The World Series could wrap up as soon as Thursday night, and once it does the offseason will rapidly accelerate as free agency kicks off, the trade market re-opens and clubs face a series of important deadlines.

First up, free agency and the trade market officially open the day after the World Series ends, but free agents won’t be able to sign with new teams until five days afterwards. That means clubs will have an exclusive window to re-sign their own players.

All option decisions must be finalized within that five-day window as well, so Breslow’s first order of business will be figuring out a plan for the five Red Sox players who are either pending free agents or likely to become one.

Will they stay? Will they go? Do the Red Sox have any candidates for a qualifying offer? Here’s where things stand with each player.

Justin Turner, 1B/DH

Turner was one of Boston’s most valuable players last season, but his situation is complex and navigating it will be one of the most important challenges Breslow faces this winter.

Turner has a $13.4 million player option with a $6.7 million buyout, which means if he declines his option he’d only need to land a one-year deal worth approximately $7 million to exceed the money he’d make exercising the option. He should top that easily after batting .276 with an .800 OPS, 23 home runs and a career-high 96 RBI, so the question isn’t whether Turner will become a free agent, but how the Red Sox should proceed once he does.

On one hand, Turner established himself as a clubhouse leader and was one of Boston’s most productive offensive players, so if he leaves the Red Sox will have a big hole to fill. On the other hand, he’s about to turn 39 and at this point is best utilized as a full-time DH, which will restrict the club’s roster flexibility and make it harder to improve defensively.

There are pros and cons to either approach, but one thing that isn’t likely is the Red Sox extending Turner a qualifying offer. That would amount to a one-year, $20.5 million deal, which Turner would almost certainly accept, guaranteeing himself over $27 million for 2024 factoring his option buyout. It’s hard to imagine the Red Sox extending any of their other free agents a qualifying offer this year either.

Adam Duvall, OF

Duvall signed with the Red Sox on a one-year, $7 million deal and for the most part lived up to expectations. Though he missed two months due to a broken wrist, Duvall also hit 21 home runs and posted an .834 OPS, providing the right-handed pop the Red Sox hoped for.

Will he come back? That’ll depend in large part on what else the Red Sox do with their outfield this winter.

For much of the season the Red Sox had four outfielders seeing regular playing time, those being Duvall, Alex Verdugo, Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran. The simplest thing the Red Sox could do to clear that logjam is let Duvall walk and go into next season with an outfield of Yoshida, Duran and Verdugo. However, they could also trade Verdugo, move Yoshida to full-time DH or shake things up in some other way where Duvall might make sense to bring back on another one-year deal.

James Paxton, LHP

After missing all of 2022 due to injury, Paxton came back to the Red Sox on a one-year, $4 million player option and wound up becoming one of the best bargains in baseball. The veteran lefty emerged as one of Boston’s best arms following his return in May, but he ran out of gas in the second half and missed the final month of the season.

Paxton deserves a lot of credit for coming back after nearly three years away and should garner interest in free agency, but it’s difficult to imagine the Red Sox re-signing the oft-injured veteran when what they need most is reliable inning-eaters to bolster their rotation.

Joely Rodriguez, LHP

Rodriguez was the first free agent signing the Red Sox made last winter, but the talented lefty couldn’t stay on the mound. Rodriguez only appeared in 11 games for Boston and posted a 6.55 ERA, and those handful of outings came interspersed between three separate trips to the injured list.

Given that track record and his prior injury history, it’s hard to imagine the Red Sox picking up his $4.25 million club option. It’s more likely they’ll pay his $500,000 buyout and let the soon-to-be 32-year-old hit the market.

Corey Kluber, RHP

This one’s a no-brainer. Kluber went 3-6 with a 7.04 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) at age 37 and missed the entire second half due to injury. Expect the Red Sox to decline his $11 million club option and look to invest that money elsewhere.

Today we cover the chaotic head of baseball operations search that led to Breslow’s hiring, Boston’s top offseason priorities, potential trade targets and more.

Would the Red Sox have just stuck with Chaim Bloom if they knew in advance that they’d have such a hard time interviewing top, experienced candidates? — Adam V.

My intuition is no, but on some level Red Sox ownership must realize now how badly they’ve damaged their own standing within the wider baseball landscape.

Once upon a time being the Red Sox’ head baseball executive would have been considered a top three job in the sport, one anybody would leap at the opportunity to have. Red Sox ownership clearly felt this way, with CEO Sam Kennedy dismissing concerns about how candidates might view the franchise’s recent instability by saying “this is the Boston Red Sox” and that if anyone wasn’t on board with the challenge of working in Boston, “thanks but no thanks.”

The fact so many ideal candidates, including several with close ties to Boston, said “thanks but no thanks” themselves is an indictment of Red Sox ownership and their treatment of top executives this past decade.

Fenway Sports Group is going to have to own that and take a cold, hard look in the mirror, but as it pertains to Bloom, if they no longer believed he was the right man for the job, then they were right to move on and likely still feel that way. Breslow could turn out fantastic and in a couple of years hiring him could look like a stroke of genius, but on some level things obviously didn’t play out like the Red Sox envisioned.

The Sox have many holes to fill, in what order should they address the needs? Where do they start? — Tom H.

Pitching. Specifically the starting rotation. Over the past two seasons the lack of reliable starting pitching has sunk the club, and that needs to change going forward. The Red Sox can’t keep counting on unreliable or unproven arms to carry the load, so before they do anything else they need to go out and get some big-time arms.

Fortunately, this is a great year to be in the market for a starting pitcher. There are at least a dozen quality starters available on the free agent market, and that doesn’t include the possible trade candidates the Red Sox could try and acquire.

The biggest get would be 25-year-old Japanese superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is expected to win his third straight Sawamura Award (Japan’s equivalent to the Cy Young) and boasts both excellent stuff and terrific control. Other free agent targets include Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola, San Diego’s Blake Snell, Texas’ Jordan Montgomery or Minnesota’s Sonny Gray, and Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes, a former Cy Young winner, is believed to be a likely trade candidate due to his looming free agency next offseason and deteriorating relationship with the club.

MLB notes: The Red Sox need starting pitching, and there will be plenty available this offseason

The Red Sox likely need to add at least two starters to really shore up next year's rotation, and once they do that then they'll be in a much better spot to address their other holes. Shaking up the outfield, adding bullpen depth and squaring away the designated hitter position should all be priorities, but if the Red Sox can't pitch deep into games then none of that will matter.

What's the best case scenario with our outfield on Opening Day? — Mike S.

The Red Sox outfield is in a fascinating place, to such a degree that it's hard to even define what a best case scenario might look like. So instead, let's examine three approaches the club could take: status quo, youth movement or dramatic shakeup.

In a status quo scenario, the Red Sox outfield might look similar to how it did last year, only likely somewhat more streamlined. In this case the Red Sox might go with Masataka Yoshida in left, Jarren Duran in center and either Alex Verdugo or Adam Duvall in right, with Verdugo either being traded and Duvall re-signed or Verdugo sticking around and Duvall allowed to leave in free agency. This is a pretty good outfield, but maybe not the most interesting to consider, so how else could things go?

In a youth movement scenario, the Red Sox could hand the keys to their prospects and move on from some of the veterans. In this case, we'd see Jarren Duran joined in the outfield by Wilyer Abreu and possibly also Ceddanne Rafaela, with Verdugo likely traded, Duvall allowed to leave and Yoshida possibly moved to full-time DH. This group could have an incredibly high ceiling, but it would be very risky as well. With Rafaela likely needing a bit more seasoning in the minors, this scenario feels like the most unlikely of the bunch.

How about if new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is feeling ambitious and wants to make serious waves? Well, a great way to do that would be by trading for Juan Soto, one of baseball's brightest young stars. That would transform the lineup overnight and immediately elevate the Red Sox outfield into one of the game's best. Breslow could also target another exciting, less obvious name instead, but in either case it's conceivable next year's outfield could look radically different.

All three approaches have merit, so it will be interesting to see which way Breslow goes.

MLB Notes: Trading for Juan Soto would be risky, but Red Sox should still do it

I want the Red Sox to be better next year, but I don't want them to trade A-level prospects to do so (Mayer, Anthony, Teel). I would even be reluctant to part with Abreu, Rafaela or Duran. Do you foresee them parting with farm depth because of the relatively weak free agent market? — Eliot B.

The nice thing about the Red Sox farm system is there's enough depth to deal from without necessarily parting with any of the players you just mentioned. Boston is particularly loaded with infield talent, so if the Red Sox wanted to make a trade that would be the logical pool to draw from.

Some prospects who'd make sense to deal include former first-round pick Nick Yorke, Chase Meidroth and Blaze Jordan, all of whom are highly regarded and would have value on the market but whose paths to the big leagues could be blocked. Whether it's one of those three or someone else in a similar boat, the Red Sox could maximize their value and bolster the MLB roster without gutting the farm system as a whole.

Of course, if the Red Sox want to land a front-of-the-rotation starter with years of team control or an All-Star bat, they'll likely need to include one or two top prospects as well. This isn't something we ever saw during Bloom's tenure, but perhaps Breslow will take a different approach and start dealing from the surplus of talent Bloom acquired.

Why isn’t the firing of Sam Kennedy ever discussed? Hiring a new CEO who could then hire his own baseball ops executive who could then decide on Cora or a new field manager. Just seems so logically orderly and crisp this way. — @GOPinBoston

The simple answer is because the Red Sox front office is happy with Kennedy's job performance and has never given any reason for us to believe otherwise. Beyond that, the Red Sox also made Kennedy a partner in Fenway Sports Group back in March 2021, so Kennedy doesn't just report to the club's ownership group, he's part of it himself.

The other thing to remember when it comes to Kennedy is his job is to oversee all aspects of the Red Sox, and the on-field product is only a part of that. Kennedy also oversees the club's sponsorships, broadcast rights, marketing, real estate and everything else that comes with running an MLB organization, so if things are more or less going smoothly in those other areas then ownership wouldn't have an incentive to shake things up at the CEO level.

Now, given that the Red Sox have fired their last three baseball bosses in relatively quick succession, you could reasonably argue whoever made those hires ought to be held accountable. The trouble is those decisions aren't being made by one person alone, but by John Henry, Tom Werner, Kennedy and other influential powerbrokers within the Fenway Sports Group inner circle. Those people also want Alex Cora to stick around, which is why the Red Sox are only swapping out one link in the chain of command rather than the whole thing.

How quickly do you think the Red Sox could be a contender again? — Daniel L.

If they're willing to invest in the club and make bold moves, I don't think it's crazy to imagine the Red Sox being championship contenders as soon as next season. Just look at the Texas Rangers. Last year they went 68-94, now they're in the World Series.

The Red Sox are capable of a quick turnaround as well, and they've proven it numerous times over the past decade. They went from utter darkness in 2012 to a World Series title in 2013, back-to-back last-place finishes in 2014-15 to three straight AL East titles and the 2018 World Series, and then from the COVID-19 nightmare in 2020 to the 2021 ALCS run.

The problem, obviously, has been sustaining success so the turnarounds aren't needed in the first place, but right now the club is uniquely positioned for the future. The farm system is loaded with both quality and depth and several key pieces are already in place at the big league level for the next four years or longer. The Red Sox have financial flexibility, intriguing trade pieces and fewer holes than you might expect, so if the organization is ready to make its move, the transformation could be swift and dramatic.

It's obviously premature to say next year should be World Series or bust, but there's no reason fans shouldn't expect significant improvement from the Red Sox in 2024.

It should be a great series, but obviously for Red Sox fans the real show will begin once the final out has been recorded.

This has the potential to be a transformational offseason. The Red Sox have a new chief baseball officer in Craig Breslow, money to spend and big decisions to make. So what are the biggest storylines fans should follow once the Hot Stove starts heating up?

