Red Sox’s Craig Breslow Outlines Path To Filling Offseason Needs

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is in the market for two things this offseason — and seems to know how he’s going to get them.

Boston has been open about wanting to add frontline starting pitching and a middle-of-the-order bat, particularly a No. 2 starter that can help reshape the rotation and someone who can replace the production lost after trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

Breslow outlined the path in which he expects to fulfill those needs during MLB’s GM Meetings in Las Vegas — telling reporters that he wouldn’t be surprised if one came via trade and the other via free agency, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

It’s almost like he’d done this before…

Breslow, of course, made two huge splashes last offseason by following that same outline — putting together a package of prospects for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet before handing out a nine-figure deal (in theory) to third baseman Alex Bregman.

The Red Sox will likely do something similar this offseason, with many of the middle-of-the-order options — Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso — sitting out there in free agency while starting pitching — Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan and Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta — is currently flooding the trade market.

If you’re one of those people hoping they solve all their problems with cash, that is also on the table.

Bregman also remains a priority, though they’ll likely need to use any leftover funds on retaining the veteran given what we’ve seen in terms of contract projections in the early portion of the offseason.