Copyright Newsweek
The Boston Red Sox got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 this season, and they did it largely on the strength of their pitching. Specifically, the Red Sox rode the arm of their No. 1 starter and Cy Young Award finalist, left-hander Garrett Crochet. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made no secret of the fact that, to do better than merely qualify for a wild-card slot in 2026, the Red Sox will need more quality in their starting rotation, beyond Crochet's obvious dominance. One of Breslow's most-rumored trade targets has been Cincinnati Reds 26-year-old ace right-hander Hunter Greene. The pitching-deep Reds need offense, especially in the outfield, and — at least according to media and fan speculation — Greene, who has posted a 2.76 ERA over his last two seasons, could be made available. With their depth of prospect talent and ability to deal from their overcrowded major league outfield, the Red Sox appear to be a logical destination for Greene. But on Saturday, the Reds' manager, who also happens to be the greatest Red Sox manager since the team sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920, threw cold water all over any possible Red Sox plans to acquire Greene. Terry Francona told the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast on Saturday that Greene will not be traded. "Pitching is too hard for us to acquire through free agency," Francona said in the podcast interview. "We gotta keep Hunter on the mound." More MLB: Red Sox Tabbed to Deal Jarren Duran for ‘Elite’ 103 MPH Righty Francona, 66, is set to enter his second year as Reds manager, after taking Cincinnati to the playoffs this year for the first time in a full season since 2013. (The Reds also qualified for the expanded postseason field in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.) But Francona is more than qualified to comment on the Red Sox and their situation. From 2004 through 2011, he managed the Red Sox and was without doubt the most significant skipper the Red Sox have ever had — based on the fact that Francona was and remains the only manager to win two World Series with the Red Sox since the Ruth sale ushered in baseball's live ball era. The only other manager is Red Sox history to guide the team to a pair of championships was Bill "Rough" Carrigan, who achieved the feat in back-to-back seasons, 1915 and 1916. Baseball was very different in that era, more than a century ago. Carrigan not only managed the Red Sox in those seasons, he was also the team's backup catcher, serving behind the plate for 46 games in 1915 while also managing Boston to 101-50 season (with four tie games), and a five-game defeat of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th World Series ever played. Carrigan did it again the following year, catching 33 games while piloting the Red Sox to a 91-63-2 record. Boston again took just five games to win the World Series, this time over the Brooklyn Robins — who later changed their name to the Dodgers. After the 1916 World Series, Carrigan retired from baseball at age 32 to tend to his family and business affairs. The Red Sox coaxed him back to the manager's seat 11 years later, but this time, with a greatly weakened Red Sox roster, Boston finished last in the eight-team American League for all three years of Carrigan's second tenure before the Lewiston, Maine, native retired for good.
