The Boston Red Sox punched their ticket back to the postseason in 2025 for the first time since 2021, but the October ride was short-lived, ending in a Wild Card Series exit. Still, the return to relevance was no accident.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow made a flurry of moves last season that paid off - from bringing in Aroldis Chapman to acquiring Carlos Narváez, Alex Bregman, and Garrett Crochet. Those additions helped steer the club back into contention.
But now, the script is changing.
Breslow’s approach this offseason signals a clear pivot. If 2025 was about adding proven firepower, 2026 is about reshaping the identity of the team - and that means leaning into pitching, defense, and a gritty, contact-heavy offense. Think small ball with a modern twist.
Let’s rewind for a moment. One of the biggest turning points in Boston’s 2025 campaign came midseason when Rafael Devers abruptly parted ways with the club.
Between his time with the Red Sox and the Giants, Devers still managed to crank 35 homers - a reminder of the kind of power Boston lost. With Bregman now also out of the picture, Breslow had to account for more than 50 home runs worth of production that simply vanished from the lineup.
That left a glaring hole in the middle of the order. Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu led the team with 25 and 22 home runs, respectively - solid, but not the kind of punch you want from your primary run producers. And with no Devers or Bregman, the lineup suddenly looked more contact-oriented than power-packed.
So what did Breslow do? He didn’t chase the big bat.
Despite being linked to names like Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, Isaac Paredes, and Nico Hoerner, the Red Sox opted for a different path. Rather than trying to replace power with power, Breslow doubled down on depth, defense, and arms.
And the pitching staff? It’s starting to look like one of the nastiest in the league.
The 2025 Red Sox rotation already posted a 3.70 ERA - top five in baseball - but that didn’t stop Breslow from reloading. He added Ranger Suárez, Johan Oviedo, and Sonny Gray to an already deep group. That’s a serious influx of experience and talent, even if it pushes promising rookies like Connelly Early and Payton Tolle to the background for now.
Manager Alex Cora is clearly on board with the shift in philosophy. “I think there are gonna be a lot of games we can win scoring three or four runs with the pitching we have,” he said.
And he might be right. The Sox averaged 4.8 runs per game last season, and if the pitching takes another step forward, they won’t need to bash their way to wins.
But pitching alone doesn’t win games - not if your defense is giving away outs. That’s another area Breslow attacked hard this offseason.
Boston led the league with 116 errors last year, a stat that simply had to change. Enter Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a versatile defender who can play all over the infield.
Then came Willson Contreras, acquired to take over at first base. And most recently, the Sox pulled off a multi-player deal with the Brewers to bring in third baseman Caleb Durbin and infielder Andruw Monasterio, among others.
Durbin is the kind of player who fits this new Red Sox mold perfectly. He’s not flashy, but he’s effective.
In his rookie season with Milwaukee, he got on base at a .334 clip, struck out just 9.9% of the time, and - believe it or not - led the National League by getting hit by 24 pitches. (Contreras, by the way, was right behind him with 23.)
That’s not exactly glamorous, but it’s gritty, and it’s exactly what Breslow seems to be building: a team that gets on base, puts the ball in play, and doesn’t beat itself.
Defensively, Durbin brings real value too. He’s expected to slot in at third base, with top prospect Marcelo Mayer likely shifting to second. That alignment tightens up the infield and gives Boston a much-needed defensive upgrade.
Every move this winter has followed the same blueprint: improve the defense, deepen the rotation, and build a lineup that can manufacture runs without relying on the long ball. It’s a risky strategy in an era where home runs still rule, but it’s not without precedent - and it’s certainly not without purpose.
The Red Sox might not lead the league in slugging in 2026, but they’re going to be a tough out. With elite pitching, cleaner defense, and a lineup full of grinders who know how to get on base, Boston is betting that small ball can still win big.
And if Breslow’s vision pans out, the Red Sox won’t just be back in the postseason - they’ll be built to last.