Craig Breslow Teases Potential Promotion For Red Sox Prospect

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow offered quite the tease on Sunday.

It’s looking like only a matter of time before the club taps into its pitching depth at Triple-A Worcester.

The Red Sox made slight pitching upgrades at the trade deadline last week, bringing aboard left-handed reliever Steven Matz and right-handed starter Dustin May. It’s safe to say they’ll need to make more additions over the next couple of months, however, with depth starters potentially being asked to join the big league bullpen.

Breslow has eyes for one in particular…

“(David) Sandlin is a guy who comes to mind,” Breslow said prior to Sunday’s series finale with the Houston Astros at Fenway Park, per The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey. “It’s really power stuff, so maybe with a simplified approach, he could come in and overwhelm hitters with the stuff. Those conversations are ongoing.”

Sandlin, 24, was promoted from Double-A Portland on Tuesday, and allowed just one run in five innings during his first appearance in Worcester. The Red Sox have been enamored with his stuff (tops out at 99 miles per hour) since acquiring him in a trade with the Kansas City Royals in February of 2024, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they strap the rocket to him.

Boston could also elect to promote some other pitchers who serve in similar roles, with Brennan Bernardino, Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts and Zack Kelly all having significant big league experience. Kyle Harrison, Connelly Early and Shane Drohan are viewed as higher-upside options, with the latter potentially serving as a bullpen arm.

It’s all dependent on how things go with the current options, though.

Boston could continue to get great work from the bullpen, but injuries and workload issues are going to present themselves, and Sandlin might just be the next in line.