Latest news with #CraigBreslow
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Some Things I Think I Think: Red Sox' managerial seat not hot enough for a change
*Red Sox' chief baseball officer Craig Breslow gave Alex Cora a vote of confidence Saturday in Atlanta, but really, that was just a confirmation of the obvious: Cora, for any number of reasons, isn't going anywhere. Let's start with his contract, which was agreed to last July and kicked in at the start of this season. If the Red Sox terminated him now, they'd owe him about $20 million. The Red Sox have eaten bigger contracts in the past, but they're not about to walk away from a manager less than three months into a three-year deal. Advertisement Also, while three major league managers have already been fired (Baltimore, Colorado and Pittsburgh) since the season began, increasingly, teams are loathe to make in-season changes. Baseball is not an effort sport the way basketball and hockey are. Sometimes, changing coaches in the NBA or NHL can reinvigorate a team that has tuned out a coach and the installation of a new coach can improve effort and intensity. That doesn't apply to baseball. Even if it did, the Red Sox would have to find a replacement internally, since rival teams are not about to allow them to poach anyone from their staffs in the middle of the year. There's no logical replacement on the current Red Sox staff, with the possible exception of Ramon Vazquez, who is a close friend of Cora's and who views the game in much the same way. Finally, ownership and upper management remain enamored with Cora. They remember 2018 and how Cora won a World Series in his first season managing at any level. Even if after Cora was suspended by MLB for his involvement in the 2017 Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal, they're squarely backed his return in 2021 and were rewarded with a trip to the ALCS in his first year back in the dugout. They view Cora as the right man for the job and the right ambassador for the team, and are not about to have their minds changed over the course of 60 games — however disappointing those have been. Advertisement It's easy to take issue with some in-game decisions — just as long as you remember that the same can be said of 29 other big league managers, a fact that some fans conveniently forget. The frustration on the part of the fan base is both palpable and understandable. After three straight seasons out of the postseason and without a winning record, fans were led to believe that this year would be different. Instead it's been more of the same. When that happens, it's natural to question the job security of the manager. But not in this case. Cora is here to stay. *The Stefon Diggs situation shouldn't be altogether surprising. We know little about what went on on that boat or what Diggs was consuming and sharing with others. But at the very least, he was guilty of some poor judgement. Advertisement The last thing Mike Vrabel wanted was a distraction, but really, is anyone surprised? It's just one more example of the pattern of diva-like behavior by a star NFL wide receiver. What is it with that position, anyway? Imagine if, say, center fielders in baseball had that same reputation, and people just shrugged and said: 'Well, what did you expect? The guy's a center fielder!" Either way, it's inauspicious start to Diggs' time in Foxboro. *In the end, it won't matter how long the Bruins took to hire a coach; it will be more about who rather than when. And if the decision is to go with Marco Sturm or Jay Leach, who have built strong reputations as both AHL head coaches and NHL assistants, that's fine, too. But here's hoping that Sturm or Leach aren't hired chiefly because they had ties to the organization. Advertisement *Say this for Brad Stevens: The Celtics' GM isn't afraid to think big. As the Celtics transition to a season with their best player, Stevens seems to be investigating every option available, from landing a lottery pick to contemplating a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anything and everything is on the table for the Celtics. And for a team intent on winning, that's how it always should be. *Wasn't familiar with Rich Waltz, who handled play-by-play for the Red Sox-Braves on Apple+ TV, and I was left wondering how familiar Waltz is with baseball. When his on-air partner David Ross casually noted that he was once teammates with Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, a surprised Waltz asked: 'When did you catch him?' Advertisement Um, the 2016 Cubs, Rich? Won a World Series for the first time in 108 years, in a thrilling seven-game series in 2016? Is any of this ringing a bell? It was in all the papers. *When players make their major league debuts for the Red Sox, Cora has a habit of saying: 'He's a big leaguer now and nobody can take that away from him.' And I guess my question is: Who, exactly, would be trying to 'take that away from him?' *Weeks after the Celtics elimination by the Knicks, too many fans are unable to admit that their team's second-round exit was not a matter of bad luck or even injuries. With or without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics