Red Sox's Craig Breslow Talks Culture Shift Following Rafael Devers Trade
Red Sox's Craig Breslow Talks Culture Shift Following Rafael Devers Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Boston Red Sox fans can not help but feel déjà vu.
In December 2023, Boston shipped its star pitcher, Chris Sale, to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Vaughn Grissom. In February of 2020, the Red Sox traded their franchise superstar, Mookie Betts, to the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with David Price, for Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong.
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Now, it's Rafael Devers' turn. The trade with the San Francisco Giants has sent shockwaves throughout the baseball community and leaves Boston in an all-too-familiar situation.
However, neither Sale nor Betts was traded for the same reasons as Devers. Sale had dealt with injuries and was entering a contract year. Betts was also in the final year of his deal, and the Red Sox could not afford to let him walk for nothing.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has outspokenly defended the Devers trade, and this one goes far beyond the on-field production and numbers.
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings.Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Here is what Breslow had to say, via Ian Browne of MLB.com:
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"We have a number of young players who are in the big leagues, and we're really excited about them, and we're very, very deliberate and intentional about the environment that we want to create," Breslow said. "And ultimately, we believe that we're positioning the organization to win a bunch of games, both in 2025 and beyond."
Breslow needed more from his highest-paid player. Devers had signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, and his reluctance to move from third base, plus his unwillingness to learn first base, did not send the right messages to this young core.
There is still plenty of time for the Red Sox to make some noise this season. They sit at 38-36 and, while in fourth place in the American League East, are just 5.5 games back of the New York Yankees.
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It is now up to the rookies, Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell, to make Breslow's gamble worth it.
Related: Red Sox Make Roman Anthony Announcement After Rafael Devers Trade
Related: Red Sox's CBO Sends Ridiculous Shot at Rafael Devers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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