Even before the Boston Red Sox swept the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies to jump into an American League Wild Card spot, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow attested they would be buyers ahead of the trade deadline.
He reaffirmed that stance in his weekly appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show." The hosts asked Breslow which position group he'll prioritize strengthening at the deadline, and the answer may surprise some fans, given the team's latest hot streak.
"You look at what Lucas [Giolito] and Brayan [Bello] have done over the last month and a half and start to feel confident in the way the starting pitching is coming together," Breslow said. "That said, you can never have too much, so I think that's probably what we would prioritize... We have some depth, but I think if there's the opportunity to provide some impact starting pitching and add that to the group, that's probably where we'd focus."
Giolito and Bello have stepped up in a major way for Boston's rotation, with a 2.23 ERA and a 2.78 ERA, respectively, in their last seven starts. But Giolito has been wildly inconsistent this year and Bello's peripheral stats don't look great (21st percentile strikeout percentage, 4.34 xERA). Adding a more reliable starter and a clear No. 2 in the rotation should be of the utmost priority for a team as streaky as the Red Sox have been.
If #MLB deadline was tomorrow, where is the one area Red Sox would prioritize? Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow joins! @WEEI
— The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) July 10, 2025
Does the abundance of OFs go into a potential deal? OF for pitching help? pic.twitter.com/aWJjUvW4VU
Craig Breslow says Red Sox may prioritize starting pitching at trade deadline, updates on Alex Bregman extension talks
The Red Sox have recently been linked to Twins starter and All-Star Joe Ryan, who would be exactly the boost they need to compete down the stretch. Sandy Alcantara, Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney and Seth Lugo are just a few other potential starting pitcher trade candidates who could bolster Boston's rotation.
"The Greg Hill Show" also asked Breslow if there were any updates about a potential contract extension with Alex Bregman. While the CBO didn't have a clear update, his verbiage is encouraging.
"I think I've been pretty outspoken about what he's provided on the field and in the clubhouse to a bunch of the young guys, to the coaching staff, to me, and so he's a guy we would like to have here in a Red Sox uniform for a long time," Breslow said.
He categorized their extension discussions as "ongoing," but the current priority is to get Bregman healthy and back in action after a quad strain has kept him sidelined since late May. There are plenty of trade rumors surrounding Bregman, who has an opt-out in his contract after the 2025 season, but a Red Sox official has refuted those rumors (according to Sean McAdam of MassLive) and they'll hold onto him to try and win — and, hopefully, to keep him in Boston long-term.
The third baseman fits in well with the Red Sox and at Fenway Park, and signing him to an extension would be a great way to use Rafael Devers' contract funds. Bregman is batting .299/.385/.553 with a .938 OPS and is well on his way to posting the best season of his career if he continues at that pace. His offensive resurgence, coupled with his years of playoff experience, could help the Red Sox right the ship and become perennial postseason contenders again.