The Herald’s Red Sox beat writers debate.

Gabrielle Starr: Without a doubt, the top league storyline is Shohei Ohtani. He’s unlike any other player we’ve ever seen, so his free agency is sure to be one for the ages, and he’s all but guaranteed to get a record-breaking contract. Will he become baseball’s first $500 million player? With such a truly unprecedented player, it feels like there’s no way to really predict the outcome, but my gut is telling me that we’re all going to end up with our jaws on the floor one way or another.

Then, for this market, the storyline will be whether the Red Sox go back to really flexing their muscles on the free agent market and in trades. They’ve got the financial flexibility and farm system to really build up their roster this winter and make themselves relevant again. Plus, they have a brand new chief baseball officer in Craig Breslow, and it’ll be interesting to see how he tackles his first offseason in the driver’s seat.

Mac Cerullo: How Breslow makes his mark is the biggest thing for me. These past four years we’ve become accustomed to the Red Sox going about their business a particular way, and even now that Chaim Bloom is gone it feels like a lot of fans are assuming the club will stick to a similar methodical, forward-focused approach.

But what if they don’t? What if Breslow immediately starts shaking things up by swinging trades none of us could have ever seen coming? Right now the idea of the Red Sox signing a player like Ohtani seems outlandish, but is it really? We have no idea, and if you’re a Red Sox fan that’s got to be very exciting.

Starr: The Red Sox really struggle to develop pitching, so it makes sense that Breslow appeals to them; his crowning achievement as the Cubs’ vice president of pitching was their improved pipeline of arms.

Unfortunately, this is an area of need that he can’t transform overnight, and after three last-place finishes in four seasons (in large part due to lack of pitching), the Red Sox know they need to bring in some proven arms while Breslow figures out the farm. He’ll need to deviate from Bloom’s track record of short-term deals for veteran arms coming off injuries or in the waning years their careers, and actually part with a bundle of prospects in a trade or fork over a big contract to someone like Aaron Nola.

Which leads back to Ohtani. Should the Red Sox be the ones to sign him? Obviously, he’s Shohei Ohtani. Having him in Boston automatically refills the seats, which have been at record lows the last two years. That said, the Red Sox need starting pitching more than anything, and elbow surgery – his second since coming to the Majors in 2018 – will keep Ohtani off the mound in 2024. Doing it all is what makes him such a unique marvel. It also means signing him is an enormous, expensive risk.

Meanwhile, what about Juan Soto? He’s the biggest name on the trade market, but is he a fit for the Red Sox?

Cerullo: I touched on Soto in a recent column, but to put it simply, yes. Soto is a genuine superstar and boasts arguably the best combination of power and plate discipline we’ve seen in baseball since Barry Bonds. He’d instantly transform the Red Sox lineup and if they got him it would immediately flip the narrative that the organization is unwilling to invest in premium talent.

MLB Notes: Trading for Juan Soto would be risky, but Red Sox should still do it

There are others the Red Sox could get who'd make a major impact. You mentioned Nola, Japan's Yoshinobu Yamamoto is another, but are there any less obvious players you think could be interesting possibilities for this club? Either an under-the-radar free agent or an outside-the-box trade candidate?

Starr: My concern with trading for Soto is that it will require giving up a lot for what is likely a short-term rental. He only has one year of club control left, but the Padres’ asking price will be higher due the exclusive negotiating rights that come with him.

However, Soto is a Scott Boras client, which almost guarantees he’ll decide test free agency next year. As talented as he is, if the Padres ask for too much, the Red Sox should let another team give it up. They have promising outfield talent with far more club control, and should focus on their real areas of need.

What do you think about pursuing a reunion with Eduardo Rodriguez? The Red Sox already know he can handle pitching in Boston, and he and Breslow were teammates way back when.

Cerullo: I don't hate the idea, but he wouldn't be my choice personally. I'd rather Yamamoto or Nola, and if not them my preference would be a trade for someone like Corbin Burnes or George Kirby rather than signing a Blake Snell or Rodriguez type to a huge deal.

Beyond the big ticket items, a smaller deal I'd be interested in is a one-year deal for someone like Whit Merrifield. The Red Sox could use an upgrade at second base, and adding a short-term veteran who won't block Marcelo Mayer seems like a better plan than relying on Pablo Reyes and Enmanuel Valdez.

To put a bow on it, Breslow's going to have a lot on his plate this winter. Besides what we've covered, there's also the matter of Alex Verdugo and Justin Turner's future in Boston, potential contract extensions for Triston Casas and Brayan Bello, and who will become Boston's new pitching and third base coaches.

No matter what happens, these next few months are going to be interesting.

You know, just like we all predicted.

It’s hard to imagine many World Series matchups as improbable as this one. Entering the year both Texas and Arizona were coming off losing seasons and on multiple occasions each looked like it was cooked. Things were especially dire after the two clubs fell behind 3-2 in their respective league championship series, but then both went on the road and won two straight to deny their opponents a second (or third) consecutive pennant.

It should be an exciting series, but if you’re from New England why should you care?

Even if the Red Sox aren’t playing there are still plenty of relevant storylines that should interest fans. Here are a few to watch as the Fall Classic kicks off.

Old friends on big stage

Nathan Eovaldi is no stranger to the bright lights of October, and after leading the Red Sox on two deep postseason runs during his time in Boston, the right-hander is now playing a starring role for the Rangers.

Eovaldi has been lights out since signing with Texas this past offseason and has carried the Rangers throughout their playoff run. Through four starts Eovaldi is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 26 innings, posting a quality start each time out and pitching the Rangers to a critical Game 6 victory in Houston. He will start Game 1 for Texas on Friday night.

Beyond Eovaldi the Rangers also feature former Red Sox left-hander Martin Perez, who pitched for the 2021 club that reached the ALCS. Perez posted a 4.45 ERA in 35 games (20 starts) this season and appeared in two games out of the bullpen for the Rangers in the ALCS.

On the other side, former Red Sox outfielder Tommy Pham has had an interesting journey since leaving Boston this past offseason. The 35-year-old signed with the New York Mets and was initially expected to be a platoon bat off the bench, but instead he emerged as one of New York’s best bats. He was traded at the deadline as part of the Mets’ midseason selloff and is now a fixture in the middle of the Diamondbacks’ order.

The Diamondbacks are also run by former Red Sox general manager Mike Hazen, who recently signed an extension to remain in Arizona rather than pursue his former team’s head of baseball operations position. Now in his seventh year in the desert, Hazen’s executed an impressive rebuild and now has the Diamondbacks set up to contend for years to come.

Checking out potential new friends?

Besides checking in on former Red Sox players who have moved on, fans might be interested in scouting possible offseason targets who could potentially come to Boston this winter.

The most notable name to watch is Jordan Montgomery. Acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis, the Rangers starter has been excellent this October, going 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in five games (four starts). More importantly for the Red Sox, he’s also a proven workhorse who has made 30 or more starts in three straight seasons and just racked up a career-high 188.2 innings this past year.

For reference, Brayan Bello led the Red Sox in innings with 157 this year, and no Red Sox starter has thrown 185 or more innings since Eduardo Rodriguez in 2019 (203.1).

Beyond Montgomery there aren’t any obvious free agent or trade targets, but one other possibility is Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The pending free agent hit 24 home runs with 35 doubles this year, earning his first All-Star nod along the way, and would be an option if the Red Sox decided to move on from both Alex Verdugo and Adam Duvall.

A blueprint for Boston?

If it feels like the Red Sox are a long way from championship contention, the Rangers are a good reminder that a club’s fortunes can change in a hurry.

Last year the Rangers lost 94 games. The year before that they lost 102. Texas hadn’t even posted a winning record since 2016, but this year their recent aggressiveness paid off and now they’re four wins from capturing their first World Series in franchise history.

How did they do it? By supplementing an impressive homegrown core with big outside investments. Corey Seager and Marcus Semien have more than lived up to their big contracts, and even if Texas’ big bet on Jacob deGrom blew up, the club doubled down by bringing in Eovaldi and later Montgomery and Max Scherzer to ensure it had the arms to compete.

There’s nothing stopping the Red Sox from executing a similar playbook, so even if it feels like Boston is years away the Rangers should inspire hope that things could flip faster than many fans expect.

The Red Sox announced Wednesday afternoon that Craig Breslow has been hired as chief baseball officer, handing the keys to the former left-handed pitcher who helped lead the club to a World Series championship in 2013.

Breslow will succeed Chaim Bloom, who was fired in mid-September after nearly four years on the job.

A 12-year big league veteran, Breslow has emerged as a rising star in the front office world, making a quick impression since joining the Chicago Cubs front office in 2019. Breslow has played an integral role in turning around the Cubs’ pitching development program, rising from director of strategic initiatives to his most recent role as assistant general manager/senior vice president of pitching.

The Red Sox hope he’ll be able to get similar results, both in terms of building the major league club back towards contention and ending the organization’s recent track record of frequent front office turnover.

In a statement announcing the hire, Red Sox owner John Henry acknowledged the organization’s recent struggles and their belief in Breslow to turn things around.

“Our organization continues to have significantly high standards and expectations with a goal of being able to compete annually for that coveted privilege. After the 2018 World Series, we sought to build a future that would avoid the ups and downs normally associated with winning. That plainly hasn’t happened,” Henry said. “Despite the results, over the past few years, substantial efforts have been made and considerable organizational progress has occurred behind the scenes, but not at the major league level. We feel strongly that Craig is the right person at the right time to lead our baseball department.”

Henry went on to praise Breslow’s “remarkable” understanding of the game and that what set him apart was his highly strategic philosophy and his grasp of what it takes to excel in today’s game. Red Sox chairman Tom Werner also praised his baseball expertise, and Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy said Breslow came with strong recommendations from respected members of the Red Sox family.

“Craig was a standout candidate,” Kennedy said. “The praise from fellow baseball executives was impressive, but what truly distinguished him were the resounding character references from former teammates, including David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, David Ross, Brock Holt, and Kevin Youkilis. Craig knows what it takes to be successful in Boston and he’s up for the challenge.”

How Craig Breslow became a top candidate for Red Sox GM job

A Yale graduate, Breslow's professional baseball journey began in 2002 when he was drafted in the 26th round of the MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. Breslow broke into the majors in 2005 with the San Diego Padres and wound up posting a 3.45 ERA while appearing in 576 games for seven teams, including five seasons with the Red Sox in 2006 and between 2012-15.

His best season came with the Red Sox in 2013, when he posted a 1.81 ERA in 61 appearances while serving as one of the club's top relievers throughout the playoffs.

“I couldn’t be more excited to return to the Boston Red Sox, an organization that means so much to my family and to me,” Breslow said. “I am humbled by the opportunity to lead baseball operations and to work alongside so many talented people. I’d like to thank John Henry, Tom Werner, Mike Gordon, and Sam Kennedy for entrusting me with executing the vision we share for this organization. I know firsthand how special winning in Boston is, and I look forward to once again experiencing that passion and success with our fans.”

“I’d also like to thank Tom Ricketts, Crane Kenney, Jed Hoyer, Carter Hawkins, and the Chicago Cubs for giving me my first opportunity in a Major League front office,” Breslow added.

Breslow is the fourth former Red Sox player to lead the club's baseball operations department and the first since Haywood Sullivan between 1978-83. In addition to his front office credentials, Breslow earned a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale and was named "Smartest Man in Baseball" by the Wall Street Journal in 2009.

Originally from Connecticut, Breslow lives in Newton and worked locally throughout his tenure with the Cubs. Now he has a chance to stay home and help lead his old club back to the promised land.

Will that prove a long-term move or a temporary shift? The Patriots coaching staff isn’t sure, and it will depend in large part on the unit’s injury situation.

“We’ll have to see how it goes,” said offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. “We practice tomorrow so we’ll see where everyone is relative to health and all those things as we move forward.”

