The Boston Red Sox are entering 2026 with a whole new identity-and it starts on the mound.
When Craig Breslow took over baseball operations in late 2023, the Red Sox were a team with offensive firepower but a glaring weakness: starting pitching. That flaw came back to bite them in the 2025 postseason, when they simply ran out of arms.
Fast forward to today, and Breslow has flipped the script. This winter, he’s transformed Boston into a team built around pitching depth, control, and run prevention.
And make no mistake: this isn’t just a tweak. It’s a full-on overhaul.
At the heart of this transformation is a rotation that could be among the best in baseball. Garrett Crochet headlines the group with electric stuff and top-of-the-rotation upside.
Behind him, Ranger Suárez brings lefty finesse and postseason experience. Sonny Gray adds veteran leadership and consistency.
Brayan Bello, one of the few holdovers, continues to grow into a formidable presence. And Johan Oviedo rounds out the group with a power arm and untapped potential.
That’s five legitimate starters-and the depth doesn’t stop there. For the first time in years, the Red Sox aren’t crossing their fingers for health or hoping for a breakout. They’ve built a staff that can absorb injuries, weather slumps, and still compete.
“I don’t think there’s a question anymore that the identity of our team and the strength of our team is going to be our pitching and our ability to prevent runs,” Breslow said during Suárez’s introductory press conference. “I think the improvements we made on the pitching side are significant.”
That’s a notable shift for a franchise that’s historically leaned on its bats. Fenway Park has long been a haven for hitters, and Boston teams of the past were known for their thunderous lineups and slugfests. Even in recent years, under Chaim Bloom, the focus remained on building a deep offense-while the pitching side often felt like a patchwork project.
Breslow’s approach echoes back to the Dave Dombrowski era, when the Red Sox rode a dominant rotation-featuring names like Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, Nathan Eovaldi, and Eduardo Rodriguez-to a World Series title. That 2018 group won with power arms and postseason poise. Breslow is aiming for a similar blueprint, but with a more modern twist: versatility, depth, and a rotation that can sustain a full 162-game grind.
Of course, the pivot toward pitching comes with a trade-off. The Red Sox lineup looks lighter than it has in years.
Losing Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman over the past calendar year has left a noticeable power void. Breslow did swing a deal for veteran catcher Willson Contreras, who brings some pop and leadership behind the plate, but the lineup still lacks a true middle-of-the-order threat.
He’s still looking to add another bat, and there’s time left in the offseason. But even if no big-name hitter walks through the door, the 2026 Red Sox are already built to win in a different way: by keeping runs off the board.
This is a team that’s not trying to outslug you anymore-they’re trying to outpitch you. And in today’s game, where elite pitching is at a premium, that could be the smartest move of all.
One thing’s for sure: this isn’t the same Red Sox team we saw last year. It’s deeper, more balanced, and built with October in mind.