had no business losing to the Knicks. Advertisement *There was some consternation that Rick Tocchet wasn't interested in the Bruins' job, citing the organization's coaching turnover in the last little while and (at the time) Don Sweeney's contractual uncertainty. Both are fair points. But when did Tocchet become Scotty Bowman? Recall that this past year, he oversaw a team in Vancouver where the franchise's two top players — Elias Petterson and J.T. Miller — literally didn't speak to one another, creating a divided dressing room that helped tank the season. *How long again until Season 4 of The Bear starts up again? *Edmonton over Florida in seven games for the Stanley Cup. But what do I know? Advertisement *Congrats to Mike Glavine and his Northeastern Huskies for their terrific baseball season. *I'm guessing TV networks are less than thrilled with the prospect of a NBA Finals pitting Indiana (the league's 22nd media market) against Oklahoma City (ranked No. 28). More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Craig Breslow Breaks Silence on Disappointing State of Red Sox
Craig Breslow Breaks Silence on Disappointing State of Red Sox originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Unfortunately for the Boston Red Sox, this season has not gone as they hoped it would. After trading for Garrett Crochet and signing Alex Bregman last offseason, the Red Sox were expected to contend for a playoff spot. Instead, they enter June fourth in the AL East with a 28-32 record. Advertisement Before Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow spoke to the media about Boston's underwhelming performance thus far. "The simple answer is it's not good enough. It's not the performance we expected in the offseason," Breslow said, citing issues with the team's fielding, baserunning, and hitting. Those deficiencies have cost the Red Sox dearly, especially in late-game situations. They're just 6-15 in one-run games, frequently losing in frustrating fashion. Boston's also been struck by injuries, losing Bregman, Triston Casas, and Tanner Houck to the IL last month. The Red Sox sputtered without them, going 11-17 in May and losing six of seven to close out the month. Advertisement Throw in the Rafael Devers drama, significant regression from key veterans, and growing pains from young players, and it's been a frustrating season for Boston. Nov 7, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Boston Red Six chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks to the media during the MLB General Manager's Meetings at Omni Scottsdale Resort & J. Rebilas-Imagn Images While the Red Sox still have 102 games remaining and plenty of time to turn things around, Breslow doesn't expect them to magically start playing better baseball. "It's too late in the season, and I think the evidence is too strong to just say we're going to be okay tomorrow when we wake up," he said. Boston will likely need to make significant changes if it wants to contend for a playoff spot. Breslow could call up Roman Anthony, trade for reinforcements, and/or shake up the coaching staff. Advertisement The Red Sox have serious problems, and Breslow knows it. Now it's up to him to fix them before it's too late. Related: Alex Bregman Gives One-Word Praise to Red Sox Youngster Marcelo Mayer Related: Red Sox Lose Struggling Relief Pitcher to Injured List This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Craig Breslow had a good offseason, but mistakes have led to Red Sox roster mess
When the 2025 season began with optimism for Boston Red Sox fans and players alike for the first time in years, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's offseason work to retool the roster was applauded. But a little more than a third of the way through the season, it's becoming increasingly clear that while Breslow addressed some significant holes, he also left the roster vulnerable to injuries, with seemingly little foresight on how the team might handle losses to the projected everyday lineup. Now the Red Sox are stuck with players out of their natural positions while pushing prospects to the big leagues in a pressure-packed environment, expected to perform right away. Advertisement This weekend in Atlanta, the Red Sox took two of three from the Braves, but they still face an uphill battle as they return home on Monday for a three-game series against Tampa Bay. Right-hander Justin Slaten landed on the injury list with shoulder inflammation and Luis Guerrero was recalled as the bullpen continues to be strained. So, how did they get here? First, a reminder of what Breslow did this offseason: • He signed Alex Bregman, a clubhouse leader and veteran right-handed bat. • He made a bold but necessary trade of top prospects for starter Garrett Crochet, who rocketed to the top of a rotation starving for a No. 1 arm. • He bolstered the back end of the bullpen, signing a veteran closer (Aroldis Chapman) and a left-handed reliever (Justin Wilson). • He made a savvy trade for a backup catcher in Carlos Narváez, giving up a lower-level pitching prospect in the deal. Narváez has now caught a majority of the innings this