Five Changes That Have Led to the Red Sox’ Surge
The Boston Red Sox have experienced a dramatic mid-season turnaround, moving from a low playoff probability to a strong contender. The team's success is attributed to a strategic focus on pitching, defense, and efficient roster management under Craig Breslow.
Why it matters
It serves as a case study in sports management and the impact of data-driven roster construction on team performance.
This article is part of Verducci’s View, a new weekly baseball newsletter from Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci. Every Monday, Tom empties out his notebook over email and covers MLB’s hottest topics, provides in-depth analysis through both text and video breakdowns, looks forward to what’s worth watching during the week and more. If you want to be featured in his new mailbag, please email newsletters@si.com with any questions about MLB or his decades in the sport.
Fenway Park is full. The fans are having a rollicking good time falling in love with their Red Sox. President of baseball operations Craig Breslow can take a bow for his once-maligned “Milwaukee East” plan to build a team in a hitter’s park on pitching, defense and undersized players.
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