Last night’s loss to the Rays was the Red Sox’ fourth straight, dropping them to 27-39 — last in the American League East, second-worst in the American League as a whole, and fourth-worst in all of MLB. The Sox are one of the most disappointing teams in the game this year, if not the most, but that doesn’t seem to have given ownership any second thoughts about its baseball operations leadership. Just a couple days after Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reported that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow‘s job was secure, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy removed any remaining shred of doubt by publicly confirming as much. Asked on WEEI’s Greg Hill show about Breslow’s status, Kennedy told the hosts that a change “is not even on the table” (as relayed by MassLive’s Christopher Smith).
Breslow, 46 in August, is in his third season as Boston’s chief baseball officer. The team never disclosed the precise length of his first contract as the team’s baseball operations head, nor has it been reported. There have been no indications that the 2026 season is the last on Breslow’s contract. Presumably, his deal runs through at least the 2027 season.
The Red Sox, of course, have already begun to show some signs of frustration. Manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff were fired in late April after a 10-17 start. Triple-A manager Chad Tracy replaced him for the remainder of the season but is holding the title of “interim” manager. The Sox are 17-22 since the change — a nominal improvement but still well shy of expectations for a team that won 89 games last year and spent $130MM to sign Ranger Suarez this offseason while also acquiring Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, Caleb Durbin and several others via trade.
Though the season is on the verge of spiraling past them, it seems the Sox aren’t bringing about any further sweeping changes in the organization — at least for now. They’ve reportedly been on the hunt for a right-handed bat on the trade market, though deals of any real magnitude are rare this time of year. Boston famously bucked that trend with last year’s mid-June blockbuster sending Rafael Devers to San Francisco, but it’s typically hard to find clubs willing to part with notable veteran talent at this juncture. That’s particularly true with a slightly later (Aug. 3) trade deadline this year.
The extent to which the Red Sox are able to climb out of this rut could well determine whether Breslow carries on following the season. Generally speaking, it’s common for teams to first make a change in the dugout and then, if the tide still doesn’t turn, look to the front office for further reshaping. For now, Kennedy’s comments signal that Breslow isn’t on the hot seat. That topic will probably be revisited in the offseason, but there are more than three months of games to influence his status in the meantime.
Well we got that going for us!!!!š
olm – You will be able to get GREAT seats for that Rockies series!
You would think right??? Those Rockies still think I guess, Boston is a Marquee game?? 5 rows center cut behind Red Sox Dugoutā¦ Look for a guy with 2007 WS champion hat / Red alternate jersey and looks a little like Rodney Dangerfield but with Jack Lord moss on top of headā¦.
Olm – Let me guess, #70 on the back of your jersey?
olm – Forgot to mention, Kennedy has been trying to get Pedroia to take a front office job ….. but Pedey keeps saying no.
Can you blame him? After what ownership did to Devers, Varitek and so many other Red Sox superstars?
One thing Pedey is NOT is a “yes man”.
Man to see Caleb put on a ālaser show 2.0ā that night would be awesome!??
Funny you mention.. with a little help from Mother Natureā¦ and a ā70ā will be pitching that night!!!!
olm – They could call it “That 70 Show’.
HI!!!!!OH!!!
so fired next week?
they’ll start the consideration timeline tomorrow so technically today’s announcement is accurate
(“Kennedy told the hosts that a change āis not even on the tableā “)
When further pressed however, he admitted that “we are shopping for a new table next week”…
I wonder what Red Sox fans think.
Astros – I’m glad you asked.
It would be pointless to fire Breslow now. Doing so wouldn’t help the team make the playoffs at this point. As long as they don’t allow Breslow to make trade decisions on his own, no harm in keeping him. If they want to fire him it should be August or September, then after the season there should be more candidates available (I know, they will probably be hiring another inexperienced analytics-obsessed front office guy).
It’s really interesting that Kennedy has finally acknowledged they could be sellers at the deadline.
For the 2nd time in 3 years, Red Sox Nation has been proven to be 100% correct about the CBO being incompetent and unfit for the job. We warned everyone about Bloom, he got fired for exactly what we all said. And we warned everyone about Breslow, who is seemingly on the verge of the same fate as Bloom.
I don’t take any pleasure in being right about these things, I’d much rather have an experienced HOF caliber CBO like Dombrowski taking the Sox to the World Series every year. But as long as Henry is running the team, I doubt that will ever happen.
As a lifelong Sox fan this is the most frustrated I have been since they hired Valentine. This is a pathetic team they roll out every night. The lack of power is glaring, but also predictable. The lineup is feared by nobody. If Anthony can get back and become what he is capable it is a great start. But this season is already gone, play for next year.
Phantom – Well said!
And to think, some people here actually believed Breslow had a good offseason ….. Father Time has a great sense of humor!!!
This team has officially surpassed 2012 as my least favorite Sox team of my lifetime. The only bright side to Kennedy and Henry being so insane and tone deaf as to publicly defend Breslow is that we know these guys are professional liars. Can’t remember the last time they were honest with us about anything, so if anything these comments are probably a rock solid indication that Breslow is a dead man walking.
The real question will be whether anyone has learned their lesson from the Bloom and Breslow disasters and tries to correct course by hiring a new CBO/POBO/whatever you want to call it with actual scouting and development chops, or if they just keep repeating this same stupid pattern of plucking yet another stats-obsessed moron who thinks baseball games ought to be modeled in a spreadsheet and corners the market on AAA utility infielders & relief pitchers who can’t throw strikes.
