Before the Boston Red Sox have to make key offseason decisions regarding the qualifying offer and activating players from the 60-day injured list, Craig Breslow made a small move that will help his club retain some key pitching depth in 2026.
The Red Sox and Cooper Criswell have agreed to an $800 thousand major league contract for next season to avoid arbitration, first reported by MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided. Criswell has been in the Red Sox organization since before the 2024 season, and he's served the club well as a depth arm, when necessary.
Boston's 40-man roster is overfull, and some players will have to be removed to activate all the players its had on the 60-day IL and to accommodate potential trade or free agent additions this winter. Murray described Criswell as a non-tender candidate in his report of the contract, but it's clear the Red Sox think more highly of him.
Breslow signed Criswell as a relative unknown after the Rays organization designated him for assignment in 2023. Breslow's pitching instincts were right once again, as the righty pitched to a 4.08 ERA over 99.1 innings between the rotation and bullpen for the Sox in 2024.
Red Sox re-sign depth pitcher Cooper Criswell to a major league deal
Source: Right-hander Cooper Criswell and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a major-league contract. Criswell, who was a non-tender candidate, gets a fully guaranteed $800K. https://t.co/lwjqJ4e3Ef
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) November 6, 2025
Criswell didn't see much time in the big leagues in 2025, but he clocked a 3.57 ERA over 17.2 innings across multiple stints with Boston. In Triple-A, he logged a 3.70 ERA with 68 strikeouts and 28 walks over 65.2 frames.
Had Criswell not fallen injured down the stretch, Red Sox fans may have seen him in the postseason. The WooSox placed him on the seven-day injured list on August 20, and he didn't pitch again afterwards. It was nice to see Connelly Early and Payton Tolle get their cups of coffee in the majors, but a more experienced pitcher could have been a better addition to the Sox's roster, especially given his versatility as a starter and long reliever.
Criswell's stats don't jump off the page, but he's given the Red Sox plenty of reasons to trust him as a depth piece. He posted the best start of his season with Boston on August 1 when he pitched seven one-run innings against the Astros, who were also in the throes of a playoff hunt at the time.
The Sox don't need Criswell to be a star, and he more than likely won't be a candidate for a spot in the rotation on Opening Day, but it's reassuring to see Breslow prioritizing pitching depth after Boston's season ended with just three arms in the rotation.