Onwenu allowed a single pressure in 37 pass-blocking snaps against Buffalo and earned his highest single-game grade this season from Pro Football Focus. As an offensive line, the Patriots recorded a 50% success rate on running plays and allowed pressure on just 21.2% of their dropbacks.

The idea of Onwenu playing tackle isn’t new. The former sixth-round pick started 11 games at right tackle as a rookie in 2020, when he converted from career college guard, but he hadn’t take snaps at the position since 2021. Bill Belichick previously dismissed the idea of a shift back to tackle last season, when the Patriots experience similar offensive line issues and started four different players at right tackle.

“I think he’s built to play guard, he’s comfortable playing guard. He has a really good skill set in there,” Belichick said in Nov. 2022. “That’s where we’d like to play him, for sure.”

As injuries mounted this year that calculus began to change. Belichick said he approached Onwenu about moving from right guard early last week, and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm said it was something the coaches have had on their radar for a little while.

“It’s not like it just came out of the blue,” Klemm said. “As things developed, that developed.”

The main concern with bumping Onwenu to tackle wasn’t his ability to play the position, Klemm said, but his comfort level working back from an ankle injury. He still has work do to and progress to make, but the coaches felt he was up to the task and are open to playing him at tackle again.

“If it gives us an advantage, which it definitely did the last game, we’ll continue to do that,” Klemm said. “So there are a lot of different factors that factor into that and we’ll continue moving forward with whatever is best for the team.”

According to multiple reports the Red Sox have narrowed their pool of targets and informed candidates whether or not they’ll move on to the second round of interviews. It is unknown how many candidates are still under consideration or if there will be additional rounds after the next one, but according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Chicago Cubs assistant general manager and former Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow is considered a frontrunner for the job.

If Breslow ends up landing the position, it will cap off a rapid ascent through the front office ranks since his retirement from baseball.

After 12 seasons pitching in the big leagues, including five with the Red Sox, Breslow joined the Cubs front office in 2019 and became deeply involved in the organization’s pitching development efforts. The 43-year-old Yale graduate was promoted to director of pitching and then to his current role as assistant GM/vice president of pitching, and under his leadership the Cubs have produced numerous homegrown arms who are already making an impact on the big league staff.

Breslow is also a Connecticut native who lives locally in Newton, and he still has close ties to the organization from his days as a player.

How Craig Breslow became a top candidate for Red Sox GM job

One candidate who reportedly won't advance in the process is Minnesota Twins general manager Thad Levine. Initially believed to be a top candidate, Levine was reportedly informed on Monday he is no longer being considered for the role. Levine has served as the No. 2 man in the Twins front office under president of baseball operations Derek Falvey since November of 2016 and has helped lead the club to four playoff berths in seven seasons.

Others known to have interviewed for the job include Red Sox assistant general managers Eddie Romero and Mike Groopman, Red Sox VP of amateur scouting and player development Paul Toboni, former Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and former Houston Astros GM James Click, who reportedly removed himself from consideration after interviewing.

The Red Sox have also faced a number of setbacks throughout their search process, with several targets reportedly turning down the chance to interview. That list reportedly includes Philadelphia Phillies GM Sam Fuld, Los Angeles Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, former Miami Marlins executives Michael Hill and Kim Ng, former Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels, Arizona Diamondbacks executives Mike Hazen and Amiel Sawdaye, Twins president Falvey and Red Sox assistant GM Raquel Ferreira.

Many of those would-be candidates reportedly cited family considerations as their reason for declining to pursue the role, though the frequent turnover among top Red Sox executives and the inability to hire their own manager and top lieutenants has been cited as a reason for concern as well.

But once the Fall Classic ends, the baseball world will quickly shift into offseason mode, and for the Red Sox these coming months could chart the franchise’s course for years to come.

When can fans expect to see players start switching teams? How about other big decisions and deadlines that loom once the offseason officially begins? Here’s a quick primer on the offseason schedule and how things should play out this winter.

When does free agency begin?

Free agency and the trade market officially opens the day after the World Series ends, but free agents cannot sign with new teams until five days afterwards. During that five-day stretch clubs have exclusive rights to sign their own players, which for Boston will include James Paxton and Adam Duvall, along with likely Justin Turner, Corey Kluber and Joely Rodriguez, who have options that aren’t expected to be exercised.

Option decisions must also be made within five days of the end of the World Series. Turner has a $13.4 million player option with a $6.7 million buyout, Kluber has an $11 million club option and Rodriguez a $4.25 million club option.

If clubs wish to extend a qualifying offer to any of their free agents, they must also do so within the five-day window. The qualifying offer is a one-year offer worth the mean salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players, which for this season will be set at $20.5 million. Players who receive a qualifying offer will have until Nov. 14 at 4 p.m. to accept, and if they reject the offer and wind up signing with a different team, their original team will receive draft pick compensation.

Last year the Red Sox extended qualifying offers to Xander Bogaerts and Nathan Eovaldi, both of whom rejected and went on to sign elsewhere. This year the Red Sox don’t have any obvious qualifying offer candidates.

Salary arbitration?

Throughout the offseason players who have three or more years but less than six years of big league service time, along with a small group of players with between two and three years, are eligible for salary arbitration if they haven’t already agreed to a long-term contract extension with their club.

The Red Sox currently have five arbitration-eligible players: Alex Verdugo, Nick Pivetta, Reese McGuire, John Schreiber and Luis Urias.

If arbitration-eligible players and their clubs haven’t agreed to a contract by Jan. 12, they will submit salary figures for the upcoming season and an arbitration hearing will be held between Jan. 20 and Feb. 16 to determine the player’s salary. The panel of arbitrators will then select either the player’s figure or the club’s, and nothing in between.

Clubs can decline to tender a player on their 40-man roster under team control a contract for the upcoming season. Those players are “non-tendered” and become free agents, and the deadline to tender player contracts this offseason is Nov. 17.

Winter Meetings and more

In addition to qualifying offer decisions, Nov. 14 is also the deadline for clubs to protect eligible players from the Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the 40-man roster. The Rule 5 Draft is held annually and allows clubs to identify and offer a big league opportunity to prospects they believe have been held back elsewhere.

The idea behind the Rule 5 Draft is to keep teams from hoarding MLB-ready players in the minors, and the Red Sox acquired right-hander Garrett Whitlock in the Rule 5 Draft three years ago.

This year’s Rule 5 Draft will take place on Dec. 6 during the MLB Winter Meetings, which will take place in Nashville between Dec. 4-7. Candidates to be added to the Red Sox 40-man roster this year include pitching prospects Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Perales and Shane Drohan.

The MLB Draft Lottery will also occur at the Winter Meetings on Dec. 5, and by finishing with the 12th-worst record in baseball the Red Sox have a 1.1% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick and a 9.9% chance of moving into the top six. The more probable outcome is Boston picks at No. 12 overall, though they could also pick later if clubs behind them jump into the lottery.

Before the Winter Meetings, MLB’s top executives will also gather at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona, from Nov. 7-9. At the moment the Red Sox are still without a head of baseball operations and the club has indicated the GM Meetings won’t be a deadline to make a hire if they believe they need more time to bring in the right person.

Yet on a Sunday that brought no shortage of twists and turns, the most unexpected may have been the way the game began.

The Patriots offense got off to its best start of the season, opening the game with two straight scoring drives to jump out to an early 10-0 lead over the heavily favored Buffalo Bills.

Rookie receiver Demario Douglas powered the quick start with three catches for 35 yards in the opening two drives, and thanks to the interception thrown by Josh Allen on his first pass attempt of the game, the Patriots had a two-score lead before the Bills even really got a chance to touch the ball.

New England tacked on a field goal in the second quarter as well and went into halftime leading 13-3. Considering what a slog it’s been for the Patriots offensively over the past few weeks, Sunday’s fast start was especially satisfying.

“Huge, awesome, it was great for that first series, a couple of explosive plays and staying ahead of the sticks, no negative plays,” said tight end Mike Gesicki. “It was what we’ve been talking about doing and finally went out there and did it.”

The early cushion proved essential after the Bills rallied for three second-half touchdowns, including two in the final six minutes to take a 25-22 lead with 1:58 to play. That set the stage for the big finish, with quarterback Mac Jones leading the Patriots down the field for the game-winning touchdown pass to Gesicki.

All told the Patriots compiled 364 total yards and averaged 6.6 yards per offensive play, the team’s highest average of the season.

“I think it was one of our most consistent offensive performances of the year, we had a couple of long drives last week and today we only punted a couple of times, it wasn’t very many, which is always a good thing,” Bill Belichick said afterwards. “(Bill O’Brien) did a good job all week with the gameplan and the team went in there and played with good competitive level, better fundamentals and better execution, so it’s a good place to start.”

What changed for Mac Jones in Patriots’ first game-winning drive in over two years

A case could be made this wasn't just one of New England's best performances this year, but in recent memory. Not only had the Patriots not gotten off to a hot start this season prior to Sunday, but they really didn't all of last season either.

You could make a case for last year's Week 17 win over Miami, when the Patriots took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Dolphins tied it 7-7 going into halftime and the game was neck-and-neck after that. Before that New England led Indianapolis 13-0 at halftime in Week 9 but didn't score in the first quarter, and in Week 5 against Detroit the Patriots led 16-0 at halftime but only managed a field goal in the first.

The last no-doubter was all the way back in Week 17 of the 2021 season, when New England opened a 28-3 halftime lead on the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars in an eventual 50-10 win.

That New England was able to ambush a team like the Bills, a perennial playoff contender against whom the Patriots were 1-6 since 2020 coming in, was especially encouraging. Now the question is whether this was a one-off performance or the start of a major turnaround, and how the Patriots look next weekend against first-place Miami will tell us a lot about this team and its future prospects.

Assuming this is his last hurrah in his native country, Yamamoto is certainly finishing his run in Japan on a high note.

The Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto’s current and Yoshida’s former Nippon Professional Baseball club, are back in the Japan Series for the third straight year. The Buffaloes fell short in 2021 before winning their first championship since 1996 last fall, and now Orix is looking to repeat as NPB champion for the first time since winning three straight titles from 1975-77.

At the heart of Orix’s success has been Yamamoto, who is the two-time defending Pacific League MVP and Sawamura Award winner, Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young. Yamamoto will likely win both for the third straight year after once again winning the Japanese Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (16), ERA (1.21) and strikeouts (169) over 164 innings. He also threw his second career no-hitter in September.

Yamamoto wasn’t particularly sharp in Game 1 of the Pacific League finals, allowing five runs on 10 hits and two walks over seven innings, but he also struck out nine and did enough to help Orix get the 8-5 win over the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Orix went on to win the series 3-1 and will face the Hanshin Tigers in the Japan Series. Yamamoto will presumably get the ball in Game 1, which is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 28.

Around the turn of the 21st century, the Red Sox landed Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez, two of the best players of their era, and nearly Alex Rodriguez. They acquired Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett and more recently Chris Sale, and there’s a whole laundry list of stars the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and lately the New York Mets have brought in over the years.

Now, the idea Boston could go out and land a real big fish feels more farfetched. It’s not that the club doesn’t have the resources, it’s that ever since Mookie Betts got away the prevailing sense has been the Red Sox aren’t willing to go the extra mile it takes to bring in a superstar.

Maybe that will change when the new head of baseball operations comes aboard, but if the Red Sox wanted to shake up the narrative and put the rest of the league on notice, there’s one player in particular who looms as an obvious target.

Juan Soto could potentially go down as one of the greatest players in baseball history. He made his MLB debut as a 19-year-old in May 2018, and in six big league seasons since Soto’s already become a three-time All-Star, won a batting title and helped lead the Washington Nationals to the 2019 World Series championship. He also has the best combination of power and plate discipline the league has seen since Barry Bonds, and on top of that he was one of just four players who played in all 162 games this past season.

