No. 2: Jordan Montgomery
Montgomery took the baseball world by storm during the second half of the 2023 season, leading the Rangers to a playoff berth and, ultimately, a World Series title. The 30-year-old southpaw is a proven winner and has maintained a sub-4.00 FIP in each of the last four seasons.
In 2023, Baseball Savant credited Montgomery with a Pitching Run Value of 19.0, which ranked in the 93rd percentile. He also amassed 7.92 K/9, 2.29 BB/9, and a 43.2 percent ground ball rate. The southpaw’s representatives have already met with Breslow and the Red Sox, so while no deal is imminent, there is clearly some mutual interest here.
No. 3: Brayan Bello
Bello has emerged as a franchise cornerstone for the Red Sox, and extending him should be on the top of Breslow’s offseason to-do list. He could certainly handle being a No. 1 or 2 option in the rotation, but think about what deploying him as the No. 3 would say about Boston’s depth.
Bello’s repertoire impressed in 2023. He dazzled with his fastball, topping out around 98 mph, but arguably enjoyed even more success with his changeup. The off-speed pitch led to a phenomenal 38.7 percent whiff rate and minuscule .218 xwOBA. Finally, Bello’s tendency to induce weak contact continued as he delivered a 56.2 percent ground ball rate. Boston’s future is bright with Bello in the rotation for years to come.