Boston Red Sox Exec Exlpains Why Team was Queit at MLB Trade Deadline

The Boston Red Sox were relatively quiet at the MLB trade deadline, only acquiring pitchers Dustin May and Steven Matz. Seemingly aware of the criticism that would be coming from fans and the national media, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow explained why the club didn’t make bigger deals.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, the Red Sox CBO said that the team didn’t take any of its top prospects off the table in trade talks. However, other clubs didn’t seem to want Boston’s minor-league talent.

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“I don’t think this is about an unwillingness to include guys. … Teams have to like our players.”

Boston Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow on not making bigger deals at the MLB trade deadline (via Alex Speier)

Boston entered the season with one of the highest-ranked farm systems in baseball. Then, many of the Red Sox’s top prospects (Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Kristian Campbell) were called up to the majors. This left a void at the top of the farm system, which Breslow partially addressed with the Rafael Devers trade.

James Tibbs III, the top-rated prospect Boston received from the San Francisco Giants, was traded on Thursday to the Los Angeles Dodgers for May. After Tibbs was traded, Breslow admitted rival clubs showed little interest in what Boston had to offer.

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It is also worth noting that many top prospects now central to the Red Sox roster were acquired under former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. Breslow, hired in October 2023, will have to rely on the young minor-league talent he has developed and signed to either attract more interest from opposing clubs this offseason or exceed the modest expectations other teams currently have for them.