It's well established that the Boston Red Sox did not have the offseason fans hoped they would. The expectations fans held were set by CEO Tom Werner at new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's introductory press conference on Nov. 2, the date which Werner uttered the infamous words, "full throttle."
Two months later, Werner retracted his statement about going "full throttle" and CEO Sam Kennedy announced that payroll will likely be lower than it was last season. Since then, and even before, the Red Sox have been named time and time again as the ideal location for Jordan Montgomery and many other high-profile free agents ... with no movement from the front office.
Other front office members have made confessions that the offseason didn't meet their expectations, Breslow being the most significant of them. He admitted that "things haven't come together in maybe a way that anticipated" this winter. Kennedy also admitted that Breslow was working under a set budget this offseason, which directly contradicts Werner's previous statement that there were no financial limitations on Boston's acquisitions.
At this year's Truck Day events, Kennedy said there were still unsigned free agents available and the Sox's roster wasn't necessarily final. He also made public a FaceTime exchange with former fan-favorite Dustin Pedroia — the former second baseman denied an invitation down to Fort Myers to assist with spring training, likely because he isn't thrilled with the state of the team. Pedroia made it clear to Kennedy, manager Alex Cora and the others present that there are still free-agent pitchers who need jobs.
It seems strange that Kennedy would make such statements when there is seemingly no intention by ownership to act on them. NBC Sports Boston's John Tomase has theorized that's exactly Kennedy's plan.
There appears to be a difference of opinion in Boston's front office that Kennedy and Werner's statements have revealed. Werner likely wouldn't make such a big promise as "full throttle" if he knew it was going to end up being a lie. Kennedy piling on with more hopes that won't be met could be an attempt to show fans that it all goes back to John Henry.
NBC Sports Boston's John Tomase believes Sam Kennedy and Tom Werner are not in agreement with John Henry's Red Sox plans
We know the Red Sox front office was expecting to spend before Bloom was fired.
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) February 17, 2024
Werner made it a point to drop “full throttle” and the importance of surrounding Devers with stars.
Breslow wanted to add a bonafide starter or 2. All points to John Henry.pic.twitter.com/MyWoI9XLwH
Henry is the majority owner of the team and has the final say on any financial decisions made by the club. Tomase thinks that Kennedy and Werner wouldn't have made such bold assertions if they did not believe them possible. For the Red Sox, big signings are possible, and without any need to wait for prospects to mature and reach the bigs, but they're being told "no" at every turn.
Boston radio personalities Felger and Mazz of WEEI believe something similar. Kennedy admitting that a budget has been set for Breslow relieves Breslow of responsibility for the team's lack of spending and paints ownership in a negative light. They interpret all of management's latest comments as small rebellions against Henry to show fans the truth.
Henry has been accused of pushing the Red Sox aside in his financial endeavors. He's denied that the organization has fallen out of favor with him, but just weeks after Werner stated that the Red Sox were ready to spend big, Henry and Fenway Sports Group led a conglomerate of businesses and billionaires in a $3 billion acquisition of part of the PGA Tour while leaving Boston with nothing. It's also rumored that Henry is hoping to buy an NBA expansion team — yet another interest to take his attention from the namesake squad of his sports group.
Henry continually avoiding Red Sox media doesn't help his case with reporters and fans. It's been years since he's spoken in person to Boston sports or national publications and the men he selects to speak for him are probably losing their patience. Kennedy and Werner are the ones facing the people that Henry is lying to and disappointing. They're the ones feeling the gradually dying interest of Red Sox Nation firsthand.
It's become clear that the Red Sox organization gave up on this season after it missed out on signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto. After that, 2024 became just another rebuild year, but perhaps Kennedy and Werner knew it didn't have to be.
Until recently, Chaim Bloom, Kennedy and Werner were the ones taking the heat for Henry calls. It seems the latter two may be finished taking the blame after Bloom was a partial scapegoat.