Soto, who is about to turn 25, is also set to hit free agency after this coming season, and it’s widely expected he’ll land one of the largest contracts in MLB history. He’s already turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from Washington, just to put things in perspective.

Given how the San Diego Padres flopped after going all-in this past season, and given how they’ve already invested nearly $1 billion in Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts over the next decade, it’s reasonable to imagine the Padres could trade Soto and replenish the farm system they stripped to get him in the first place. San Diego paid a king’s ransom when they landed the outfielder ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, but now only a year from free agency his price should be much lower.

Could the Red Sox make a deal? Some within the industry believe it’s possible.

Earlier this week Jim Bowden of The Athletic identified the Red Sox as a team to watch in a potential Soto Sweepstakes, suggesting Boston could land the talented outfielder with a package that includes big leaguers Alex Verdugo and Tanner Houck along with prospects Miguel Bleis and Luis Perales.

Bowden argued that Verdugo, who like Soto is set to hit free agency after this coming season, would immediately slot into San Diego’s starting lineup and Houck would join the starting rotation. Houck brings the added benefit of having four years of team control remaining, and the two prospects are each among the top 10 in Boston’s system, according to MLB Pipeline.

Bleis in particular is highly tantalizing. The 19-year-old outfielder is considered a potential five-tool superstar and would be the main prize for San Diego in this deal, but he also just missed almost the entire season to a shoulder injury and has only ever played 31 games at Single-A. Perales is a well regarded right-hander with a fastball topping out at 99 mph and is considered a future mid-rotation starter or a closer.

Would the Padres bite on a package like this? And should the Red Sox pull the trigger if they do?

My gut reaction was it’s hard to imagine the Padres actually accepting this deal and the Red Sox would be crazy not to do it. Verdugo likely has no future with the Red Sox and Houck is the type of pitcher it might be prudent to sell high on if the right deal came along.

Still, a deal like this carries a lot of risk. There’s no guarantee Soto will agree to a contract extension, and with Scott Boras as his agent there’s a good bet he’ll hit the open ma

rket, where the Red Sox would have to fend off offers from all the other big clubs. Losing two top prospects for only one season of Soto would be tough, especially if Bleis blossoms into the type of superstar some evaluators believe he could become. You could make the case it would be more prudent to wait until next winter, when all Soto will cost is money.

Soto is also admittedly a poor defender and would have to play left field in Boston, essentially rendering Masataka Yoshida a full-time designated hitter. He also wouldn’t help balance the lineup, which already leans heavily left-handed.

Even taking all of that into account, if the opportunity to trade for Soto is there, the Red Sox should still do it.

This is a generational talent we’re talking about, and if you have a chance to bring that kind of player into your organization, you can’t pass it up. Even if the prospects reach their full potential, they probably won’t become as good as Soto is right now.

As for the concern about Soto’s long-term future, that’s a simple enough matter. Show him the money. Manny Machado was “definitely” going to hit free agency until the Padres blew him away last offseason and next thing you know he was locked up for another decade.

And the roster-construction concerns? That should all be secondary. You build your team around the best players, not the other way around. If a couple additional trades are necessary to make the pieces fit a little better, so be it.

The bottom line is the Red Sox shouldn’t be afraid to swing big, and even if a Soto deal doesn’t come to pass, the club needs to get back in the deep end of the market, just like in the old days.

The resources are there, all that’s missing is the will, and if the club wanted to make a statement and let everyone know the Boston Red Sox are back then it’s hard to imagine a better way to do it than by reeling in the biggest fish in the pond.

Altuve does it again

Say what you will about Jose Altuve, but when the chips are down the man always seems to come through.

The diminutive Houston Astros second baseman stood tall again on Friday night, powering the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead. Houston closer Ryan Pressly shut the door and after at one point trailing 2-0 in the series, the Astros now go home to Houston with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to clinch the club’s fifth American League pennant in seven years.

At the heart of that success has been Altuve, who has continued to perform even after reputation was sullied by his connection to the Astros 2017 sign-stealing scandal. To this day Altuve is loudly booed at almost every opposing stadium he visits, but to whatever extent he may have gained an advantage in 2017, he’s remained a postseason monster ever since.

Altuve has now played 101 playoff games in his career, and over that stretch he’s hit 26 career postseason home runs, which ranks second in MLB history behind only Manny Ramirez (29). He also ranks top five all-time in playoff runs scored (86, 2nd), at-bats (419, 3rd), hits (113, 4th), total bases (211, 4th) and doubles (20, 5th).

His evolution into an October masher is particularly impressive given that Altuve hardly started his career as a power threat. Over the first five years of his career Altuve hit a combined 36 home runs over 2,721 at bats, averaging a home run every 75.5 ABs. But since 2016 he’s topped 20 home runs in a season five times and 30 homers twice, a stretch that more or less aligns with Houston’s transformation from a doormat to a dynasty.

Now he has the Astros on the doorstep of the Fall Classic again.

Leyland, Piniella on ballot

The Baseball Hall of Fame just announced this year’s candidates for the Contemporary Era Committee’s Managers, Executives and Umpires ballot, which will see eight of the most accomplished decision-makers of the past 40 years up for election to Cooperstown.

This year’s Era Committee candidates are managers Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland and Lou Piniella, executives Hank Peters and Bill White, and umpires Ed Montague and Joe West.

Though none of the four managers ever led the Red Sox, each served as prominent opponents throughout their careers. Piniella was a longtime New York Yankees player who spent time managing both the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, Johnson led the New York Mets to their 1986 World Series victory over the Red Sox, Gaston spent 12 seasons as Toronto Blue Jays manager and led the club to two World Series titles, and in addition to winning the 1997 World Series with the Florida Marlins, Leyland managed the Detroit Tigers during the epic 2013 ALCS against Boston.

In order to earn induction, candidates must appear on 75% of the ballots cast by the 16-member committee, which would translate to 12 votes assuming everyone casts a ballot. The committee will meet at the Winter Meetings in Nashville on Dec. 3 and the result of the vote will be announced that night on MLB Network.

Troye bounces back

Red Sox pitching prospect Christopher Troye had a terrific season, posting a 3.10 ERA with 87 strikeouts over 38 appearances split between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, but his stint in the Arizona Fall League got off to a rocky start.

Last Wednesday Troye got crushed, allowing five runs on four hits, two walks and a two-run home run without recording an out in the Glendale Desert Dogs’ 16-1 loss to the Surprise Saguaros. The outing raised his ERA to 18.00 in the AFL, meaning no matter how well he pitched afterwards it was pretty much a guarantee his fall numbers won’t look great.

To his credit, Troye bounced back about as well as a pitcher possibly can. In his subsequent two outings Glendale used Troye as its closer, and he responded by locking down consecutive saves with scoreless ninth innings, including in Thursday’s 10-9 win over the Salt River Rafters. Even though his ERA is still over 10, that kind of resilience will make a strong impression on his coaches in the Red Sox system.

Among Boston’s other prospects playing in Arizona, outfielder Corey Rosier has gotten off to a strong start and entered the weekend batting .333 with a .836 OPS and five stolen bases through 13 games. Left-hander Zach Penrod has posted a 1.13 ERA in his first two starts (8 innings) and righty Wyatt Olds a 3.00 ERA through four relief appearances.

The former Red Sox pitcher and current Chicago Cubs assistant general manager and senior vice president of pitching is reportedly among a handful of candidates known to have interviewed for the job, and on Wednesday night Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported Breslow is in advanced discussions to join Boston’s front office.

Whether those discussions ultimately bear fruit remains to be seen, and it’s not clear if Breslow would immediately ascend to the top job or slot in as the No. 2 under a new president of baseball operations. Either way, the 43-year-old Breslow appears to have a real shot.

That might seem surprising for some, especially fans who feel like Breslow was pitching out of the Red Sox bullpen just yesterday, but the lefty has always been regarded as one of the most intelligent people in the game. Once he made the jump to the front office ranks he quickly established himself as a rising star, and whether it’s in Boston, Chicago or someplace else it’s clear he has a bright future.

Rave reviews

Breslow pitched for 12 seasons in the big leagues as a left-handed reliever between 2005-17, including five with the Red Sox. His best season came in 2013, when he was a key member of Boston’s World Series championship squad and posted a 1.81 ERA over 59.2 innings and 61 appearances.

Following his retirement, Breslow was recruited by Theo Epstein to join the Cubs front office, and since 2019 he’s become deeply involved in the organization’s efforts to overhaul its pitching development program. He was elevated to director of pitching and later to his current assistant GM role, and where the Cubs previously struggled to develop homegrown arms Breslow’s efforts have produced a wave of talented pitchers who are already making an impact in the majors.

Look no further than the strides made this year by Cy Young contender Justin Steele and by 2021 first-round pick Jordan Wicks. For an organization like Boston that has struggled to consistently develop high-end pitching talent, Breslow’s track record has obvious appeal.

Right place, right time

One common refrain we’ve heard throughout the search process is that potential targets have declined to pursue the Red Sox job due to family considerations.

In Breslow’s case, the family element might actually work in Boston’s favor.

Originally from Connecticut, Breslow has deep ties to New England and still lives a short drive from Fenway Park. The Yale graduate has often worked remotely from his home in Newton since joining the Cubs front office, so while many candidates have balked at uprooting their families to come to Boston, Breslow’s circumstances would make the role uniquely appealing.

Breslow also has familiarity with most of the front office dating back to his playing days and presumably a good understanding of how the organization functions. If Breslow is hired, that familiarity could help him hit the ground running and implement the changes he feels will help the Red Sox unlock their potential.

Worth the risk?

The downside to Breslow’s candidacy is even compared to many other recently retired players who have successfully transitioned to the front office world, he is very inexperienced. Breslow is not the Cubs’ top decision-maker or even their No. 2 man, and so far he’s thrived in a comparatively narrow role with fewer responsibilities related to executing transactions, negotiating contracts and running a baseball operations department as a whole.

That being said, Breslow would inherit a well-established front office infrastructure, including executive vice president of baseball operations Brian O’Halloran, and the trio of assistant GMs Eddie Romero, Raquel Ferreira and Michael Groopman to help handle all of those things. Alternatively, the Red Sox could elevate Romero or hire another outside candidate as president of baseball operations and install Breslow as GM, which would still represent a big promotion from his current job in Chicago.

You also don’t have to look hard for proof someone with Breslow’s background can thrive in the big chair.

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young, also an Ivy League graduate and a recently retired MLB pitcher, was only 41 when he was hired in late 2020. Under his leadership, the Rangers have aggressively surrounded their homegrown core with high-end outside talent, and now Texas is back in the ALCS for the first time since 2011.

One area where Young has excelled, and where former Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom often drew criticism, is the ability to keep his finger on the pulse of the clubhouse. The past couple summers Red Sox players often expressed frustration over the team’s relative inactivity at the trade deadline, which may have contributed to the club’s second half swoons.

Young, a former player, understood that waiting for the club to get healthy would send the wrong message and swung several big deals that helped keep the Rangers afloat. Breslow also understands those clubhouse dynamics, and having already won a World Series title here he might be better equipped than most to navigate life as Boston’s baseball boss.

If nothing else, Breslow’s already done enough to warrant serious consideration, now it will be fascinating to see if the Red Sox ultimately hand him the ball.

That means several veterans in their contract years could be moved, and at least one acknowledged on Wednesday he’s considered the possibility he could be traded in the weeks ahead.

“Definitely will be on my mind, but just being ready for whatever man,” said wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. “I want to be here, I love to be here, but if there are other plans then it is what it is.”

Bourne is among a number of Patriots approaching free agency who would be coveted on the trade market, and the team could use them to load up on draft picks and better position themselves for 2024 and beyond.

