Craig Breslow is probably riding high right now. The Red Sox made the playoffs. Garrett Crochett looked excellent. The lineup needed Roman Anthony. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman looked good – as did some of the other bullpen members. Over the Monster has, to various degrees, called this season a qualified success. But more needs to be done.
As our own Fitzy Mo Peña reported, Breslow isn’t saying much yet.
But he’s cracked the window a little.
Instead of not saying much he’s now not saying lots!
Don’t worry — there will be more work as we head into winter about the machinations of the Red Sox. But for now, how do we view his comments?
To begin with, if you aren’t familiar with the (incredibly litigious or this article could be more fun) Choose Your Own Adventure books the premise is this: as you read there are choices within the chapters. When you make your choice you flip to the page directed by the prompt. So you can read the same book several times and get different endings.
How does this relate to baseball? Well, the Red Sox have choices to make that will influence further choices.
The first chapter involves Alex Bregman opting out of the final two years of his contract. This was basically guaranteed when he signed because who asks for two opt outs in a three year deal? If he’d missed even more time with injury he’d likely have opted in. But what are the paths to choose?
Re-sign BregmanPlay Marcelo Mayer at thirdTrade for a third basemanSign someone else off free agencySee what Kevin Youkilis is up these days
Each of those takes the team to a slightly different place.
And then at about the same time Trevor Story can opt out.
Opt Story into 2028 and bring him backPlay Marcelo Mayer at shortSign a shortstop / Bo BichetteTrade for a shortstopPlay David Hamilton at short
We’re only looking at two choices so far and haven’t considered them together and already we can’t think about every option for both paths because there is only one Marcelo Mayer.
But wait! That’s just the people who could leave. The Red Sox can also make trades. Let’s move an outfielder. (I’m on thin ice now, please don’t sue, this isn’t competition)
Congratulations! You traded Jarren Duran. Collect a shortstop/third baseman/starting pitcherDitto Wilyer Abreu
Maybe instead it’s The Password who goes. Or even Ceddanne “Nuf Cedd” Rafaela, moving Duran back to center field and a Gold Glove to a team that will pay big for a center fielder. Maybe someone who dropped out of the playoffs and wants to contend next year and has a pitcher or shortstop?
Well, Alex Bregman is still gone but you have a starting pitcher and one fewer outfielder? What about Giolito’s mutual option?
What about Rob Refsnyder?
Play The PasswordTrade for someoneFind a free agentTrade for a first basemanMove Kristian Campbell to firstMove a prospects to first who isn’t Kristian CampbellSign a free agentOh, what the heck, play Marcelo Mayer at first
It’s going to be absolutely wild in the walls of Fenway Park over the next few weeks and in the months building up to February and Spring Training.
Bregman opts outStory opts outStory leavesMarcelo Mayer is the shortstopBregman signs elsewhere
But the path could look like:
Bregman opts outStory staysOutfielder is tradedMayer is tradedSign Bo BichetteMove Story to second (again)Make sure Casas has a backup
On one hand: this team won 89 games in 2025. On the other hand, they could quickly be without Bregman, Story, Giolito, Duran/Abreu via trade, and suddenly looks like a very different team.
This is year three for Breslow. Chaim Bloom was hired for 2020 and lasted through most of 2023. Dombrowski was hired before the 2016 season. Ben Cherington took over after 2011. The Red Sox gave Theo Epstein almost a decade but the next three guys have had half that time. I don’t envy the feeling of that timeline hanging over the front office. But the team is on the upswing, has a lot of paths to travel, and a number of ways to improve, though sometimes at the expense of a strength.