Sox Finally Make Noise: Craig Breslow is Coming Back to Boston

Jack Macgruder first reported (and others have confirmed) that the Red Sox and Diamonbacks have reached a deal that would send Matt Albers and Scott Podsednik for Craig Breslow.

Breslow is a lefty reliever who has a 3.02 ERA over 7 seasons (including a 13 game stint in Boston back in 2006). He has a 2.70 ERA this season, but interestingly has had more success against righties (.226 AVG) this season than lefties (.243 AVG). He primarily throws a fastball, slider, and change up.

Podsednik provided solid production with the Sox, but there is simply no room for him with our Ellsbury and Crawford back. Albers has been great this season with a 2.29 ERA, but all his underlying numbers suggest that he has been one of the luckier pitchers in baseball, and that he cannot keep up his current production.

A deal like this is not a complete surprise as Peter Gammons reported earlier today that the Sox were looking to trade for a lefty reliever in order to free up room for Franklin Morales to re-enter the rotation. If Morales heads back to a starting role (where he showed flashes of brilliance), then it would appear that the Sox are not targeting a starting pitcher.

Fun Fact: In 2010, Sporting News named Breslow the smartest athlete in sports. He studied molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale. Bobby Valentine also considers him a good friend.