Craig Breslow takes indirect shot at Chaim Bloom while evaluating Red Sox after 2024

For multiple seasons, pitching has been a key point of emphasis for the Boston Red Sox organization. Whether it needed to revamp its pitcher development program, coaching style, or sign new talent, Boston's bullpen and rotation have required considerable attention for a long time.

One of the reasons the Red Sox hired Craig Breslow as chief baseball officer last season was to bring life back to their pitching development and to spy quality arms. So far, Breslow feels he and the organization have done well in those categories.

“I think we’re in a significantly better place than the time I took over,” Breslow said to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. He also praised his pitching coach and director of pitching, Andrew Bailey and Justin Willard, for the job they've done in their first season, with Tanner Houck's evolution into an ace at the forefront of their achievements.

But Breslow's first comment could've been a dig at the state of the organization when his tenure began. The man in charge before him was future Cardinals president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom.

Craig Breslow praises his development of Red Sox pitching staff since he took Chaim Bloom's seat in the front office

Boston's farm system was weak after Dave Dombrowski's dismissal in 2019, and Bloom was hired, in part, to re-stock its young pool of talent. Bloom did just that by drafting top prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel and Kristian Campbell, among other highly-touted youngsters. But most of the players Bloom drafted didn't address the Red Sox's biggest deficiency — homegrown pitching.

The Red Sox used 14 of their 20 MLB Draft picks on pitchers in the first year of Breslow's administration. He traded Alex Verdugo to the Yankees to acquire pitchers Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice. He signed Cooper Criswell, who was reliable in spot starts and long relief, when and wherever the Sox needed him. He traded second base prospect Nick Yorke to the Pirates for young, controllable starter Quinn Priester.

The Red Sox's record improved from 78-84 in 2022-23 to an even 81-81 in Breslow's first year, and the organization's starting pitching resurgence was critical to those additional wins. None of Boston's starters posted 30 starts in 2023, but three of its hurlers posted 30 or more in 2024. The bullpen collapsed at the end of the campaign, but the additional depth the Sox expect in 2025 and any signings or trades Breslow makes should help mitigate that next year.

In the pitching department, Breslow is right — the Red Sox are in a significantly better place than they were a year ago, but the staff still needs plenty of work. Boston's front office has made promises to fans and stated it'll put the work in to get the Red Sox back into division-winning shape, and this is the year to deliver.

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