Eli White was the kind of deadline addition most people barely noticed in Boston. That made sense at the time.
Craig Breslow had already swung two headline-grabbing deals, landing Adley Rutschman in one move and flipping Marcelo Mayer for Erik Miller in another. White, by comparison, came in as a backup outfielder in exchange for a depth pitcher who wasn’t even in the majors.
But White has done real damage for the Red Sox since arriving.
In 27 games, the right-handed hitter is batting .276 with a .679 OPS. His 99th percentile sprint speed has already shown up in key spots, and Boston has leaned on him across all three outfield positions. With Ceddanne Rafaela out, White has even handled the everyday center-field job.
The recent stretch has been even better. Over his last seven games, White is hitting .320 with an OPS north of .800.
He has a hit in all but one of those games, has delivered timely swings, and has struck out only five times. Even with Roman Anthony back and the outfield rotating daily between White, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, White has been a steady presence in center.
The numbers from that seven-game run underline just how useful he’s been: 23 plate appearances, a .391/.391/.652/1.043 line, one home run, three doubles, nine RBI and a 190 wRC+.
That kind of contribution is another mark in Breslow’s favor during what has become a remarkable season for the Red Sox executive. In a span of roughly three months, he went from being the executive most likely to be fired to a leading candidate for Executive of the Year.
And White isn’t even the only example. Since the start of last offseason, Breslow has kept finding pieces that have mattered at one point or another.
Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras have been major trade pickups. Ranger Suarez has pitched very well.
Caleb Durbin started slowly, then turned his season around and came through with some of Boston’s biggest moments during the comeback. Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler, both included in the Durbin deal, have also contributed.
Mickey Gasper arrived as a waiver claim, and Jahmai Jones came in after being DFA'd by the Detroit Tigers before the Red Sox traded for him.
At the deadline, Breslow made the biggest splash with Rutschman and also made the tough call to get Miller, a move that has paid off. White’s breakout is just the latest entry on a growing list.
Boston is on the verge of completing a comeback that has happened only once before: reaching the playoffs after being 14 games under .500 on June 24 or later. Breslow’s additions have helped push that run along, and White’s emergence is one more reason his case for Executive of the Year keeps getting stronger.
In Other News...
Red Sox Prospect From That Grissom Deal Is Suddenly Worth Watching
The final week of the season brought a small but notable shuffle in the Red Sox system, with outfielder Isaiah Jackson moving up to Double-A Portland. Boston also promoted right-handers Griffin Kilander and Aaron Nixon to Portland, while utility player Tyler McDonough went back to Triple-A, a set of moves that gives the organization one more chance to take a look at a few players before the year closes.
Jackson is the name that stands out for Red Sox followers, especially because he came over in the Vaughn Grissom trade and has started to build a case in High-A as a defense-first outfielder who can also drive the ball. For a player taken in the eighth round in 2025, the climb to Portland says plenty about how quickly his stock has risen, and it adds one more interesting layer to a deal Boston has been monitoring since the moment it was made. [Read more 🡒]
Viral Fenway Moment Added To A Frustrating Night For Red Sox Fans
Fenway Park had its share of distractions on a frustrating night for Boston, and one of them came from the stands. A fan was recorded sending a $50 payment through Cash App while the game was still going on, with another spectator capturing the moment on video, including the phone screen and the message exchange that led up to it.
It was the kind of off-field scene that can take on a life of its own online, especially when it comes during a game the home crowd would rather forget. The Red Sox went on to lose 6-1 to the Angels, a result that not only dimmed the mood at Fenway but also snapped Bostons five-game winning streak. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Have A Bigger Lineup Concern In Angels Finale
Adley Rutschman is out of the Red Sox starting lineup for the second straight game because of a hyperextended right elbow, giving Boston another wrinkle to manage as it tries to bounce back from its previous loss in the series against the Angels. Mickey Gasper will handle catching duties and bat second, while Jake Bennett is set to start on the mound as the Red Sox look to steady themselves in the finale.
Rutschmans absence leaves Boston watching a key spot in the order and behind the plate a little longer than expected, and it comes at a moment when every lineup decision feels magnified. The Red Sox have enough to sort out after dropping the last game, and now they have to do it without one of the names they were counting on most. [Read more 🡒]