Red Sox announce hiring of Craig Breslow as new Chief Baseball Officer
BOSTON -- It's official: Craig Breslow is the new chief baseball officer of the Boston Red Sox.
The team announced the hiring of Breslow on Wednesday, and will introduce the new man in charge of Boston's baseball operations department at a press conference at Fenway Park next Thursday, November 2. (You can get to know him a little more here ahead of that introduction.)
"I couldn't be more excited to return to the Boston Red Sox, an organization that means so much to my family and to me," Breslow said of his new job. "I am humbled by the opportunity to lead baseball operations and to work alongside so many talented people. I'd like to thank John Henry, Tom Werner, Mike Gordon, and Sam Kennedy for entrusting me with executing the vision we share for this organization. I know firsthand how special winning in Boston is, and I look forward to once again experiencing that passion and success with our fans."
Breslow was a key part of the Boston bullpen in 2013 and helped the team win a World Series. He also won a ring during his first stint with the organization in 2007, despite not appearing in a game at the Major League level that year.
The 43-year-old immediately jumped into the business side of baseball after he retired, and spent the last five years in the front office of the Chicago Cubs. Breslow worked his way up to Assistant General Manager and Senior Vice President/Pitching in 2023.
"Each year, one baseball club emerges with a championship," Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry said in the release announcing Breslow's hiring. "Our organization continues to have significantly high standards and expectations with a goal of being able to compete annually for that coveted privilege. After the 2018 World Series, we sought to build a future that would avoid the ups and downs normally associated with winning. That plainly hasn't happened. Despite the results, over the past few years, substantial efforts have been made and considerable organizational progress has occurred behind the scenes, but not at the major league level. We feel strongly that Craig is the right person at the right time to lead our baseball department. Craig's understanding of the game is remarkable. What convinced us to bring him aboard in this capacity was his highly strategic philosophy and his grasp of what it takes operationally in today's evolving game to excel at the highest level in player acquisition, development, and execution at the major league level. We are excited to welcome him back."
"We met a number of extremely qualified candidates and Craig's vision for how to bring another World Series Championship to Boston was extremely thoughtful, compelling, and inspiring," added Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. "He not only has deep experience as a front office executive, but he's also a former player who knows the market extremely well. And while his baseball expertise remains the dominant factor, his genuine aspiration to create a better world sets him apart as an extraordinary leader. I'm eager to welcome him to the Red Sox and look forward to the impact he will have on our operation."
Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said that Breslow was a "standout candidate" in Boston's search for Chaim Bloom's replacement.
"The praise from fellow baseball executives was impressive, but what truly distinguished him were the resounding character references from former teammates, including David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, David Ross, Brock Holt, and Kevin Youkilis," said Kennedy. "Craig knows what it takes to be successful in Boston and he's up for the challenge."
