LAS VEGAS – As the Boston Red Sox continue to meet with agents and teams for preliminary roster building discussions at the general managers’ meetings, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is confident in his team’s ability to spend this winter.
“Obviously, avoiding specifics around players and not knowing exactly what the market will look like, we feel confident that we’re going to have the resources,” Breslow said when asked if he feels the team will be competitive on the free-agent market. “From 2024 to ‘25, I think we took a meaningful step forward. And it’s not enough to maintain the status quo or just kind of run the same play. We need to continue to put our foot on the gas and find ways to improve so that we can take another step forward heading to ‘26.”
The Red Sox, last season, exceeded the luxury tax threshold of $241 million with a payroll of $246 million for luxury tax purposes, for the first time since 2022. Breslow’s words on Tuesday suggest the team will continue their recent uptick in spending – one highlighted by major in-season contract extensions for Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony – and keep spending in a similar fashion. Breslow, however, wouldn’t comment on whether ownership has set a hard payroll number for 2026 or whether he expects payroll to be higher than last season.
“Probably the details of those conversations are best kept between ownership and me,” he said. “But I think we are aligned on what we’re trying to achieve on the field and ensuring that we have the resources to achieve them.”
He added: “My expectation is we’re gonna do everything we possibly can to build a team that’s going to win more games in 2026 than we did in 2025.”
Breslow has already stated a definitive need for a power bat and a frontline starter to slot alongside or just behind Crochet. Breslow reiterated a stance he made on Monday, noting that while it’s possible he could swing another major prospect trade like the Crochet deal last winter to add to the club this offseason, it “would certainly put a dent in our system”, seeming to indicate the team will emphasize pursuing free agents.
“Trading is certainly one way of improving our short-term outlook, but free agency is another,” Breslow said. “I think if that situation is in front of us, we’ll make whatever we believe to be the best decision for the organization.”
Kristian Campbell’s future
Last month, The Athletic reported that the Red Sox had mapped out a plan for Campbell that included a mental reset followed by adding strength to help with stamina throughout the season.
On Tuesday, Breslow acknowledged the progress Campbell has already made on both fronts.
“He spent a couple days in Fort Myers last week with some of our hitting group, and he looks big and strong, and is back to the size and frame that he was last year, swinging the bat fast again,” Breslow said. “I think the offseason to help with the mental and physical reset has been really valuable for him.”
Kristian Campbell is on a heater in his rookie season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/25EECXo3jf
— MLB (@MLB) April 3, 2025
Breslow characterized Campbell’s position as an ongoing conversation dictated by the roster construction, but also noted they think he could benefit from sticking at just one position rather than splitting time between second base and the outfield like he did much of last year.
“That’s something that we’re actively discussing,” Breslow said. “Even if (sticking to one spot) may not be the case long-term, perhaps in the short-term, (it’s best) just giving him some stability and certainty to where he’s going to play and maybe easing some of the mental demands of trying to play multiple positions at the same time.”
Breslow wouldn’t commit to which spot they’ll move forward with on Campbell, but with an already crowded Red Sox outfield, second base, an area of need for the team, makes the most sense.
Luis Perales continues to impress
The 22-year-old right-hander currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League has continued to put himself on the map for the Red Sox despite some ugly numbers on the surface.
In six starts this fall, Perales has posted a 10.32 ERA but racked up 19 strikeouts (along with 11 walks) in 11 ⅓ innings in his first extended action back on the mound since Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Despite his time missed to injury, Perales is still one of the top pitching prospects in the system thanks to an elite 100 mph fastball that he’s been able to throw consistently post-surgery. That fastball may earn him a spot on the big league roster in the spring. Perales was added to the 40-man roster last winter to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
“The most important thing is getting him back on the field,” Breslow said. “We’ve seen elite stuff. Fastball velo to 101 mph, I think, the secondaries that generate a ton of whiffs. Big strikeout numbers in the AFL, buffered with big walk numbers as well, which I’m not overly concerned about just given that he’s got a track record of being competitive at throwing strikes and it’s the first time that he’s competing (since surgery).”
Before surgery, Perales had posted a 2.94 ERA in nine starts for High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland with 56 strikeouts in 33 ⅔ innings.
Breslow noted the organization believes Perales is a starter in the long term, but if he can help out of the big league bullpen initially, they won’t ignore that as an option.
“We’ll want to make sure we keep the path to starting open, if that means in the short term, though, we need to take on some trade offs (and slide him to the bullpen) to help us win big league games, we’d be prepared to do that,” Breslow said. “And I don’t think that those two things are mutually exclusive over the long run, but we’ll prioritize what’s best for the organization in the short term.”