Revealed Red Sox-Diamondbacks trade talks show Craig Breslow exercised great restraint

Intel from The Boston Globe's Alex Speier suggests that the Arizona Diamondbacks were trying to pry Marcelo Mayer away from the Boston Red Sox, along with either Payton Tolle or Connelly Early. But Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wasn't having it.

According to Speier, Mayer and Tolle/Early emerged as demands from Arizona during Ketel Marte trade negotiations. Breslow was reportedly willing to give the D-Backs a worthy return of stud prospect Franklin Arias and one of either Tolle or Early. When Arizona ratcheted up their ask by involving Mayer, Breslow reportedly lost interest.

Speier's information paints a favorable picture of Breslow as a cool-headed strategist who wasn't going to be tempted by Arizona's guile. While the report reveals that Boston was indeed in on Marte (as various writers suggested), Breslow is ultimately the type of team-builder who isn't going to make a bad trade for a great player.

Craig Breslow showed off his negotiating chops in Red Sox-Ketel Marte trade talks

Plenty of Red Sox fans would argue that such a mindset isn't optimal when you're sitting in Breslow's seat, and that something more akin to Andrew Friedman's philosophy of overpaying is what wins championships. And that's a valid take.

Even so, when you're examining the Marte negotiations as a singular entity, Breslow made the right call here and should be acknowledged for doing so.

The difference between a Mayer and Tolle package and an Arias and Tolle package isn't massive if you believe in Arias's potential, but it's a margin that has serious effects on Boston's ability to win now. That's because Mayer is an important player for the Red Sox in 2026, even if Breslow has downplayed that importance with recent comments that Mayer will be merely "competing" for an everyday role.

Contrary to those remarks (which seemed like another psychological exercise from Breslow), the 2026 Red Sox need Mayer to be close to the best version of himself. With Boston losing Alex Bregman to free agency and hoping to replace Bregman's presence in the infield by committee, Mayer and newcomer Caleb Durbin must deliver.

And based on the fact that Breslow wasn't willing to give up Mayer in a Marte deal, it's clear that Boston's front office still holds a firm belief that Mayer can have the type of season in '26 that reflects his rising star talent.

From a cultural standpoint, losing Mayer would have hurt, too. Red Sox fans are attached to the Mayer-Roman Anthony duo, which has some resemblance to the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown relationship that's powered the Boston Celtics over the past decade.

Breslow made the right call by keeping Mayer off-limits; now it's up to Marcelo to go and validate that decision by being himself and staying healthy this season.