Multiple factors have contributed to the Boston Red Sox's regression from last season. Homegrown players haven't performed to expectations and Boston hasn't been able to lean on as many as it initially hoped.
But internal dysfunction and poor roster construction are also to blame. For these issues, Red Sox fans, and even some insiders and analysts, are pointing fingers at chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
Breslow orchestrated Alex Bregman's signing before the 2025 season, but neglected to communicate with Rafael Devers in the process, eventually costing Boston its best home run hitter. Before the 2026 season, he failed to reunite with Bregman and he had to scramble for a third base backup plan. A run-prevention-focused approach has resulted in one of the meekest offenses in the American League.
Despite those moves that led to the Red Sox's fall back to the basement of the American League East, team CEO and president Sam Kennedy said that ownership hasn't considered making a CBO change. But MLB insider Bob Nightengale — as well as many Sox fans — sees right through Fenway Sports Group's promise to stick with Breslow.
Nightengale wrote on June 14 that he believes the Red Sox will be in search of a new CBO this winter and went as far as to say that "no one in baseball" believes Breslow's job is truly safe. He cites the Red Sox's recent tendency to axe CBOs after very short tenures — Dave Dombrowski and Chaim Bloom were both dismissed before they finished their fourth season with the club.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale sees the writing on the wall for Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow
After the surprise firing of Alex Cora in April, the Red Sox put all their faith in Breslow to turn his team around. In over a month since the firing, nothing drastic has changed. Boston's offense is still virtually powerless, inconsistent and not reinforced via the trade market.
Countless reports have emerged from within the Red Sox organization that confirm Breslow's decisions aren't popular (subscription required). Even Theo Epstein has come out against Breslow's reliance on analytics in his decisionmaking. His communication skills are so poor that players on 10-year deals have been traded and he unsympathetically addressed his players after Cora's dismissal.
The Red Sox's competitive window is also wide open now, and any season in which they're not winning is a waste. Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela are signed long-term, Wilyer Abreu is still on a pre-arbitration deal and Willson Contreras is under team control for the next two seasons — the Red Sox need to make the most of this group while they have it, and Breslow hasn't shown an ability to do such a thing with his poor resource allocation and awful communication.
If the Red Sox are considering firing Breslow (which they probably are because of his inability to avoid controversy), they would never admit it beforehand. It took many rounds of interviews and denials from coveted candidate to land on Breslow when the CBO position was open last time and finding a replacement for him is only going to be harder if the Red Sox throw him under the bus before cutting him loose.
Boston's poor play this season and the countless leaks from the front office corroborate Nightengale's belief that Breslow isn't long for his job. If the Red Sox are smart, they'll dismiss him before the trade deadline to avoid any additional desperation trade disasters for which Breslow has become infamous.
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