Grading Breslow’s 10 biggest Red Sox deals is mostly uninspiring originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Much like presidential polls represent a snapshot in time and not necessarily a predictor of November, grades on big-league transactions can fluctuate. One person’s A can become the same person’s F, especially if the trade involves Mookie Betts and that man (me) is stupid.
Trades can be judged two ways, then — in the moment and in the long term. In the moment, for instance, Larry Andersen helped the Red Sox reach the 1990 playoffs. In the long term, Jeff Bagwell may have been slightly better.
Craig Breslow is new to the job of chief baseball officer, so his deals can only be judged in the moment. With the Red Sox officially falling back to .500 on Wednesday night after being swept by the Mets, now is a good time to evaluate just how successfully he has impacted the big-league roster.
We’ve chosen 10 transactions since December that were either trades or free agent signings. That means no grades on deals like the one that sent reliever John Schreiber to the Royals for right-hander David Sandlin, or the prospect swap of Nick Yorke to the Pirates for Quinn Priester. We’re ignoring waiver claims, too, because the Red Sox have combed enough landfills over the last three years to last a lifetime.
The picture that emerges is mostly uninspiring: one or two hits, one unmitigated disaster, and one no good, very bad trade deadline. Maybe the longer term prognosis is better.
To the grades!
The trade itself feels pretty nondescript. Weissert has been up and down and remains homer prone, but he’s a serviceable reliever. Given the struggle to find starting pitching, the fact that Fitts never earned the summons from Triple-A Worcester doesn’t bode well. Judice is a 6-foot-8 project.
But this deal is a win because of what went out the door. The Yankees are living the Verdugo experience, with its hot start followed by a long fade and bouts of immaturity. Removing Verdugo from the equation opened a starting spot for Wilyer Abreu, and he’s a keeper.
Grade: B
2. Traded LHP Ryan Ammons to Mets for RHP Justin Slaten
This was technically a trade but effectively a Rule 5 selection. The Red Sox traded Ammons, a 2023 draftee, to land Slaten, whom the Mets had taken from the Rangers.
It is easily Breslow’s best move, a low-cost acquisition that landed one of Alex Cora’s most reliable arms, at least until injury struck in July. Slaten doesn’t walk anyone and he keeps the ball on the…