3 Craig Breslow moves that could have Red Sox fans forgiving him this offseason

Red Sox Nation's trust in Craig Breslow has ebbed and flowed during his year and a half as chief baseball officer. His first offseason was uninspiring at the time, but ended up looking decent in hindsight. His management of the trade deadline in 2024 was downright bad and had fans questioning whether he would survive through the offseason. Then the offseason of 2025 happened, and fans looked at him through a new light. Major acquisitions and smart baseball moves had fans singing his praises.

Spring training followed, and the Rafael Devers drama unfolded. All of the confidence he had garnered quickly dwindled until once again, and fans were calling for his job. But the team's performance post-trade reinvigorated the fanbase and bought Breslow some more trust, all for it to be lost again at the 2025 trade deadline. Then he got Boston's newest superstar, Roman Anthony, to sign on the dotted line, and once again, some of that trust was back.

It seems almost cyclical now; how many times he has lost and then regained the trust of the fanbase in a very short tenure. The team is hot, though, and with greener pastures ahead, Breslow seems to be in a spot where he can fully gain the trust of the fanbase, and they won't immediately jump ship if he makes a misstep. What moves could he make to get that trust? Here are three:

3 Craig Breslow moves that could have Red Sox fans forgiving him this offseason

Extended Alex Bregman

The next player Boston fans want to be under a long-term contract is Alex Bregman. The third baseman signed a three-year, $120 million deal in the offseason, but it has opt-outs after years one and two.

Bregman has been a key contributor to the Sox this season, at the plate, in the field, and the clubhouse. He has been the best and most consistent hitter on the team this season, played great defense at the hot corner, and has been a mentor to the young players who have joined the major league team. Keeping him here through the rest of his career would go a long way with the fanbase.

Make up for broken promises

Following the Devers trade, Breslow promised multiple times that the Sox were going to go all in at the trade deadline. What that turned into was the pursuit of a controllable number two starter to sit behind Garrett Crochet in the rotation. The Sox walked away empty at the deadline, but they have a chance to make up for that in the offseason. By making a move for Joe Ryan, Edward Cabrera, Mitch Keller, or any other high-end controllable starter, Breslow would instantly be atoning for his botched deadline and showing fans that he was serious about improving the team.

Spend Rafael Devers' money

It's clear to Red Sox Nation that the Devers trade was a salary dump. They didn't eat any of the money, and the return was suboptimal. The one good thing about a salary dump is that it clears a lot of money from the books that can be reinvested. The Anthony extension doesn't count; he was already going to be under contract, and neither will a Bregman one because any contract he signs won't be as high as $40 million per year, so they would be saving money. If Breslow takes the $27-plus million saved by getting rid of Devers and uses it to acquire other talent, then he will have full trust from the Boston faithful.