Craig Breslow Faces Harsh Spotlight Over Trade Moves After ESPN Delivers Grim Season Verdict

Craig Breslow’s first real test as the Red Sox’s chief decision-maker has swiftly transformed into a focal point for controversy. The Red Sox, riding a post-All-Star surge and a five-game win streak, entered the deadline in prime playoff position. Yet, instead of escalating to chase a pennant, the front office goes for a conservative approach that has now drawn national fire.

According to ESPN’s latest forecast, Boston’s playoff odds sit at 97.9 percent, but its title chances remain a modest 18 percent. The Yankees rank at 29 percent and the Blue Jays at 51 percent, underlining how Boston’s “safe” deadline choices could come back to affect them. The Red Sox added arms in Steven Matz and Dustin May, but neither addition howled “all-in.” While Matz has thrived in the bullpen, May, alongside Jordan Hicks, acquired earlier in the season, has not had a profound influence.

The decision not to land a power bat or frontline starter is at the center of ESPN’s criticism. The Red Sox were linked to names such as Joe Ryan and Ryan O’Hearn, but never pushed their chips in. Instead, Breslow left Boston in what many have called “transactional purgatory,” where the team was neither a buyer nor a seller. For a roster within reach of the AL East crown, that passivity is hard to shield.

Breslow himself admitted the frustration: “I understand the frustration and the disappointment because we’re all looking at the last week right now in terms of the trades that were made and weren’t made,” he told MassLive. But fans are questioning why depth-rich contenders like Vaughn Grissom or Jhostynxon Garcia were not leveraged in deals. With six outfielders blocked on the roster and several jam prospects in Worcester, critics argue Boston squandered its best chance to flip surplus into star power.

The incomplete rotation only intensifies those concerns. Garrett Crochet is pitching like a Cy Young contender, but without another frontline starter to complement him, October success feels like a long shot. Breslow’s doubt to gamble left Boston with a “good but not great” roster, one that ESPN views as talented enough to contend, but not built to finish the job. For Red Sox Nation, the feeling is all too familiar: a golden opportunity fell away while competitors refuse to play it safe.

And now, even as ESPN points to front office blunders, the latest move from the dugout only magnifies the spotlight on Boston’s brittle rotation plans.

Red Sox announce effective rotation shakeup amid rising pressure

Manager Alex Cora admitted that rookie sensation Payton Tolle, fresh off an electrifying MLB debut, will start Friday against the Diamondbacks, a clear signal Boston is depending on its young arms to ignite the stretch run. The other side? Dustin May, once thought to steady the staff after the trade deadline, has been slotted to bullpen duty.

While Cora framed the adjustment as safeguarding Tolle’s workload and keeping options flexible, the decision highlights Boston’s ongoing instability in the rotation. Kyle Harrison, acquired in the blockbuster Rafael Devers trade, could also slot into Wednesday’s matchup against Cleveland, though reports suggest a bullpen game is more likely.

Tolle has logged 97 innings across three levels this year, but Cora acknowledged managing his usage is tricky: “He hasn’t pitched in a regular rotation, so we have to take care of him.” That cautious tone contrasts sharply with the urgency of Boston’s playoff chase, raising questions about whether Breslow’s deadline inactivity has left Cora juggling arms rather than commanding them.

Harrison, meanwhile, comes with experience, 182 big league innings for the Giants before the trade, but still carries the inconsistencies of a developing lefty. In Worcester, he flashed upside with a 3.68 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 49 innings. Whether that translates into stability on the major-league stage remains uncertain.

Finally, the shakeup is both a vote of confidence in Boston’s young pitchers and an indictment of the franchise’s failure to secure a proven workhorse. With ESPN already critical of Breslow’s decisions, the limelight now shifts directly to how well Cora can stitch together a rotation that was not completely reinforced when he needed it most.