The Boston Red Sox have gotten off to a slow start. They were recently swept at home by the New York Yankees and fell to 9-16 on the season. That is ultimately the second worst record in the American League, and it has them at the bottom of the AL East, seven games behind the Bronx Bombers.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on April 20 that despite their slow start, it is unlikely that they fire manager Alex Cora, who is in the second year of a three-year contract extension.
However, that doesn’t mean that everybody is safe. Boston has made changes after down seasons before. Rosenthal noted Friday that if the Red Sox miss the playoffs, then Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow may be the next casualty.
“If they don’t (make the playoffs), we’ve seen the Red Sox ownership before. What do they do? They look for scapegoats,” Rosenthal said on Fair Territory. “Certainly, Breslow in this particular season, if he’s not on the hot seat, then it’s time for them under him to take a step forward. They made the playoffs last year, that was good, but now they’ve taken, at least to start the season, a step back.”
Craig Breslow May Be Red Sox Next Casualty
The Red Sox have really struggled to start the season, but if they miss the playoffs, then a possible front office change would not be a surprise. They missed the playoffs in 2023 and ultimately fired Chaim Bloom from his position. Breslow was hired away from the Chicago Cubs to replace Bloom.
But if they do fire Breslow, it’s not something that would be out of the ordinary. Cora appears to be safe from any repercussions amid the Red Sox’s slow start, but that doesn’t mean things won’t change elsewhere within the organization.
However, the leader of the front office is often blamed for a team’s struggles if not the manager, and assuming that the Red Sox’s struggles continue, ownership may look to let go of Breslow so as to at least make some changes.
Though that may not be the change that they need to make. In truth, the problem may start all the way at the top for Boston. Perhaps Breslow is limited due to the team’s ownership and is being prevented from doing what is ultimately best for the organization.
Boston fans are frustrated with the team’s poor performance, but Breslow may not be the problem.
Red Sox Ownership is the Problem
The Red Sox missed out on a reunion with Alex Bregman, as they were outbid by the Cubs. Ultimately, financial decisions are often up to ownership, and that is something that the front office cannot control.
So, if Breslow does take the fall for the Red Sox this coming offseason, that likely will not solve any problems that are currently plaguing the organization. It will be interesting to see if Boston can reach the postseason and save Breslow’s job. If not, he could be in jeopardy.
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