BresSpeak or Real Talk? It Sure Sounds Like Craig Breslow And The Red Sox Might Finally Be Ready To Move Trevor Story Off Shortstop
Boston Globe. Getty Images.Let's get this out of the way first: this morning, on November 10, 2026, I don't feel great about the direction of the Red Sox. Or baseball in general.
A lot of that comes down to the impending player lockout starting December 1. My gut tells me that this is going to be a prolonged work stoppage, and I won't be shocked when we miss an entire season of baseball. Noted baseball expert Chris Klemmer thinks the postseason is too important - really, the postseason TV money is too important - and that we'll get a short season plus the playoffs in 2027.
Me? I think the owners are hell-bent on a salary cap, and the players (and the Union) are just as hell-bent against one. And I think the Big Market Red Sox and owner John Henry will be one of the teams fighting for a salary cap, even though they have more resources than most teams and should be taking advantage of that. This thing is going to get UGLY, and by all accounts, the players are going to be VERY dug in.
Sorry, this is not a lockout blog.
Back to the Red Sox.
They're just over a month removed from being swept out of the playoffs in lifeless fashion by the Yankees. President of Baseball Ops Craig Breslow had his first media availability since October 5, as he's out in Vegas for the GM Meetings.
When he talks, Breslow doesn't say much, so you get a lot of shit like this.
“I don’t think there’s a straightforward, ‘We need to go sign a player who plays this position’ or ‘We need to go add this to our bullpen or rotation,’ … Instead, we’ll be opportunistic.”
Opportunistic. Breslow 101.
As in, don't expect any big splashes anytime soon. ESPECIALLY since we want to see what baseball's financial landscape looks like with a new CBA. You think THESE guys want to spend a penny more than they have to on their baseball team?
Boston Globe. Getty Images.No chance.
But the team needs to improve; even Breslow knows that. One way that could happen is clearing Trevor Story off the roster - or at least moving him off short or out of a full-time position.
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A year ago at this time, Breslow made it clear that was not going to happen - he was the Red Sox starting shortstop.
“I’m aware of some of the errors. I’m aware of what some of the defensive metrics indicate, but I also think that he brought a stabilizing presence to the infield," Breslow said last year at this time. "I think some of his errors were clustered toward the end of the season, in just a short time period. And also, he hasn’t played a full season in a really long time. I think he’s going into the offseason with no doubts about his health and with no doubts about his ability to perform at a really high level. I think we’re going to see even more production out of him next year."
“When Trevor was playing shortstop, we felt like balls that were put in play to the shortstop were going to be converted into outs. He and I have a great relationship, and the communication is very, very clear. The commitment we have to each other is to be honest with one another.”
Yep, in 2026, he was set to be the starting shortstop, and there would be no debate. Even if people like me wanted to see Marcelo Mayer get a chance (nailed that one!).
When he was asked about Story's status as the team's locked-in shortstop on Monday night, Breslow didn't seem anywhere near as committed as he was a year ago, per the Boston Globe.
“We know what Trevor is capable of doing when he’s healthy and performing. [Last season] was disrupted for a number of reasons — injury, some struggles at times. I think we’re always evaluating these things,” Breslow said Monday on the first day of the General Managers Meetings.
“We still have a ton of confidence in Trevor. But any decisions like that are going to take place between Trevor and me far before I speak to anything publicly,” Breslow said.
Giphy Images.Boy, I hope this is not just BresSpeak.
I know, Story was hurt most of the season. But when he wasn't hurt, he was mostly awful. His best month was September, when he had an OPS over .700. He also walked just twice and struck out 27 times that month. And his right arm is cooked, limiting his once-solid shortstop defense. He turns 34 soon, and the Sox need to be better there.
One option? Uber prospect Franklin Arias is waiting in the wings.
“I think at this point, we have to be open-minded about ways to improve the team,” Breslow said when asked about changes in the infield. “But beyond that, I’m not going to speak to any individual status without having conversations internally first.”
The team has been kinda linked to Elly De La Cruz and CJ Abrams, but that might not make sense if they like Arias. But any of those three players feels like an upgrade over what you have now with Story.
Story is owed $25 million, but one of the benefits of being the BOSTON RED SOX is being able to eat much or all of a bad contract. I just didn't think the Sox were willing to do that with him. Maybe Breslow's comments Monday night are a sign they're willing to move the player - or at least move him off shortstop. That's a good start.
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There are other Sox issues too, like the 78 outfielders the team has, but that seems easier to fix.
Watching the MLB playoffs, I didn't get the sense the Sox were close to the caliber of team as say the Rays or Brewers. They need to be better at a lot of positions, especially at short. I thought we were stuck with Story for one more season, but Breslow's unwillingness to commit, as he did a year ago, is a good sign that they're looking for an upgrade.
Like I said, my expectations are pretty low for this Sox offseason. But Breslow's comments on Monday give me some hope that the team is ready to make a change at an important spot.
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