Before making major offseason decisions about qualifying offers and 60-day injured list activations, Craig Breslow made a smaller but meaningful move to help the Boston Red Sox maintain pitching depth for 2026.
The team and pitcher agreed to a one-year, $800,000 major league deal to avoid arbitration, according to MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided. Criswell, who joined the Red Sox organization prior to the 2024 season, has provided valuable innings as a reliable depth option when called upon.
Boston’s 40-man roster is currently overcrowded, meaning several players will need to be removed to make room for those returning from the 60-day injured list and any new additions through trades or free agency this offseason. Although Robert Murray noted that Cooper Criswell could have been a non-tender candidate, the Red Sox clearly value him more than that.
Craig Breslow originally brought Criswell in after the Rays designated him for assignment in 2023, taking a chance on an under-the-radar arm. That decision paid off, as the right-hander delivered a solid 4.08 ERA over 99.1 innings while splitting time between the rotation and bullpen in 2024.
Criswell didn’t spend much time in the majors during the 2025 season, but he made the most of his opportunities, posting a 3.57 ERA over 17.2 innings in multiple call-ups with Boston. At Triple-A, he turned in a solid campaign with a 3.70 ERA, recording 68 strikeouts and 28 walks across 65.2 innings.
If not for an injury late in the year, Criswell might have played a role in the Red Sox’s postseason push. He was placed on the seven-day injured list by the WooSox on August 20 and didn’t pitch again after that. While it was exciting to see young arms like Connelly Early and Payton Tolle make brief major league appearances, a more seasoned and versatile pitcher like Criswell—capable of starting or providing long relief—might have offered greater value to Boston down the stretch.
Criswell’s numbers may not be flashy, but he’s consistently proven himself as a dependable depth option for the Red Sox. His best outing of the 2025 season came on August 1, when he tossed seven strong innings of one-run ball against a playoff-contending Astros team.
Boston doesn’t need Criswell to be a front-line starter, and he’s unlikely to open the 2026 season in the rotation. Still, his return reflects Craig Breslow’s renewed focus on building reliable pitching depth—something the Red Sox sorely lacked when their season ended with only three healthy starters available.