Craig Breslow Hints At Red Sox's Plans To Acquire Starting Pitching

It's not a depth issue, Breslow says

Feb 15, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow talks with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

If it felt like the Boston Red Sox used a lot of starting pitchers this season, it's because they absolutely did.

From ace Garrett Crochet to minor-league call-ups like Hunter Dobbins to opener Brennan Bernardino, the Red Sox ran the gauntlet of pitching available to them. All in all, they used 15 starters, sneaking in No. 15 on the last day of the regular season in José De León.

Though Boston's starting pitching was a key reason to breaking a three-year playoff drought, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow believes the Red Sox cannot rest on their laurels in terms of roster construction -- and he's absolutely right.

Breslow: Red Sox looking for pitchers who "move the needle"

Sep 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

When asked about the rotation on Wednesday's episode of NESN's "310 to Left" podcast, Breslow told hosts Tom Caron and Alex Speier that the team would pursue impact pitchers only this winter, because as they showed this season, the Red Sox clearly have plenty of depth.

“What we need to, and what we’ll do over the course of the offseason, is take a step back and really recognize what type of potential pitching additions or acquisitions really move the needle for us, because we do have what I would suggest is a strong group of pitching depth,” Breslow told Caron and Speier.

“And so we want to make sure that any additions that we make actually improve our team.”

To be fair, Breslow said almost the exact same things in the lead-up to the trade deadline, and he wound up acquiring Dustin May, who had a 4.85 ERA and was about to be booted from the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation.

However, there are more avenues open during the offseason, as the Red Sox may simultaneously have lower prices to acquire trade candidates like the Minnesota Twins' Joe Ryan (who they tried for on deadline day) and have free rein in free agency, where arms like Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Zac Gallen await.

There's no right or wrong answer to who the Red Sox should get just yet, but the chief baseball officer seems to know that real improvements are necessary.

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