Others in a similar boat include linebackers Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings, tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, offensive linemen Trent Brown and Mike Onwenu, running back Ezekiel Elliot, and defensive backs Jalen Mills and Kyle Dugger.

Through the first six games Bourne has been New England’s leading receiver, ranking first on the team in catches (28), targets (44) and receiving yards (307) while tying for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (3).

It’s not hard to imagine a playoff contender bringing in Bourne to help bolster their passing offense, and besides the draft return the move would also open more playing time for rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.

The prospect of becoming trade deadline sellers affects the players most likely to be moved and their teammates who would conceivably be left behind. Those asked Wednesday said it’s not something they’ve given any thought but they’ll be ready no matter what happens.

“I’m not focused on that right now. Honestly, just really focusing on coming together as a team during tough times and seeing how we respond, seeing how I respond,” said quarterback Mac Jones. “I’m definitely excited for the challenge, looking at it in the eyes and taking it head on.”

“No, right now we’re just focused on Buffalo. What happens, happens. It’s just part of the game, and right now we’re here,” said linebacker Jahlani Tavai. “It’s a big week for us, divisional game, and they’ve got a really good offense that we’re sure we’re prepared for.”

Bill Belichick took a similar tack when asked if his philosophy will change ahead of the trade deadline depending on the team’s record.

“Right now, I’m just thinking about Buffalo,” Belichick said Wednesday morning.

If the Patriots pull the upset this weekend against Buffalo or the following weekend against Miami, maybe the team could opt to stay the course, but New England will be big underdogs in both games and a 1-7 start would be an extremely difficult hole to climb out of.

For now the Patriots players don’t plan on letting the trade deadline effect their day-to-day routine, but with each week that goes by without another win the looming prospect of a fire sale will become more difficult to ignore.

“I’m just focusing every day on what I’ve got to do and on the task at hand,” Bourne said. “I think I’m in a good place so whatever happens happens and just focusing on the day by day and letting it play out.”

Originally a sixth-round pick by New England in the 2017 NFL Draft, the seven-year veteran spent training camp with the Patriots this summer before being placed on injured reserve on Aug. 29. McDermott was later released from injured reserve with an injury settlement after the final roster cuts.

McDermott was spotted at Patriots practice Tuesday afternoon wearing No. 75.

A former UCLA standout, the 30-year-old McDermott has played 49 career NFL games with 12 starts, including two at right guard, two at left tackle, seven at right tackle and one at tackle-eligible tight end. He was waived out of training camp as a rookie and subsequently played parts of three seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2017-19) and New York Jets (2019-22) before signing with New England again last fall off the Jets practice squad. He played six games with the Patriots last fall from November onwards.

He also has one career catch for a 1-yard touchdown, which came from Jets quarterback Zach Wilson on Dec. 26, 2021 in a 26-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That award is voted on by members of the media, but it appears Casas has made a strong impression on his fellow players as well.

Tuesday the MLB Players Association announced the finalists for this year’s Players Choice Awards, and Casas was among the three finalists for AL Outstanding Rookie along with Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Texas’ Josh Jung.

After getting off to a difficult start Casas emerged as one of the most impactful hitters in baseball, especially in the second half. The 23-year-old first baseman batted .263 with 24 home runs, 65 RBI, an .856 OPS, 21 doubles and 70 walks, and  in the second half he batted .317 with 15 home runs and a 1.034 OPS over his final 54 games.

In addition to Casas, former Red Sox great Mookie Betts was among the three finalists for Player of the Year along with Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. and Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani. Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz and Texas’ Corey Seager joined Ohtani for AL Outstanding Player, and New York’s Gerrit Cole, Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish and Minnesota’s Sonny Gray were the finalists for AL Outstanding Pitcher.

The Players Choice Awards are voted on by active MLB players and the winner will have a donation made out to a charity of their choice by the MLBPA.

Eight starters were missing from Tuesday’s practice, including four each from both the offense and defense.

Left tackle Trent Brown, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Rhamondre Stevenson were missing from the offense, and cornerback Jonathan Jones, linebacker Josh Uche and defensive linemen Davon Godchaux and Keion White were absent from the defense.

Brown (chest), Smith-Schuster (concussion), Godchaux (ankle) and Uche (ankle) were all on the injury report last week, while the other four were banged up on Sunday in Las Vegas, with White leaving during the first defensive series after suffering an apparent head injury.

It wasn’t all bad news for the Patriots. Cornerback Jack Jones, who has been sidelined since Week 1 with a hamstring injury, was back on the field, starting his 21-day clock to return to the active roster. Rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas, who was in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury two weekends ago against New Orleans, was also back at practice.

Though Cunningham’s debut in Las Vegas was limited — he played only six snaps at quarterback, did not attempt a pass and was sacked once for five yards — the New England Patriots still have big plans for the versatile weapon.

Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said Tuesday they anticipate using Cunningham in a variety of roles, with his usage evolving week to week depending on the matchup.

“You could see him at different spots throughout the offense obviously other than offensive line, he can play a lot of different places,” O’Brien said on Tuesday. “So it will be week to week based on the gameplan and we’re pretty early in this week so I don’t think we have any idea where that will be this week.”

During the preseason Cunningham demonstrated a knack for making plays all over the field. The Louisville product got six carries for 35 yards with a touchdown in the running game and was also targeted nine times in the passing game, though he only completed one catch for minus-1 yards.

O’Brien said they’ve already installed a package they hope can maximize his unique talents.

“You put together a package of plays and you try not to overload him, and they’re plays within our system, so these aren’t brand new plays,” O’Brien said. “He’s a very bright guy, he does a good job, he knows the plays and he’s gotten better every week.”

Against Las Vegas, Cunningham was immediately elevated to back-up quarterback ahead of usual No. 2 Bailey Zappe, who was relegated to emergency QB duty. O’Brien said that decision shouldn’t be viewed as an indictment of Zappe and the team could go in a different direction if the circumstances call for it.

“For that week, for that game that’s what we decided to do,” O’Brien said. “We haven’t lost any confidence in Bailey, we felt that was the best way to go about it for the Raider game based on where we were from an injury standpoint, how do we get Malik Cunningham into the game and that was the best way to get him into the game.”

Is it possible that may at some point involve Cunningham getting the start at quarterback? Maybe, but asked if Mac Jones will remain the starter this weekend against Buffalo, O’Brien emphatically said “yes.”

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Minnesota Twins general manager Thad Levine and former Houston Astros GM James Click are both candidates for the Red Sox position. Heyman reported that Levine is interviewing for the job, making him the second known candidate to interview after Red Sox assistant GM Eddie Romero, and Click is being considered as well.

Alex Speier of The Boston Globe also reported that Levine has interviewed, as have former Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington and Chicago Cubs assistant GM and former Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow.

Levine is the No. 2 man to president of baseball operations Derek Falvey in Minnesota and was previously a top candidate for the top Philadelphia Phillies job that ultimately went to Dave Dombrowski. He took his current role after the 2016 season and since then has helped lead the Twins to four playoff appearances. This year the Twins went 87-75 to win the AL Central, snapped an 18-game playoff losing streak and swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card round to win the franchise’s first playoff series since 2002.

Click left the Astros this past offseason after leading the franchise to its second World Series championship in large part due to disagreements with owner Jim Crane. During his three years in charge the Astros made the ALCS in three straight years, won two pennants and beat Philadelphia in six games to win last year’s title. Click spent this past season working as a vice president for the Blue Jays.

Huntington spent 12 years in Pittsburgh and played a big part in the organization’s successful rebuild that led to three straight playoff appearances between 2013-15, but Breslow might be the most interesting possibility.

Only 43 years old, Breslow pitched 12 seasons in the majors from 2005-17, including parts of six with the Red Sox, before joining the Cubs front office in 2019. Less than a year later he was promoted to director of pitching and in 2020 he given an assistant GM title as well. While his front office experience is limited, he’s undoubtably made his mark on the Cubs, who are now seeing a wave of impactful homegrown arms reach the majors.

Two widely speculated executives who won’t be coming to Boston are Phillies GM Sam Fuld and Los Angeles Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes. According to Chad Jennings of The Athletic, the two are among the potential candidates who have declined to interview for the job.

Others in a similar boat include Falvey, former Texas Rangers president Jon Daniels, who reportedly doesn’t want to uproot his family from their home in Texas, and former Miami Marlins president Michael Hill, who according to USA Today’s Bob Nightingale is reportedly happy in his current role as MLB’s vice president of baseball operations. It’s not yet known whether former Marlins GM Kim Ng, who unexpectedly parted ways with Miami on Monday, is a candidate for the Red Sox job.

The Miami Marlins announced Monday morning that Kim Ng will not return as general manager, and principal owner Bruce Sherman said the decision to leave was her’s.

“Although the club exercised its team option for her to return for the 2024 season, Kim has declined her mutual option,” Sherman said in a statement. “We thank Kim for her contributions during her time with our organization and wish her and her family well.”

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that one of the factors in Ng’s departure was Miami’s intention to hire a president of baseball operations over her, relegating her to No. 2 in the Marlins front office. Though Ng didn’t specify a reason, she confirmed her departure in a statement to Tyler Kepner of The Athletic and indicated she felt her and ownership’s vision for the future of the Marlins weren’t in alignment.

“Last week, Bruce and I discussed his plan to reshape the Baseball Operations department. In our discussions, it became apparent that we were not completely aligned on what that should look like and I felt it best to step away. I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Marlins family and its fans for my time in South Florida,” Ng told The Athletic. “This year was a great step forward for the organization, and I will miss working with Skip and his coaches as well as all of the dedicated staff in baseball operations and throughout the front office. They are a very talented group and I wish them great success in the future.”

What this means for Red Sox?

The news of Ng’s departure immediately fueled speculation that she could be a candidate for the vacant Red Sox job. While it’s not known if she’s been in contact with the organization or is even interested in the position, she would immediately jump to the top of the list of most qualified individuals on the market.

Ng made history when she was hired in late 2020 as the first woman to lead an MLB club’s baseball operations department, and over the past three seasons the Marlins have steadily improved under her leadership. This year the Marlins finished 84-78 and reached the postseason for the first time in a full 162-game season since 2003.

Although Ng had limited financial flexibility leading the small-market Marlins, she’s shown a willingness to make bold moves. This past summer she acquired sluggers Jake Burger and Josh Bell, veteran reliever David Robertson and left-hander Ryan Weathers at the trade deadline, moves which collectively helped push the Marlins over the finish line in a razor tight NL Wild Card race.

Prior to her arrival in Miami, Ng served as MLB’s senior vice president for baseball operations from 2011 to 2020. Before that she worked as vice president and assistant GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2001 to 2011 and in the New York Yankees front office from 1998 to 2001.

Notably, Ng was in Los Angeles the last four seasons Alex Cora spent with the Dodgers as a player from 2001-04. That past familiarity could prove beneficial if the two were to reunite in Boston.

Ng is widely respected within the game and now that she’s available will immediately become a highly sought after free agent executive. The Red Sox are currently the only MLB franchise other than Miami whose head of baseball operations role is vacant, and though the organization’s reputation has taken a hit thanks to its instability over the past decade, the Red Sox would offer Ng significantly greater resources and the opportunity to take over one of the sport’s most historic, successful franchises.

Monday’s development wasn’t all good news for Boston, however.

Where the Red Sox previously had the only opening in MLB, prospective candidates who might have had reservations about jumping to Boston now have another option. For all of its limitations, Miami does have a more talented big league roster and one of the best pitcher development programs in the sport, so an executive who’s worried about getting canned in four years by Fenway Sports Group whether they win a championship or not might feel the Marlins offer a better chance at long-term career success and stability.

Either way, Ng’s situation will warrant close monitoring as the Red Sox continue their search for new leadership.

