Tom Werner Expands On ‘Full Throttle’ Red Sox Philosophy

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Red Sox chairman Tom Werner gave what has turned into the quote of the offseason when Craig Breslow was introduced as the team's new chief baseball officer.

Werner declared that the Red Sox would go "full throttle" to get the team back on track after a pair of last-place finishes in the American League East. Boston has made additions since then, though the Red Sox do not enter the season with a splash signing or trade.

During Red Sox Winter Weekend at the MassMutual Center, Werner clarified what he meant in his original quote.

"A lot has been made of two words," Werner told reporters on Friday. "For me personally, full throttle is that I approach every year expecting us to be competitive, using all the levers at (Craig Breslow's) disposal. That could be acquiring talent through trades, free agency, building a core, having a stronger pitching staff and having a stronger coaching staff. We weren't good enough defensively last year."

Despite having an uphill climb, Werner wanted to convey to fans that ownership is not content with recent seasons, aspiring for significant steps forward in 2024, though that would require major internal improvement from the current roster.

"When I was saying full throttle, I admitted that (those weren't) the most artful words; that applies to my own life," Werner added. "We are accountable to our fans. We're not happy, as Sam (Kennedy) said, for our performance last year. We expect to be better this year."

As ownership looks to find answers, the Red Sox enter 2024 with several young players at the heart of the mission.