The Red Sox returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 — only to see their hopes dashed. Now, in the aftermath, Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer, Craig Breslow, is working back and forth to fulfill that unfinished October run in 2026. He has found the core problem that haunted them when it mattered most.

Power-hitting. In the three-game set against the Yankees, Trevor Story had the only homer. The Boston offense clearly struggled. Throughout this season, the clubhouse couldn’t find consistency when it came to hitting since trading Devers. The situation worsened when Roman Anthony landed on the IL due to a left oblique injury on September 2. Boston finished with 186 home runs, ranking seventh in the AL, but it failed to translate when postseason pressure hit.

The front office is aware of it, and Breslow has outlined that issue. As posted by Gordo on X, “Craig Breslow says other teams that are still alive right now hit the ball out of the ballpark more than the Red Sox do, and that is how teams score in the postseason. Says they are open to everything to try and get more home run power.”

The Red Sox offense showed flashes throughout 2025, but their inability to generate consistent power became glaring in the season’s final month.

In April, Boston started out strong, hitting .445 with 37 home runs in 27 games. The power surge kept up until July, when they hit 31 home runs in 24 games and had a .472 slugging percentage.

Before Devers left in mid-June, he played in every game. He provided middle-of-the-order power, which kept opposing pitchers under control. However, it changed, and just when the BoSox found a stable hitting presence in the form of Anthony, that hope also vanished soon.

They were only able to hit 20 home runs in September while their slugging percentage dropped to .406. The team limped toward October, unable to generate the kind of explosive innings.

“We’ve talked a lot about how this window of contention is upon us,” Craig Breslow opened up during the front office’s season-ending news conference. He explained that keeping the Red Sox competitive would require a comprehensive approach. The clubhouse must address this fatal flaw head-on, whether through free agency, trades, or creative roster construction.

Interestingly, the insiders have already found a solution to the Craig Breslow problem.

Kyle Schwarber as Boston’s longball answer

With Boston’s lack of power now obvious, a reunion with Kyle Schwarber can be the best solution. He might bring the power that Craig Breslow was talking about. MLB expert Joon Lee explained this solution.

“I think Kyle Schwarber is a guy that they should go out and try to get, because whether it’s at first base or at designated hitter, we’ve seen him play in Boston already. We know that he steps up in those big moments, and he can hit those home runs.”

Lee continued, “He’s at a point in his career where the game has changed, and his game is actually going to age pretty well, especially if he continues to only play first base and designated hit. He’s got the power-hitter swing. He’s got the bat speed, he’s not relying on his athleticism, and I think he’s relatively going to age well and not cost $50 million a year.”

Bringing Kyle Schwarber back would bring elite power into a lineup that has lacked it. Schwarber has hit 187 home runs with his new team since leaving Boston, which is the second highest in the league after Aaron Judge. And this season?

He has hit 56 home runs and driven in 132 runs (the most in MLB).

This season is his last with the Phillies, with no extension offered yet, which means he will opt for free agency.

Schwarber might be the missing piece for Boston that changes close postseason losses into a longer run in October if they keep the hitters that helped this team get there in the first place. Will Craig Breslow go behind him?