One quick hook can be forgiven, or even two, but three is a trend, and seeing that instability it’d be natural for any prospective candidate to wonder how much rope they’d get. But asked if he’s concerned quality candidates might shy away, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy said at the year-end press conference he believes the job is among the best in baseball and people will jump at the opportunity to run the historic club.

“This is the Boston Red Sox. If you want to run a baseball organization, this is where you want to be, you want to be in Boston,” Kennedy said. “Why? Because it matters here more than anywhere else, so if you’re not up for that challenge, thanks but no thanks.”

As it turns out, “this is the Boston Red Sox” isn’t the compelling sales pitch it used to be. Now the Red Sox are apparently hearing “thanks but no thanks” from a number of their preferred targets.

Sources told the Herald this week that multiple candidates have turned down overtures from the Red Sox, corroborating previous reporting by MassLive’s Sean McAdam and others.

Several candidates have expressed unease over the level of turnover within the Red Sox front office, as well as the fact whoever gets the job will inherit manager Alex Cora and a well-entrenched front office leadership team rather than get the chance to bring in their own people.

A National League general manager bluntly told MassLive’s Chris Cotillo that “it’s not viewed as an attractive gig.”

That’s a tough look and perhaps a reality check for Red Sox ownership, but the position is still one of only 30 top jobs in MLB, and at the end of the day the club will find someone it’s excited to have take the wheel.

“We’re looking for someone who shares the organizational values that we’ve come to be known for in our time here and at the end of the day that’s understanding that the standards here are incredibly high and winning games at the major league level, putting yourself in position to be busy in October is the goal,” Kennedy said. “That said, we think you can also build a sustainable organization at the minor league level at the same time. It’s hard, it’s difficult, sometimes those two things are in conflict with each other, but we think the right leadership will emerge.”

So, who could that end up being?

According to multiple reports the Red Sox have already conducted a formal interview with at least one candidate — assistant general manager Eddie Romero. Romero has been with the Red Sox since 2006 and is viewed as the top internal candidate for the role, though others could be considered as well, with fellow assistant GMs Raquel Ferreira and Michael Groopman two of the logical options.

The Red Sox have not publicly revealed the identities of any external candidates, but McAdam reported one potential target is former Miami Marlins executive Michael Hill.

Hill currently serves as MLB’s Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, where he is in charge of umpires and on-field discipline, and before that he spent nearly two decades working in the Marlins front office. Hill took over as Marlins GM in 2007 and was promoted to president of baseball operations in 2013, serving in that role until being let go following the 2020 season.

He also played football and baseball at Harvard and spent three seasons in the minor leagues after being drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1993.

Hill’s teams weren’t particularly successful during his tenure, but he was also hamstrung by Miami’s limited financial resources and by the whims of former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, whose tenure was marked by frequent fire sales of the numerous talented players the organization developed.

Another name connected to Miami worth watching is current GM Kim Ng, who was hired to replace Hill and has led the Marlins for the past three seasons. Ng became the first woman in MLB history to run a baseball operations department upon her hire in 2020 and this fall she led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a full 162-game season since 2003. Her contract situation is murky, however, so it’s not clear what her future in Miami holds or if she’d be interested in a jump to Boston.

Not every candidate to pass up the Red Sox has done so out of concern over the role’s viability. Former Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, for instance, reportedly took himself out of consideration for family reasons. According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, Daniels was excited about the opportunity and believed the position checked a lot of boxes, but he didn’t want to uproot his wife and three children from their home in Texas.

As of now it’s unclear where many of the other popularly touted names stand on the Red Sox position. Philadelphia GM Sam Fuld, Los Angeles Dodgers executives Brandon Gomes and Josh Byrnes, and former Houston GM James Click are among those who stand out as obvious choices, but they could also be the ones opting to stay away.

Kennedy promised the search would be broad, deliberate and that the Red Sox would take their time to find the right person. They very well still can, but the way things look it might end up taking longer than the club would have preferred.

Orioles paid for lack of investment

The Baltimore Orioles had an amazing year. Two years removed from a 110-loss season, the young ball club took the league by storm, won 101 games and captured the franchise’s first AL East title since 2014.

Yet when October rolled around, Baltimore was bounced before its playoff run even began.

Last week the Orioles were swept out of the playoffs in decisive fashion by the Texas Rangers, who overwhelmed Baltimore’s starting pitchers and never gave the Orioles a chance. The beatdown laid bare how little the Orioles did to supplement their up-and-coming roster, specifically their failure to go out and get an ace.

This season the Orioles came into the year with a payroll of approximately $60 million, the second-lowest in MLB ahead of only the Oakland Athletics. They barely made a ripple in free agency, acquiring starters Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin and infielder Adam Frazier and not much else, and at the trade deadline their big addition was Jack Flaherty.

Gibson had a good but not great season and wound up coming out of the bullpen in Baltimore’s Game 3 loss. Flaherty didn’t make the Orioles playoff rotation either and Irvin wasn’t even on the ALDS roster. Would things have gone differently if Baltimore acquired a top starter? Maybe, but if nothing else it would’ve sent a clear signal that the Orioles are ready for primetime.

When the Chicago Cubs were at a similar point in their rebuild, they went out and signed Jon Lester. When Houston was ready to make the leap, they added Justin Verlander. Baltimore has a bright future ahead of it, but if you’re going to make any noise in October, you need an ace, and now the Orioles are sitting at home in part because their owner was too cheap to go get one.

Hazen rewarded on and off the field

Mike Hazen has endured a lot over the past few years. The Arizona Diamondbacks general manager has seen his team finish below .500 three straight years and in 2021 suffered through a 110-loss debacle. Through that same stretch Hazen also endured immense personal tragedy, losing his wife Nicole to brain cancer last year.

The former Red Sox executive is by all accounts a great guy and is widely respected within the game, and now he’s finally seeing his fortunes turn around.

Led by an emerging young core featuring Rookie of the Year favorite Corbin Carroll, the Diamondbacks made the playoffs this season for the first time since 2017 and swept both the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Diamondbacks are now headed to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2007, where they’ll face the Philadelphia Phillies in what promises to be an entertaining matchup.

No matter how this October’s playoff run ends, Hazen’s ensured the Diamondbacks will be set up to compete for years to come. For that, the Diamondbacks awarded Hazen with a new contract extension set that will keep him in Arizona through at least the 2028 season, if not longer.

Though Hazen was rumored as a potential candidate for the Red Sox head of baseball operations job — he previously served as Dave Dombrowski’s No. 2 man in Boston before leaving for Arizona in late 2016 — the longtime executive told reporters following his extension that he wasn’t interested in any other role and wanted to stay with the Diamondbacks.

Now he’ll have a chance to see his efforts to bring a second World Series championship to the desert through to the end.

Upsets all over

Baseball is a random sport, and it’s not unusual to see teams that dominate over a 162-game season trip up in the postseason and get bounced in a short series by a nominally inferior club.

Still, what we’ve seen unfold over the first two rounds has been nothing short of astounding.

Each of the five teams that finished with more than 90 wins have already been eliminated, with the World Series favorite Atlanta Braves becoming the latest wagon to have its wheels fall off in this week’s NLDS loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. All told the Braves, Orioles, Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers went a combined 1-13 in the playoffs, with four of the five getting swept in their opening series.

Does that mean this year’s eventual World Series champion will be in some way undeserving? Hardly. The defending champion Houston Astros are back in the ALCS for the seventh straight season, where they’re set to face an excellent Texas Rangers club, and the Phillies have a chance to win their second straight NL pennant when they face the upstart Diamondbacks in the NLCS.

We still have some great baseball to look forward to, even if the matchups might not have been the ones we were predicting two weeks ago.

According to the league’s transaction wire, infielder Yu Chang has elected free agency after finishing this past season in Triple-A. In addition, right-handed pitcher Kaleb Ort has been claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners, the team announced Friday.

The Ort move was first reported by MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.

Chang played 39 games for the Red Sox this past season, batting .162 with six home runs and 18 RBI. He missed nearly two months between late April and early July due to a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, but before and after that injury he served as a valuable presence defensively while Trevor Story worked his way back from elbow surgery.

Outside of some occasional flashes of power, Chang didn’t contribute much offensively and was ultimately designated for assignment once Story was ready to return. He finished the season with the WooSox, batting .313 over 12 games down the stretch.

Ort has pitched intermittently in the big leagues for the Red Sox since making his MLB debut in 2021. This past season the hard-throwing right-hander posted a 6.26 ERA in 21 appearances and spent the entire second half on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Overall Ort appeared in 47 games for the Red Sox and posted a 6.27 ERA over 51.2 innings.

Since the season ended, infielder Christian Arroyo, catcher Caleb Hamilton and right-hander Kyle Barraclough have all elected free agency as well. Those three, along with Chang, were all previously outrighted off the Red Sox 40-man roster and have either the requisite service time or the number of previous career outrights necessary to become a free agent.

Thanks to the MLB lockout freezing the 2022 offseason, Story didn’t even sign with Boston until right before Opening Day. As a result he got less than a week’s worth of spring training before making his debut, and it took almost six weeks before he started looking anything like his normal self.

Once Story got going things went well, until he was hit by a pitch and suffered a broken wrist that kept him sidelined for most of the second half. Then this past offseason long-held concerns over his throwing elbow were finally realized, and after returning in August it felt like he could never get comfortable at the plate.

Yet even a diminished Story made a tangible difference for the Red Sox down the stretch.

After the starting rotation’s inability to pitch deep into games, Boston’s poor infield defense was the biggest factor in the club’s last-place finish. Between Rafael Devers’ regression, Triston Casas’ inexperience and the complete and total collapse of the middle infield following Story’s elbow surgery and other injuries, Boston continuously shot itself in the foot and gave away game after game due to avoidable miscues on the diamond.

But once Story got back on the field the difference was night and day. Routine plays at shortstop were actually being made routinely, and even difficult plays were being converted with ease. Story seemingly made everyone around him better, and after a summer spent watching Kiké Hernández throw every ball hit his way into the stands, Red Sox fans surely appreciated what a difference an actual major league shortstop can make.

Now the Red Sox need Story to get back to being the All-Star he was brought here to be.

Fully healthy and with an entire spring training ahead of him, Story has a chance to enjoy a “normal” season for the first time since coming to Boston. We already know he’s a game-changer defensively and he proved down the stretch he can still do damage on the base paths, but for the Red Sox to reach their potential they need Story to be the 30-home run, .900 OPS guy he was in Colorado.

Considering that Boston’s shortstops collectively batted .228 with a .636 OPS in 2023 — both the worst marks on the team for any position — a return to form by Story offensively would provide a massive boost.

It would also represent one of the few ways the club can realistically upgrade its infield this offseason.

Outside of firing third base coach and infield instructor Carlos Febles, who oversaw and failed to turn around the unit’s defensive collapse, there probably won’t be much of an infield shakeup coming this offseason. Story will play shortstop, Devers third base, Casas first base, and second base will likely remain a revolving door until the club’s rising young middle infielders are ready for primetime.

There’s also the question of whether or not the Red Sox bring back Justin Turner, but either way he likely won’t play a major role in Boston’s infield going forward. If he stays he’ll play mostly at designated hitter and if he leaves it’s more likely Masataka Yoshida would take over the bulk of the DH duties rather than Devers or Casas.

So if this is going to be the group, what can fans expect?

Devers is a franchise cornerstone and even amid what felt like a difficult year at the plate, he still wound up hitting 33 home runs with 100 RBI. Casas had a terrific rookie year and during the second half emerged as one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball.

As for their defense, a new infield instructor could do both a world of good, and with Casas specifically it’s easy to forget he’s only 23. He’s got plenty of room to grow and with more time in the majors should continue to develop defensively.