season. By all accounts, these were impactful moves for a roster in need of star players and bona fide big-league talent. For the first six weeks or so of the season, the moves paid off. But for as much credit as Breslow got for those moves, he deserves some criticism, too. There have been mistakes that have had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the roster, and led to a club desperately trying to stay afloat with multiple players forced to learn new positions on the fly. There was no foreshadowing of Triston Casas' season-ending knee injury on May 3 or Bregman's severe quad injury on May 23, one that will keep him out for several weeks. But had the Red Sox better prepared Rafael Devers this offseason for the addition of Bregman, a move that would force Devers off third base and into the designated hitter role, they might have been able to convince Devers to move back to third base or perhaps to start working out at first base when the Casas and Bregman injuries occurred. Instead, a scorned and frustrated Devers has been adamant about not returning to third and has yet to start work at first base, though manager Alex Cora has left the door open for the latter. Devers, of course, is the club's best hitter and in the midst of a monster season as the designated hitter. But is that because he's been DHing? He posted a .916 OPS in 2019 while playing third base. There's no reason to believe Devers wouldn't be putting up the same, or at least similar, numbers had he been playing in the field this season. Had Breslow and the front office communicated with Devers better, maybe — maybe — he would have been more open to returning to the infield when needed, instead of feeling as if the rug had been pulled out from under him when Bregman arrived and took his third-base spot. Advertisement As a result of mismanaging the Devers situation, the Red Sox have had to turn to top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer at third base in Bregman's absence. Mayer, a natural shortstop, had played just six minor-league games at third base before his debut. He's transitioned to the new position well in the early going, but it's still not ideal. 'My job here is to do whatever I can to help the team win,' Mayer said when he debuted in the second game of a doubleheader last homestand. 'I'm gonna go out every single day, give it 100 percent, give it my all, and hopefully that's enough.' Another top prospect at the start of the season, Kristian Campbell, who signed an eight-year, $60 million extension the first week, began pregame work at first base two weeks ago and is expected to see his first game action at the position soon, which will mark his first professional game at first base. 'Whatever makes the team better, that's the position I play,' Campbell said. It's an admirable stance, but is it really making the team better? Shouldn't Breslow have added more first-base depth this winter? Romy Gonzalez and Nick Sogard are fine utility players, but neither are experienced first basemen. Sogard was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, with outfielder Nate Eaton added to the roster. Gonzalez has his own injury history and has been out for the past few weeks after a collision at first base, the infield position at which he'd played the least in his big-league career entering this season. Abraham Toro was signed as a non-roster invitee this winter and added to the big-league club when Casas went down. He's offered solid defense at first and played well of late, but is better suited for a utility role than being thrust into the lineup as the everyday first baseman. It's unrealistic to have top-notch big-league depth at every position, but the fumbles leading up to the injuries of Bregman and Casas have created chaos on the roster and, in part, led to a team that hasn't been able to get out of its own way all season. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Red Sox will continue to play roster roulette when they inevitably promote baseball's No. 1 prospect, outfielder Roman Anthony. To get Anthony regular playing time, the club will likely shift center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, whose 10 Defensive Runs Saved are tied for the most in the majors among outfielders, to the infield. Jarren Duran will likely move from left to center with Anthony sliding into left field. Trevor Story, despite a recent uptick at the plate, could see more time on the bench. Then there's Masataka Yoshida, rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and still throwing at just 60 feet, who is blocked at designated hitter by Devers and in the outfield by the aforementioned group with Anthony nearing his debut. Given the team's offensive struggles, getting Yoshida at-bats at DH rather than waiting for his shoulder to heal could have helped their situation. But with Devers at DH, there's no room on the roster. Cora is by no means blameless for the team's current struggles. He's made some moves worth questioning, but at the same time, he's also working with the roster he's been given, one that resembles a puzzle with multiple missing pieces. For as good as the Red Sox and their fan base felt in spring training, the optimism that the team will contend is questionable at best as the calendar has flipped to June. Perhaps early trade deadline moves can rejuvenate the team and help Breslow reconfigure what has turned into a disappointing mess of a season so far. (Top photo of Breslow: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Sox Make Alex Cora Announcement Before Latest Loss
