems really outlandish right now. Other than their athleticism and versatility, they are nothing alike.
Mookie put up an .818 OPS (119 OPS+) in his first 197 games and got MVP votes his first full season.
Rafaela put up a .664 OPS (82 OPS+) in his first 180 games, and his defense wasn’t even good enough to get a nomination for Utility Gold Glove which obviously has less competition than regular Gold Gloves.
To reiterate my position once again, both the Rafaela extension and Sale trade as of right now look horrible however they both can look much better if Rafaela and Grissom perform better in the coming years. As always, time will tell.
Breslow hasn’t been there long enough to be responsible for putting any pieces together. That was put in motion before he arrived. He just is the person on duty when it happens, if it does. If it doesn’t, its the fault of those before him.
If Fulmer shows anything, of course he’s being protected. I’m curious of the upcoming trades as without moving quantity, the team will have to release players that could possibly be added as depth pieces before the roster is set. I don’t think Valdez has any trade value but maybe others do, just as an example.
They’re such a mish mosh of players. This needs to get sorted during the offseason. So many health questions. The team just feels like a pile of players. Too many left handed hitters. Too many poor defensive players. Not enough starters for a rotation. Not enough reliable relievers. I think .500 was an overachieve for them this year. THere are ingredients for a playoff team but it has to get sorted. Whoever can do that is hired.
–Not enough reliable relievers–
I wouldn’t go that far whyhazee. Problem is many of the better ones they kept shoving into the rotation.. Crawford, Whitlock, Houck, Winkowski and only real one can claim as a 100% success is Houck, tho Crawford might be able to make it as a 4-5 after watching him last season, rest were failures and waste of time/cost the team games for better than servicable relievers.
This isn’t even a thing. After keeping him all year and paying him to rehab does anybody really think they’ll expose him to rule 5? C’mon, Find something relevant to write about.
Yeah we need analysis on what Ohtani ate for breakfast before game 5!
John. Houck surprised me as a starter and while the team couldn’t ask for more, it’s just one season. Let’s see him continue to develop. The big one to me is Whitlock who with his injury history should IMO have never been tried as a starter.
This starts with Daddy John Henry. He’s interested in spending 300+ million on the PGA. The Sox are an afterthought because Fenway generates $$ no matter how mediocre the team is. Does anyone recall that no real GM in baseball wanted Buyslow’s job? What does that say about ownership?
Lt – Yep, not even internal longtime execs like Raquel wanted the job. That speaks volumes.
And Sam Kennedy is the “yesman” for ownership.
Did I miss something? What’s Fulmer’s paycheck for the upcoming seasons?
Fulmer signed a two-year minor league deal. I don’t think they announced how much he would make if he makes the team.
They can revamp the whole coaching staff and player development. The fact that Cora received an extension makes me have no confidence whatsoever in them
I haven’t posted much since the deadline because of how disgusted I am with the front office. I posted last winter that the Sox needed to trade expiring contracts during the past off season or at deadline or they would finish at .500.
I am an idiot and even I could see this was not a play off team this year. It was a great opportunity to give the big 3 (or 4) some big league time to see what they have.
Instead they will get nothing on return for those who walk.
This ownership has become all about PR and spin. At least when they were selling bricks they were winning. Their biggest worry this year is protecting a broken down pitcher on a minor league deal?
Good Gawd. Now I actually starting to miss the Yawkeys ownership and Don Zimmer calling for bunts every other batter!
For those wondering, I predict they will finish 3 to games above 500 this coming year.
DBH – Good to see you back!
Yeah all of Red Sox Nation feels as you do. Their latest PR spin, claiming they will try to win only when CMAT is settled in as legit MLB players in 2026 at the earliest, is nothing more than buying time and making excuses. And it puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on the kids.
Let’s hope the financials are bad enough that they decide to change course.
Hire Roger Beshens Football Slider, many throw his Football Slider, but they need ALL of them to learn it. The Driveline Boddy experiment is already a failure like in Cincy. So many guys injured their arms in Cinci and the Red Sox can’t even see that. Tejay Antone is still furious his career got derailed. Giolito injury never should have happened. Hire the original guy who got hundreds to throw his Football Slider, Roger Beshens.
Strom spent all 2024 talking during the season with him. It helped Ryne Nelson within 2 starts.