How about second base? It doesn’t make sense for the Red Sox to make a multi-year commitment to another middle infielder considering that a whole wave of highly regarded prospects is nearing the majors. Enmanuel Valdez and Ceddanne Rafaela have already debuted, and it’s not a stretch to imagine top prospect Marcelo Mayer breaking into the big leagues by late summer too.

The most likely scenario feels like the Red Sox rolling with some combination of Luis Urias, Pablo Reyes, Valdez or another one-year signing, with Rafaela an option as a super-utility player if he winds up on the MLB roster.

No matter how you draw it up, the Red Sox have some impressive pieces in place and could boast one of the best infields in baseball next year. But if that’s going to happen, Story is the key, and this group will ultimately go as far as he can take it.

If Chris Sale could stay healthy, and if the 37-year-old Corey Kluber could replicate his strong 2022 with Tampa Bay, the Red Sox could have one of the best one-two punches atop their rotation in baseball.

If Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello could take the next step as reliable, big-league starters, the Red Sox could be set up for years to come.

If James Paxton could put his injury woes behind him, and if Nick Pivetta could remain a consistent innings-eater, the rotation could turn into a monster.

That’s a lot of “ifs,” and with the benefit of hindsight it’s clear Boston’s plan was fatally over-optimistic.

The problem with any high-risk, high-reward approach is when it doesn’t work out, things can get ugly in a hurry. Though there were certainly other failures along the way — poor defense, lack of depth at key positions — Boston’s inability to protect itself from a cascade of worst-case scenarios in the starting rotation ultimately spelled the club’s doom.

Sale, obviously, did not stay healthy and lacked consistency for stretches when he was available. Kluber was an unmitigated disaster, lasting only nine starts before being pulled from the rotation with a 6.26 ERA and eventually shut down due to a right shoulder injury. Pivetta was also removed from the rotation due to poor performance, though he rebounded after shifting to the bullpen, and Paxton initially enjoyed an incredible bounce-back before running out of gas in the second half.

As for the youngsters, Bello did take a step forward as hoped but Whitlock and Houck did not. Whitlock endured three trips to the injured list and wasn’t consistent or effective for the majority of the season. Houck’s two-month stint on the IL after being hit with a line drive was fluky and unfortunate, but before and after the injury he struggled to pitch deep into games, an issue he’s struggled to overcome throughout his career.

Kutter Crawford’s emergence as a dependable big league starter was a positive development, but after joining the rotation full-time in early June he only averaged 4.2 innings and 77.3 pitches per start.

That’s pretty much in line with what Boston got from the rest of its rotation, and if the Red Sox hope to turn things around next season they’ll need their starters to pitch much deeper into games.

Red Sox starters threw 774.1 innings, which ranked fourth-worst in MLB and placed an unreasonable burden on the club’s bullpen. Unable to consistently pitch into the six inning or later, the Red Sox needed more arms to get through each game, which meant a shorter bullpen over the following days and often a rotating carousel of Triple-A relievers just to keep the ship afloat.

When the club went through its stretch with consistent off-days during mid-summer, the Red Sox made the parade of openers and short-starters work. But once they hit their August marathon of 26 games in 27 days, the wheels fell off.

While the Red Sox have already taken a step to address the problem by firing pitching coach Dave Bush, that alone won’t be enough. Going forward the Red Sox must bring in proven, reliable arms so they can stop hoarding lottery tickets and counting on a few to pay off.

This offseason Boston needs to add two front-of-the-rotation starters at minimum, guys who have shown they can take the ball every five days and pitch deep into games over the course of a long season. Luckily there are tons of good options available, among them 25-year-old Japanese superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Phillies workhorse Aaron Nola, Texas’ Jordan Montgomery and San Diego’s Blake Snell. The Red Sox could also swing a big trade, much like they did for Sale in late 2016.

Once the front of the rotation is shored up, the arms Boston already has should slot nicely into more appropriate roles.

Bello wouldn’t be counted on as the staff ace and could continue developing at a natural pace. The 24-year-old gave fans a lot to get excited over this summer, but he still has a lot of room for growth and needs to overcome his strange tendency to fall apart during day games.

The pressure would also be taken off Sale to carry the staff, something he hasn’t been able to do since coming back from Tommy John surgery. If he stays healthy in 2024, great. If he turns back the clock and delivers a Cy Young caliber season, fantastic. But at this point Boston needs to stop counting on those things and instead treat anything they get from Sale as a bonus.

That leaves the No. 5 spot, and if the rest of the rotation is on a solid foundation the Red Sox could permit themselves a high-upside gamble.

As bad as things started, Pivetta ultimately had a good season and finished with 142.2 innings and a team-high 183 strikeouts. Crawford took a step forward and may still have room to grow. Whitlock and Houck had disappointing seasons, but they’ve proven they can be dominant at their best.

So who should start? Let them compete and may the best man win. Whoever emerges in spring training can round out the rotation and the others can help bolster what could become a dominant bullpen.

All things considered the Red Sox pitching staff isn’t in a bad place. There is enough talent, upside and depth to fill out a good rotation, all that’s missing is a central pillar to build around.

That type of situation could naturally breed resentment within the locker room, but members of the coaching staff said Tuesday they aren’t worried about the defense pointing fingers, even while acknowledging that it can happen in the NFL.

“No, not really. I was kind of brought by my dad and my grandpa like, ‘Get your get your (expletive) together yourself.’ Like, don’t be worried about the rest of the people in the room,” said linebackers coach Steve Belichick. “If you just worry about yourself and do what you need to do, and lead people in the way of doing what you need to do better — there’s always corrections that you can improve on if you’re hard on yourself and you have a standard to yourself.”

“So that’s kind of what I try to do is (ask), ‘Do you think that this was good enough?’ Or if you do, could it have been better than good? Because it’s definitely possible,” he continued. “So try to control what you can control. … I’m not a big point fingers type of guy. But yeah, it does happen. That’s very realistic.”

While the offense has received the majority of the criticism in recent weeks, the defense hasn’t been without its faults. Last week the Patriots allowed New Orleans to score twice in under four minutes of game time during the second quarter, allowing a 7-0 deficit to balloon to 21-0 in the blink of an eye, and the prior week Dallas averaged 5.5 yards per play in its 38-3 blowout win.

Even acknowledging the defense has its own work cut out for it, the coaches acknowledged that its human nature to compare yourself with others, especially under difficult circumstances.

“You know, it’s not something you would lead off talking about, but there’s sometimes situations that come up within team dynamics. But it really does no use to go point fingers or do things outside of what you can control,” safeties coach Brian Belichick said. “So we can control what we can put out there on the field on defense. And so when you get caught up in anything else going on, it can only distract you from what you’re supposed to be doing.

“And we got plenty of crap to work on defense,” he continued. “So it’s a full-time job to stop these offenses in the NFL. So my perspective (is) we don’t really have time to worry about anything else that’s happening because we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”

According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have fired pitching coach Dave Bush and third base coach/infield instructor Carlos Febles. Both coaches have been staples of the Red Sox staff through the majority of manager Alex Cora’s tenure but oversaw aspects of the club that have recently fallen short of expectations.

Peter Fatse will return as hitting coach, per a Red Sox source.

Bush took over as pitching coach in October 2019 and has served in the role for the last four seasons. During his tenure Bush was tasked with leading the staff through a period of extensive turnover while bringing along the club’s emerging core of young arms, but this year Boston’s pitching collectively took a step back.

This past season Red Sox pitchers ranked below league average in team ERA (4.52, 21st in MLB), home runs allowed (208, 24th) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.9, tied 25th). The starting pitchers also struggled to pitch deep into games, averaging 4.8 innings and 80 pitches per outing.

That lack of length forced the bullpen to take on a heavier workload and frequently left the Red Sox short on available relievers any given day. Eventually the short outings caught up to the Red Sox and contributed to the club’s ultimate collapse in August and September.

Prior to taking over as pitching coach, the 43-year-old Bush pitched nine seasons in the big leagues for Toronto, Milwaukee and Texas. He started coaching following his retirement in 2013 and joined the Red Sox as a pitching development analyst in 2016.

Febles’ time with the Red Sox dates back to 2007, when he initially joined the organization as hitting coach for the short-season Lowell Spinners. He held various minor league roles over the following decade before joining the big league club as third base coach ahead of the 2018 season.

As infield instructor Febles was responsible for the preparation of the club’s infielders, which became a major area of weakness in 2023, but even with that group’s subpar performance defensively it wasn’t obvious that a change was imminent. Last week Cora said rookie infielder Enmanuel Valdez would spend time over the winter working with Febles in the Dominican Republic and that while the coaching staff needed to do a better job, he didn’t feel any staffing changes were necessary.

“I don’t believe so,” Cora said during the club’s year-end press conference. “I think we just have to be better, in a sense. We have to be willing to go and talk to people and adjust our routines. That’s something that we’ve been talking about the whole season. I know people talk about the coaching stuff and everything but the people that followed us the whole time, you saw it, we did a lot of things that we don’t usually do. It didn’t work but it’s not lack of trying, it’s not lack of effort, it’s not lack of knowledge, it’s just you’ve got to keep trying to find ways for these guys to be better.”

While the Red Sox are still searching for a new head of baseball operations, club CEO Sam Kennedy said last week that decisions on the coaching staff would be made in the following days by the existing front office, primarily executive vice president of baseball operations Brian O’Halloran, assistant general manager Eddie Romero and Cora. Though the new baseball boss will presumably have a say once he’s hired, the existing braintrust obviously felt changes were needed after the team’s performance in 2023.

In addition to Bush and Febles, Speier reported that Triple-A pitching coach Paul Abbott and assistant hitting coach Mike Montville won’t return to the WooSox. The Globe’s Peter Abraham also reported that the Red Sox plan to hire a new translator for outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

So a year ago this week Graber took the plunge and officially joined the Chicago Cubs as a minor league coach. He couldn’t have imagined the whirlwind that awaited.

Originally hired as the Cubs’ spring training complex coordinator, Graber wound up being promoted twice over the course of the season, first to roving minor league field coordinator and then to manager of the Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs’ Double-A affiliate. Under his leadership the Smokies took off, and recently the club captured its first Southern League championship since 1978.

“A little bit different than the brownies my wife would make after we won a high school championship,” Graber joked of the champagne-soaked celebration that followed Tennessee’s title-clinching 10-3 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

Throughout his first year with the Cubs, Graber was repeatedly the right man in the right place at the right time. Originally expected to oversee the club’s spring training operation and later manage the rookie league team, Graber got bumped to field coordinator after his predecessor was elevated to big league hitting coach.

In that role Graber regularly traveled to Chicago’s four minor league affiliates in Myrtle Beach, South Bend, Iowa and Tennessee, and during a midsummer trip to Knoxville the Smokies’ manager position unexpectedly became vacant. The Cubs plugged Graber into the role and things got rolling from there.

Besides getting to manage a Double-A affiliate to a championship, Graber also had the opportunity to coach some of the most promising young players in the sport. He said getting to tell Pete Crow-Armstrong and B.J. Murray Jr. that they were going to Seattle for the MLB Futures Game was special, as was getting to work with many of the club’s top prospects on a daily basis, among them former Worcester Academy star Matt Shaw.

“That’s a really cool opportunity to be with players at that level who are so profoundly gifted, but are also such incredibly hard workers who the organization has identified as a legitimate Major League Baseball prospect,” Graber said. “That’s a great responsibility for me to make sure everything is going well with these players, and I don’t take that lightly.”

While leaving a high school job to join an MLB organization may seem like a no-brainer to some, it wasn’t an easy decision. Graber and his family had been ingrained in the Phillips Academy community since 2008, and over the years he got to watch his kids grow up on the Andover campus along with hundreds of other students who came through the prestigious school.

Among those was Thomas White, one of the top pitching prospects in the 2023 MLB Draft, and joining the Cubs would have also meant missing out on his senior year at Phillips and the chance to see his journey over the finish line.

“You get to be really close to these families,” Graber said.

Ultimately Graber and his family decided the time was right and uprooted themselves from the Merrimack Valley to Phoenix, Ariz. Now with a memorable first year under his belt, Graber expects to resume his role as field coordinator and help do whatever he can to help Chicago’s young players reach their full potential.

And if he ends up getting tossed another curveball or two next season, he’ll be ready for that, too.

“Whatever the Cubs need from me, that is what I will do,” Graber said.

Twins end drought

On Oct. 5, 2004, the Red Sox began what wound up being a historic playoff run culminating in the organization’s first World Series championship in 86 years.

That same day the Minnesota Twins beat the New York Yankees 2-0 in Game 1 of their American League Divisional Series. It was the club’s last playoff win for nearly two decades.

Minnesota’s incomprehensible 18-game losing streak in the playoffs finally came to an end this past week, as the Twins dispatched the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 in the Wild Card round to win the franchise’s first playoff series since 2002. In the interim the Twins were swept four times in the ALDS (thrice by the Yankees, who also went on to win that ’04 ALDS 3-1) and twice in the Wild Card round.

It was a cathartic and emotional breakthrough for the Twins and their fans, but now the AL Central champions have their work cut out for them in their second-round matchup against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.

AL East or least?

Considering how strong the AL East appeared for the majority of the season, the division hasn’t exactly colored itself in glory through the first week of the playoffs.

Two of the division’s three playoff qualifiers, the Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, were unceremoniously dumped from the postseason in lopsided two-game Wild Card sweeps. The Jays and Rays were outscored a combined 16-2 in their four losses, each only managing a single run in their respective series.

For the Blue Jays, the outcome was underwhelming but not completely out of left field, because despite boasting an impressive collection of talent Toronto’s offense has underperformed all season. The club further sabotaged itself by lifting Jose Berrios after a leadoff walk in the fourth inning of Game 2 despite a low pitch count and an otherwise dominant start. That decision immediately backfired when Yusei Kikuchi went on to allow three straight baserunners and two runs to score.

The Rays performance, however, was wildly uncharacteristic.

Tampa Bay has always prided itself on playing fundamentally sound baseball, but this past week the Rays looked like the worst version of this year’s Red Sox. Tampa Bay committed four errors in Game 1’s shutout loss, and on Wednesday they looked overmatched against old friend Nathan Eovaldi.

Even after a 99-win campaign, this offseason is going to bring a lot of hard questions for a Rays franchise that can’t seem to translate its regular season success into an October breakthrough. The same can be said for the Blue Jays, who have been solidly in win-now mode for the past three seasons and whose championship window could be closing.

Savannah Bananas coming to Fenway

Banana Ball is officially coming to the big leagues.

After taking New England by storm with highly acclaimed stops in Brockton, Hartford and Portland this past summer, the Savannah Bananas are set to bring their unique spin on baseball to Fenway Park next year as part of the upcoming 2024 Banana Ball World Tour.

The Bananas will play at Fenway Park on Saturday, June 8, 2024, marking one of six dates the Bananas will play at a big league venue. Originally founded as a summer college team, the Bananas have evolved into baseball’s answer for the Harlem Globetrotters, becoming famous for their entertaining antics, in-game dances, unique rules, frequent fan interactions and celebrity cameos.

This past August’s game in Brockton quickly sold out and featured Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon and New England football legend Doug Flutie. It’s a safe bet the stars will be out in force for next summer’s showcase at Fenway Park.

Tickets for Bananas games are lottery-based, and fans interested in attending should visit thesavannahbananas.com/tickets and join the Ticket Lottery List for an opportunity to purchase tickets.

Following a highly successful tour that included stops in nearby Brockton, Hartford and Portland this past summer, the Savannah Bananas are set to bring their unique spin on baseball to Fenway Park next year as part of the upcoming 2024 Banana Ball World Tour.

The Bananas will play at Fenway Park on Saturday, June 8, 2024, marking one of six dates the Bananas will play at a big league venue. Renowned for their entertaining antics, the Bananas have taken the baseball world by storm thanks to their in-game dances, unique rules, frequent fan interactions and on-field celebrations, celebrity cameos and more.

Former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon and New England football legend Doug Flutie both took part in August’s game in Brockton, and it’s a good bet the stars will be out in force for next summer’s showcase.

Tickets for Bananas games are lottery-based, and fans interested in attending should visit thesavannahbananas.com/tickets and join the Ticket Lottery List for an opportunity to purchase tickets.

The performance raised obvious long-term concerns, but what matters most in the short term is how Jones responds.

Back home at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots have begun putting Sunday’s blowout behind them as they look ahead to the New Orleans Saints. That includes Jones, who was back on the field at practice Wednesday and who teammates say has been his usual self this week despite the ugly showing.

“I have no worries about Mac,” said running back Ezekiel Elliot. “I know he’s going to get it together, he’s very assertive and he’s been good this week.”

“He’s still consistent, great dude, great leader, he was voted captain for a reason,” said tight end Hunter Henry. “He’s respected by his teammates, respected by all of us, I’m so excited to go to battle again with him this weekend.”

One thing that made Sunday so jarring was how messy the three-turnover performance was. Earlier this week offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien called many of Jones’ decisions against the Cowboys “uncharacteristic” and that the coaching staff needed to do a better job putting him in positions to succeed.

Jones acknowledged that Sunday was a tough learning experience but as long as he stays within the purpose of each play, he should get good results overall.

“The biggest thing is moving on from it and learning from it,” Jones said. “The play-by-play basis is important. What am I supposed to do on the play? What’s my read? What’s the intention of the play? If I follow that, usually 90% of the time it’s pretty good.”

Jones will ultimately be judged by his performance on the field, and if he comes out guns blazing on Sunday and leads the Patriots to a successful season afterward then nobody will care that he laid an egg in late September. But to this point, the results haven’t been there, and he and the rest of the offense understand things need to change.

“At this point, we haven’t put up as many points as we’d like,” Jones said. “But we have plenty of opportunities to do that and it starts today in practice.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora frequently praised all three rookies throughout September, and towards the end of Monday’s year-end press conference he offered his thoughts on what could be next for two of them.

Valdez and Rafaela both have impressive tools, Cora said, but need to improve in crucial areas if they’re going to become reliable everyday big leaguers. For Valdez, the defense needs work, while Rafaela has to improve the quality of his at bats or he could be exposed by big league pitchers.

One of the prospects acquired in last summer’s Christian Vazquez trade, Valdez could potentially have an opportunity to earn regular playing time at second base next season. Over the final month he largely platooned at the position with Pablo Reyes, and as things stand he’s in line to compete for the spot with Reyes and trade deadline acquisition Luis Urias.

To best prepare him for that competition, Cora said Valdez will spend a month playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic with Red Sox third base coach Carlos Febles. Improving his first step, his angles and his arm strength will all be areas of focus for Valdez.

“So there are a few things we’ve identified with him where if he does it he can be a good second baseman, because the bat plays,” Cora said. “The plate discipline, the impact of the baseball, the at bat he puts together, it’s impressive. We’ll see what happens, getting the reps in the Dominican Republic and playing second base exclusively is going to help him out.”

Given his defensive talents at both center field and in the middle infield, Rafaela may also have a path to regular playing time. Cora said to realize his potential Rafaela needs to get stronger and improve his plate discipline, which has been an ongoing focus throughout the 23-year-old’s professional career.

“There’s a few things mechanically we believe he needs to do to get to the fastball and to hit the ball to right-center,” Cora said. “He had a good season, it’s not easy to come here to the big leagues and dominate, but you saw the skillset, this kid is going to impact the defense, he’s very good at what he does and offensively we believe he’ll be capable of impacting the lineup.”

Asked if it’s realistic to imagine Rafaela earning an every day role like Triston Casas this past season, however, Cora pumped the breaks.

“It’s too early for that,” he said. “We’ll see what happens, there’s a few things he’s going to do in the upcoming months to be better and go to spring training, he’ll play a lot in spring training so we’ll see what happens.”

Arroyo a free agent

One middle infielder who likely won’t be back with the Red Sox next season is Christian Arroyo, who was designated for assignment earlier this summer and has now elected for free agency, according to the Worcester Red Sox transaction log.

Originally Boston’s starting second baseman, Arroyo was removed from the roster as part of a larger midseason shakeup following an underwhelming season in which he batted .241 with a .638 OPS. His numbers fell off a cliff once he got to Triple-A, with Arroyo batting .139 with no home runs and two RBI in 18 games with the WooSox.

By opting for free agency, the 28-year-old is hoping for a fresh start and that he can land in a favorable situation to resume his big league career.

Minor league catcher Caleb Hamilton has also elected for free agency, per the WooSox.

Lucchino pays tribute

Since news broke of Tim Wakefield’s death, tributes have been pouring in from all corners of the Red Sox family, and on Tuesday former Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, now chairman and principal owner of the Worcester Red Sox as well as chairman of the Jimmy Fund, offered his thoughts.

“My sentiments are of sadness, for this great and good man was taken far too soon,” Lucchino said, “but they are also of anger, as they are whenever an innocent person is struck by a form of cancer.  We have come so very far in the treatment of cancers, and this crushing news brings into stark relief — yet again — that we have miles to go.

“The Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have truly lost a champion. Tim’s relentless dedication to our pediatric and adult patients and their families was immeasurable. He was an advocate for the mission to defy cancer on and off the field through fundraising, visiting patients, and bringing awareness to this horrific disease. He was a hero, both on and off the field. The entire Dana-Farber and Jimmy Fund community mourn his loss.”

Lucchino went on to extoll Wakefield’s contributions as a member of the Red Sox and his role in leading the club to two World Series championships, as well as his off-field contributions throughout New England and in his hometown of Melbourne, Fla.

“Who knows what future contributions he could have continued to make had we not been robbed of his generosity, and had he not been robbed of the opportunity,” he said. “For surely he would have continued to do so. He was a remarkable man.”

Lucchino finished by offering his condolences to Wakefield’s family, and also said going forward the WooSox annual Brain Cancer Awareness Day will be held in tribute to Wakefield.

How will the Patriots move forward after losing two of their best defensive players to serious injuries? Linebackers coach Jerod Mayo said Tuesday that others will have to step up in their absence.

“Judon’s been great for us in the locker room, in the meeting room and on the field, but we have other players,” Mayo said. “It’s not going to be just one guy, it’s going to be multiple guys trying to fill that role. We’ll see what happens, we’ll see if he comes back but in the meantime we feel pretty confident about the guys on the roster.

“We have great players, we always talk about how the rush and the coverage have to marry up, so look, we have guys who can play in those roles,” Mayo continued when asked about Gonzalez specifically. “Obviously it hurts to lose a guy like Gonzo, but at the same time we’re going through that whole gameplan process right now and we’re pretty confident we have guys that can fill that role.”

One player in particular Mayo said will play a larger role is rookie defensive end Keion White, who has emerged as one of the defense’s most promising young standouts and who will now be relied upon more heavily in the pass rush with Judon out for the foreseeable future.

“He’s going to play more,” Mayo said. “He’s going to play more simply said and we really need him to show up.”

Last week White played a career-high 27 snaps, good for 39% of the total defensive snaps, and prior to that he’d been hovering around 30% through his first three games. White, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings will all likely see their snap totals rise with Judon out, and Mayo said White in particular boasts a unique skillset that’s allowed him to succeed early on.

“Every week we try to put more on his plate, he doesn’t really fit any mold, like the (Deatrich) Wise category or the Judon category, he can kind of do both to a certain extent,” Mayo said. “He’s doing well and he’s growing each and every week in the classroom and on the field.”

As for the secondary, getting either Jonathan Jones or Jack Jones back from injury would make a huge difference, but Mayo declined to provide an update on whether either could return on Sunday.