Headed into a pivotal winter, Boston Red Sox fans are hoping for reassurance.
Though the Red Sox have been nonfactors in free-agent bidding wars the past few winters, there's a glimmer of hope that perhaps this year will be different. The Red Sox showed promise in 2024, and there's an exciting young core of prospects waiting in the wings to take the team to the next level.
Last winter, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was learning on the job, having only taken over the gig at the start of November. This year, though, it's Breslow's team, and he'll wear the brunt of any criticisms the Red Sox take for their moves (or lack thereof) heading into 2025.
Of course, ownership plays an outsized role in the free agency equation, and Breslow would need Fenway Sports Group's approval to sign any massive deals. Early indications are that such conversations could be difficult when they arise.
In a quote via Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Breslow provided a rather noncommittal answer when asked if the Red Sox would spend this winter.
“Those conversations are always ongoing," Breslow said. "I feel like when opportunities to improve our team exist — and we should be aggressive in trying to find those opportunities — we take them to ownership. I think we’re going to have the support to do that. But, it’s kind of premature right now to say exactly what that will look like outside of everyone in this organization is excited about what we believe is going on and happening here.”
Breslow should be applauded for saying so little in so many words. Sometimes, a simple "yes" or "no" answer is all a fan base wants, and the longer Red Sox fans fail to get one, the more doubts will fester.
It may be "premature" to know which specific players Boston would hope to offer lucrative contracts to this winter, but Breslow's quote will only fuel doubt that such contracts will even be on the table. After all, the Red Sox haven't been in the business of handing out those contracts the last few years.
At a certain point, the Red Sox are no longer "scaling back" or "waiting for a window." If they fail to spend this winter, they're just a medium-market team. And for that, there is simply no excuse.
