Red Sox Rumors: ‘Strong Candidate’ Identified For GM

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is looking for his No. 2.

Breslow confirmed as much prior to Saturday’s crushing loss to the New York Yankees, telling media members that the club intended on hiring a general manager — which they have operated without since his arrival two-plus seasons ago.

“I have a pretty good idea of what will benefit the organization,” Breslow said. “We spent the last two years… trying to get ourselves set up with an eye on this sustainable organizational health that we talk about all the time.”

Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Toboni is the top candidate, according to The Boston Globe’s Tim Healy.

Toboni, who initially joined the organization as an intern, is also a candidate for the top baseball operations job with the Washington Nationals. Boston has promoted him five times since 2015, allowing him to interview for the head job in 2023. The Red Sox have four other assistant general managers: Eddie Romero, Raquel Ferreira, Taylor Smith, and Michael Groopman.

Toboni’s potential promotion would allow the organization to keep him from taking a similar job elsewhere, which has been the whole point of team’s changing the way they title members of their front-office.

“When the time comes, the right thing for the organization, the right thing to help our leadership team is to have a clear No. 2,” Breslow said. “That in and of itself is enough of a driver.”

Toboni won’t officially receive the promotion until the offseason — if at all — but things are pointing in a positive direction for the longtime front-office member.