MLB Insider Describes Red Sox Deadline As ‘Epic Fail’

Did the Boston Red Sox play things too safe at the trade deadline?

Some fans and analysts believe so. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal is one of them. To say that Rosenthal wasn’t impressed with Boston’s deadline performance would be a massive understatement.

Rosenthal appeared on the Foul Territory Network in the hours after the deadline and expressed disappointment in the Red Sox. Rosenthal didn’t hold back from taking a dig at Boston’s chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow.

“Epic fail,” Rosenthal said, referring to Boston’s deadline deals (or lack thereof).

“Epic fail (at) last year’s deadline with Craig Breslow, and this was an epic fail, as well. … Joe Ryan … wasn’t traded, but my understanding is any talks that (the Red Sox) had with the (Minnesota) Twins were feeble at best. They didn’t come at them hard.”

Rosenthal then criticized Boston’s tentative, measured approach.

“The Red Sox are one of many teams that use modeling … it’s all about efficiency and getting the best deal and this and that … (but) at some point, you’ve got to fire,” Rosenthal continued. “(Boston) didn’t get a starter other than Dustin May, who has not been a very successful starter for the (Los Angeles) Dodgers … There’s gonna be some people in Boston, a lot of people in Boston, questioning what the heck they did.”

May, 27, is 6-7 so far this season with a 4.85 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and 97 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched (18 starts).

Though Breslow’s deadline wasn’t splashy this year or last year, some people are already forgetting that Boston’s offseason was very eventful. The Red Sox didn’t acquire Garrett Crochet at this time last year but did ended up getting him in the offseason.

It’s hard to say that Boston shouldn’t have done more on Thursday, especially with how aggressive its rivals in the American League East were over the past few days. However, Breslow being framed as a tentative executive doesn’t fully match up with his performance last winter.