Red Sox Make Alex Cora Announcement Before Latest Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. If and when the inconsistent Boston Red Sox revamp their roster ahead of the July 31 deadline, at least manager Alex Cora can rest easy knowing his spot is likely safe. Advertisement It's been a frustrating campaign for Cora's Red Sox, who have endured injuries and multiple battles between Rafael Devers and management. Despite an Opening Day payroll just below $200 million, the Red Sox are on track to finish with their third losing season in four years. More importantly, the Red Sox have only made the postseason once since their 2018 title. Luckily for Cora, though, he signed a three-year, $21.75 million extension last July, and the Red Sox even admitted it's a significant reason why he's still managing. 'We obviously made a commitment to Alex,' Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said before Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves. 'We're gonna see that through.' In other words, Breslow all but confirmed he can't, or won't, fire Cora just yet because the Red Sox made too significant a financial commitment. Boston Red Sox manager Alex CoraPatrick Gorski-Imagn Images 'Right now,' Breslow continued, according to MassLive, 'it's about making sure that we're doing everything we can to enable the 26 guys on our roster to help us win as many games as possible.' Advertisement However, that doesn't mean Cora will definitely lead the Red Sox next year. Breslow didn't hire Cora, although the two played together on the 2006 Red Sox, and he may want his own manager amid the upcoming transitional period. Breslow didn't deny that the fourth-place Red Sox could make changes to the coaching staff at some point, though. 'I'm very mindful of not making a decision irresponsibly or hastily,' Breslow said. 'But again, I think at this point we have to question everything that we're doing, including me questioning the work that I'm doing as well.' Related: Red Sox Seemingly Admitting Failure on $140 Million Bust Related: Braves Projected to Trade $111 Million All-Star After Chris Sale News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Sox Executive Teases ‘Excitement Coming' This Week
Red Sox Executive Teases 'Excitement Coming' This Week originally appeared on Athlon Sports. With a 5-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, the Boston Red Sox have dropped six of their last seven games, falling to 28-32 on the season. Advertisement Boston fans are understandably frustrated with the teams' performance of late. But hope could be on the way. Possibly in the form of MLB's No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony. While no promotions officially occurred on Saturday, that didn't stop Red Sox Senior Director of Player Development Brian Abraham from dropping a little tease to WEEI's Gordo. "A lot of excitement coming the next couple days... little tease." Abraham said. With Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer already playing for the big league club, fans are eagerly awaiting the call up of Anthony, which would reunite Boston's "Big Three" prospects. Advertisement Anthony, the 79th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, has been tearing the cover off the ball for Triple-A Worcester. Through 52 games, Anthony is slashing .305/.435/.500 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs. He also leads the international league in walks and has a .935 OPS. Red Sox top prospect Roman Anthony gets ready for an at-bat © WooSox Photo/Ashley Green / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Prior to Saturday's loss, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was asked about the best time to call up the 21-year-old Anthony. 'I don't think there's a perfect answer to that," Breslow told reporters. "We're trying to balance what's best for Roman and his development with where we are as a team and the way that we're prioritizing our 2025 season." Advertisement Breslow is also very aware of the display Anthony is putting on in Triple-A. "I think you also have to be willing to react to the situation that you have right now, and it's impossible to ignore the performance he's had in Triple-A [Worcester] and how that is lining up with our struggles here at the big league level." Per a report from Chris Henrique of Boston Sports Journal, the Red Sox will be selecting the contract of Anthony's Worcester teammate Nate Eaton, an infielder/outfielder, prior to Sunday's game. Whether this was the "little tease" Abraham was referring to, Red Sox fans will just have to wait and see. Advertisement Related: Alex Bregman Gives One-Word Praise to Red Sox Youngster Marcelo Mayer This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
