Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow keeps open competition at shortstop for 2027, citing flexibility and health outlooks

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow used Day 1 of the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas on Monday evening to address multiple parts of the club’s near-term roster planning, with his most notable message centring on shortstop. Breslow said he is keeping an open mind about who will start at shortstop in 2027, explicitly tying future decisions to the club’s internal evaluation rather than committing to a single option ahead of time.

Breslow’s comments placed incumbent Trevor Story at the centre of the conversation. Story is entering the final season of his six-year, $140 million contract with Boston. The Red Sox have also managed significant injury interruptions in recent years; according to Breslow’s remarks, Story has missed significant time with injuries in four of his first five seasons with the team. In 2026, Story underwent surgery for a sports hernia and was out from May 15 to Aug. 29, returning after that period.

Breslow said the organization still has confidence in Story and acknowledged that 2026 was a disruptive season. “We know what Trevor is capable of doing when he's healthy and performing,” Breslow told reporters. He added that the club’s review process is not limited to a single calendar and said that decisions will be handled between Story and himself before any public discussion. Breslow said: “This year was disruptive for a number of reasons: the injury, some struggles at times. I think we're always evaluating these things. 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 anyone publicly.”

The questions raised in the room also touched on defensive positioning and whether Story’s path could continue to run through shortstop or shift elsewhere. In 2022, with Xander Bogaerts still on the roster, Story made all 92 of his starts at second base. Breslow did not rule out continued evaluation of future positioning, but he declined to predict a specific course. Asked whether Story could move off short again in what is likely to be his final season in Boston, Breslow said it “feels like we're probably getting multiple steps ahead,” adding that any detailed conclusions beyond that would be speculation.

Breslow’s shortstop comments also included Franklin Arias, Boston’s No. 2 prospect in MLB Pipeline. He described Arias as a player who could be approaching the next level following a strong 2026 stretch at Triple-A Worcester. Breslow’s remarks tied the timing of any opportunity to Arias’s late-season performance and development, noting that Arias played the final 42 games of his breakout 2026 season at Worcester before discussion turns to what the offseason should accomplish.

When asked whether Arias would be given a chance to win a job in Spring Training, Breslow framed the message as an offseason development plan rather than an immediate roster guarantee. “You know, all the conversations that we've had with and about Franklin at this point are targeted on how we make the most of this offseason for him,” Breslow said. He specified goals focused on physical development and baseball skills: getting bigger and stronger, continuing to push Arias on both sides of the ball, and developing baserunning, with Breslow concluding that the remaining details would be sorted out afterward.

Beyond shortstop, Breslow also discussed Triston Casas, a former first baseman of the present and future for the franchise whose recent availability has been limited by injuries. Breslow said Casas did not play at all in 2026 and has dealt with major injuries the last three seasons. He added that Casas still has Minor League options and serves as injury protection at the major-league level if first baseman Willson Contreras or another hitter sustains an injury.

In describing what a healthy Casas can provide, Breslow referenced both plate-discipline traits and power. He said that in “a lot of ways” a healthy Casas is the sort of profile the team looks for because he controls the zone and does not chase. Breslow also said Casas can take walks, hit the ball out of the park, and use the wall in left. He described health as the key hurdle while saying Casas “feels good,” and the organization feels good about where he is right now. Breslow cautioned that it has been a long time since Casas faced major-league competition and said the exact shape of his re-entry remains uncertain, while maintaining that the talent is still there.

Breslow also said Casas may play winter ball in the coming weeks, pointing to a potential opportunity for additional competitive at-bats outside of the regular season. That note was presented as part of the team’s development approach, rather than a finalized schedule for a return to the major leagues.

Finally, Breslow addressed updates to manager Chad Tracy’s coaching staff. The Red Sox have added Jason Bell from the Astros and Shelley Duncan from the Yankees. Breslow said that, as of the General Managers Meetings, the team had not identified specific roles for all staff members and that it has not named a first- or third-base coach yet. He said the club feels confident that Shelley Duncan will take one of those base-coaching roles and that which one it will be remains fluid, with the possibility of additional staff hires.

On Bell’s expected function, Breslow described him as a field coordinator who will touch multiple pieces of the major-league group and has experience working with outfielders and infielders. Regarding Duncan, Breslow characterized the hiring as an effort to add major-league experience to the staff and said Tracy recognized an opportunity in that regard. Breslow also described Duncan’s approach in terms of relationship-building and willingness to deliver hard truths, while balancing support for players. In the meantime, Breslow said the Red Sox are still determining how the roles will settle within Tracy’s staff structure.