God, Pats season can’t come soon enough. I need a competent sports team back in my life.
97% of them are comatoseā¦..2% think Joe Morgan is managing by July. And some nut believes the curse of Brasier is realā¦.
As long as the money keeps rolling in, Breslow’s job is secure. When that streams dries, things change.
Bobby – The money will definitely slow down. Season ticketholders and advance ticket purchases will be flooding the secondary market with their tickets, thus killing box office sales.
As it stands, September game ticket sales were already very poor. And now? Probably $5 gets you in the park and you can practically pick any seat you want.
Hilarious when teams double down. Fans are supposed to believe that the mope who constructed this mind-numbingly awful team is capable of fixing it? Good one. This team is a pathetic joke. Makes me long for the glorious era of Dave Stapleton, Glenn Hoffman and Gary Hancock……..
You forgot John Marzano or Marc Sullivan if you preferā¦ can never have enough catchers
Can Kennedy fire John Henry? And then fire himself?
Henry doesnāt care about the team anymore. Itās simply a stock in their portfolio. They traded Devers to shed his salary at the same time they spent big on Liverpool. Itās just a company to them now and the park will always be packed so why would anything change.
Agreed. Henry brought WS trophies but those days are long gone at this point. Sell the team, pocket your insane profits, and move on. Let an owner who actually cares about winning take over.
Speaking of Liverpool, they sacked their manager Arne Slot only a year after they won the Premier League. Finishing 5th wasn’t good enough so Liverpool signed Andoni Iraola from Bournemouth — little south coast club that finished one place below the Reds.
Ace – So true! Henry has 8 rings and is 76 years old, and he has no emotional attachment to the Red Sox because he’s a lifelong Cardinals fan.
The Devers salary dump was further proof it’s all about the financials.
It’s always about the financials. These guys don’t get where they’re at by making bad financial decisions (aside from the one off here and there)
Imagine how much more money he could have if he’d just spend a little on people who know what the hell they’re doing. Could’ve avoided shelling out just about half a billion dollars between Pablo Sandoval, Castillo, Story, Yoshida, Kluber, Paxton, Patrick Sandoval, and Kristian Campbell. $493 million spent on 10.5 combined WAR from all these bums, but they couldn’t find $300 million to give sure-thing HOFer Mookie Betts! Absolutely mind blowing.
Eh, Devers needed to go.
I’m wondering if the Red Sox will do another coaching shake up during the offseason, where Breslow picks a new manager of his liking.
Definitely sounds like the more likely option. With Breslow just winning a power play against Cora, no way they immediately move on from him.
Acoss – That’s one factor in whether or not to retain Breslow for next season.
Better to bring in a new manager that’s chosen by a new CBO, rather than a new manager brought in by a CBO who gets fired shortly after.
BresBlow has to GO!
Matt Arnold of the brewers completely played him like a cheap fiddle with that trade package the brewers sent the Red Sox lol that was highway robbery š
Thanks for giving up on Harrison and sending a former top 100 prospect to the brewers!! With love from Milwaukee and Matt Arnold
tanger – Red Sox Nation isn’t bothered by the Harrison trade, we know he never would have gotten fixed if he had stayed in Boston.
The Red Sox don’t fix pitchers, other teams do.
Absolutely woulda been Bello 2.0 after a year in our pitching lab
He’s the idot that hired Breslow.
He’s got to go too!
Burn it all down!
But not Buffs please!! They have great wings!!!
North – Theo recommended Breslow for the job …. just sayin’ …..
if Durbin does a turnaround for the rest of the season, then the offseason pickups weren’t too bad. No RH power though should have been priority. Duran not consistently hitting, 2B issue (Mayer), oft injured Story and his inability to hit and oft injured Anthony, and catcher position are the key issues.
Basically the whole lineup has underperformed to date .
Adding Antony back will not help much unless the rest pick it up.
Geez he was only like 2 bucks before the injury anyways .
Chemistry is also missing with this team.
Then again it still lingers on from Cora.
Sox have the pitching to compete.
Just not the bats .
All the haters are out in full force today.
Pitching for the future – Good to Excellent
Defense for the future – Excellent
Hitting for the future – Poor, needs at least 2 bats
2 out of 3 are working as planned and everyone wants to blow up the ship. Ridiculous, this young team is very close to being a contender, they just needs some hitting. Sell at trade deadline, whoever it takes (Grey, Contreras, Chapman) and obtain a young power bat or two who are in minors. Its that easy.
Dan in the EAST 2/3 is badā¦ only in Meatloaf song is it isnātā¦but I do agreeā¦ to early to blow it up and that being said , if youāre going go for it all again in 07 donāt you want Chappie to be there?? Unless itās a major overpay, Whit snd Chappie stay.. no one else pen wise brings in muchā¦.
Red Sox Fans: Plenty of consideration of moving on from spending any money or time on the Boston Red Sox
Hilarious how they have to keep reiterating this.
Like, “guys, really he’s a great CBO by our metrics. Y’all just don’t know what you don’t know. Absolutely our top choice to pilot the Red Sox sustainably towards our North Star”
Bring in David Ross to manage!
And catchā¦ need 4 on roster!??
Chase Meidroth has more homers than Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony combined.
I hate how this front office operates. My least favorite in the league. Would be good to see him go