Craig Breslow’s latest failed trade should be the Red Sox’s last straw

Even at the time, there was no question that the June 2025 Rafael Devers trade would make or break Boston Red Sox lead baseball executive Craig Breslow’s future.

Breslow and the Red Sox received an underwhelming package from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for their longtime third baseman. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, a young mainstay in the Giants’ rotation, arguably headlined the Red Sox’s return. Although Harrison has impressed this year and is on pace for his first All-Star selection, the Red Sox can’t exactly enjoy it.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Breslow included Harrison in the February trade for Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Brice Turang, and the early results could spell further trouble for Breslow.

The Kyle Harrison trade should be the final black mark against Craig Breslow

If Devers continues at his current pace, hindsight will justify the Red Sox’s decision to move on from him when they did. Devers is hitting .242 for the fourth-place Giants, is under contract through 2033, and has no opt-outs. That’s a trade Buster Posey would almost surely love to have back. 

The problem, and it’s one that might eventually cost Breslow his job, is that the Red Sox gained nothing worthwhile for Devers. Of the four players acquired, only minor-league pitcher Jose Bello is still in the organization less than 12 months later.

Jordan Hicks posted an 8.20 ERA and -1.1 bWAR for the Red Sox last summer. He's currently on the Chicago White Sox's injured list. Boston sent outfielder/first baseman James Tibbs III to the Dodgers at the deadline for pitcher Dustin May.

Tibbs, a 2024 first-round pick, is hitting .310 with 32 extra-base hits and a 1.028 OPS at Triple-A Oklahoma City. As for May, he’s occupying a spot in the Cardinals’ rotation.

Then, there’s Harrison, who lowered his ERA to 1.57 with six shutout innings against the Cardinals earlier this week. He's already recorded 2.3 bWAR, tying him for 10th among pitchers leaguewide. Durbin, meanwhile, is hitting .172 with a .499 OPS through 49 games.

Even calling the Devers trade a pyrrhic victory is overly generous. Bello turned 21 on Friday and has split this season between starting and coming out of the bullpen for Single-A Salem.

Expectations were rightfully high in Boston after last year’s playoff appearance, but the Red Sox are already 12 games back in the AL East. Depending on how this weekend plays out, the Red Sox could easily enter next week with the American League’s worst record.

Craig Breslow has to take the fall for the disastrous season

Alex Cora already lost his job, and Breslow figures to be next — at least, if the Red Sox have any legitimate interest in righting the ship.

Results must speak for themselves, and Breslow has done very little right. Getting rid of Devers and his massive contract only means so much when three of the four players acquired aren’t even around anymore.

Perhaps the conversation would be slightly different had May re-signed with the Red Sox, but to what extent? He’d have needed to grow into, at the very least, an above-average starting pitcher.

More and more, the 2025 season feels like an aberration. Alex Bregman’s impact on and off the field is significantly missed, and the Cora firing proved that Breslow doesn’t command respect from his players.

If the Red Sox are smart, they’ll commit to a full organizational rebuild by moving on from Breslow within the coming months. Look no further than the Nationals, who are floating above .500 after starting over last summer.

What Breslow is doing isn’t working, and that’s on ownership to accept that fact and turn the page.

Otherwise, the Red Sox run the risk of becoming an irrelevant major market team, and that should never be the case in Boston.

More MLB news and analysis:

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow