Boston Red Sox executive Craig Breslow finalized a three-year contract extension for manager Alex Cora. Appearing on The Greg Hill Show Thursday morning, Breslow discussed Cora’s contract extension including the change between the offseason and now, along with his own relationship with Cora needed to grow. Slowly, Breslow and Cora have built a relationship in the last eight months, beginning over the offseason. Cora needed to know that his input would be valued when it came to personnel. For Breslow, he needed time to learn how to best communicate with Cora and be convinced that he and the manager could work together.
Craig Breslow’s Relationship with Alex Cora is Growing
“The change was the relationship between the two of us,” Breslow said. “Alex and his family love Boston and this is the place that they wanted to stay. If the relationship between us hadn’t grown, and one of us had felt like we weren’t the right partner or complement for each other then it wouldn’t have worked out.
“But in terms of what Alex’s expectations are, I think we were both completely honest with each other, and he was very honest about the fact that Boston was a place that was very comfortable for his family and that was of significant importance. And additionally, he wanted to be in a place where we had a chance to win the World Series, and so do I. So, the fact that we had that in common makes for a great partnership.”
The more Breslow watched, the more he gained respect for Cora’s ability to relate to players and earn their trust. Breslow saw the buy-in that Cora was getting from the players. Cora has shown patience with the likes of Ceddanne Rafaela and David Hamilton, both of whom struggled in the opening month of the season.
He also saw how Cora was quick to adapt to the new pitching program. Breslow, with the help of pitching coach Andrew Bailey and director of pitching Justin Williard, designed it. Under the program, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford have become more durable and more dominant in their starts. Finally, Cora overseeing the improvement of Rafaela, Hamilton and Jarren Duran was put on notice by Breslow.
The Position That is Most Important for the Red Sox for Trade
Boston is in the thick of the postseason race, sitting one game out of the final American League Wild Card spot. Despite losing five of six since the All-Star break, Breslow is looking to add. The priority for the Red Sox is to acquire a right-handed bat who can help produce offense against left-handed pitching.
“I think it’s pretty clear that our lineup is pretty left-handed heavy,” Breslow said. “We’ve struggled against left-handed pitching, so I think trying to find a right-handed hitter that can help even out of the lineup a little bit. One with positional versatility would be super helpful, whether that’s first base or potentially in the outfield. I think that’s probably where we’ll spend some time.”
Main Photo: © Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
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