Report: Craig Breslow accepts offer to become Red Sox’ head of baseball operations

Red Sox

Breslow, 43, last served as the Cubs’ assistant GM and director of pitching.

The Red Sox have reportedly found their head of baseball operations.

According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Chicago Cubs assistant GM and former Boston reliever Craig Breslow has accepted the Red Sox’ offer to take over as the team’s new head of baseball operations. 

Speier reported earlier Tuesday that Breslow was viewed as the frontrunner for the front-office spot vacated by Chaim Bloom, who was fired by the Red Sox in September. Speier added in a later report that Boston offered Breslow the position to run the team’s operations as the Red Sox try to rebound for a third last-place finish in the last four seasons. 

Breslow, 43, has plenty of local ties to the Red Sox. The New Haven, Connecticut, native graduated from Yale and now resides in Newton, even after taking his current job with Cubs. The southpaw pitched in the major leagues for 12 seasons, including two stints with the Red Sox.

Breslow was a dependable option out of the bullpen for Boston during his second go-around with the Red Sox. During Boston’s run to a World Series title in 2013, Breslow posted a 1.81 ERA over 61 appearances for the Red Sox.

Once Breslow opted to hang up his spikes, he joined the Cubs in 2019 as their ​ director of strategic initiatives. He was promoted in 2020 to become director of pitching and special assistant to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer. Another promotion in 2021 tabbed him as Chicago’s assistant GM.

In his role with Chicago, Breslow helped run a rebuild of the Cubs’ pitching development infrastructure while also assisting in the evaluation of free agents and monitoring other day-to-day operations.

Even though Breslow may not be as tenured as other potential candidates vying for Bloom’s former position, Speier noted that Boston’s new exec does draw some parallels to Rangers GM Chris Young.

Young, who pitched in the big leagues from 2004-17, spent three seasons in the MLB Commissioner’s office and just two years as an exec below former Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels. Once Daniels was fired last August — Young took over the reins of the organization.

In his first full season at the helm, the Rangers advanced to the World Series.

The Red Sox would welcome a similar result during Breslow’s first season running the show at Fenway Park.