The Boston Red Sox hired Frank Wren as senior vice president of baseball operations, the team announced Monday, adding a 59-year-old veteran executive to a front office structure chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has spent sixteen months reshaping. Wren last held a general manager title in 2014 with Atlanta. He spent the past nine seasons in advisory and scouting capacities, most recently with the Orioles.
Wren brings 34 years of front office experience across Baltimore, Florida, and Atlanta, including a seven-year run as Braves GM from 2007 to 2014 that produced three division titles and one playoff series win. His Atlanta tenure ended poorly—the team went 79-83 in his final season and ownership fired him in September 2014 with the club out of contention. The Braves' subsequent rebuild under John Hart and Alex Anthopoulos delivered a World Series title in 2021, but Wren's player development infrastructure and international signings laid early groundwork. He signed Freddie Freeman to a $135 million extension in 2014, three months before his dismissal.
The hire signals Breslow's continued preference for experienced operators who can bridge analytics and traditional scouting. Wren joins assistant general manager Eddie Romero, VP of pitching Brian Bannister, and director of player development Ben Crockett in a layer below Breslow that did not exist under previous chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. Bloom's firing in September 2023 came after four seasons without a playoff appearance and a 78-84 record. Ownership wanted faster turnaround.
Wren's role will likely emphasize pro scouting and trade execution, areas where Breslow's front office showed inconsistency last winter. The Red Sox signed Lucas Giolito to a $38.5 million deal in December 2023, only to flip him to Cleveland two months later for minor league depth after the pitcher allowed 18 runs in four spring starts. The team also missed on Craig Counsell's managerial search, losing him to the Cubs on a $40 million contract while they hired Alex Cora's former bench coach. Wren's Rolodex and deal-making history could stabilize those processes.
The front office additions come as Boston enters a critical winter. The team finished 81-81 in 2024, fourth in the AL East, with $211 million in luxury tax payroll. Free agent pitcher Tanner Houck and outfielder Tyler O'Neill both hit the market. Japanese ace Roki Sasaki is expected to sign with an MLB club by mid-January under international free agent rules, and Boston has positioned itself as a serious bidder. Wren's history with international signings—he brought Hector Olivera and Cristian Bethancourt to Atlanta—may prove relevant.
Ownership also wants a new television deal to replace the expiring NESN contract structure, which currently delivers an estimated $85 million annually in rights fees but limits streaming distribution. A modernized media package could add $40-60 million in annual revenue by 2026, per industry estimates, giving the front office more payroll flexibility. Wren has no direct media experience, but his presence suggests ownership expects Breslow to focus on player acquisition while business operations president Sam Kennedy handles commercial negotiations.
The timing is efficient. Wren starts immediately, with the Winter Meetings scheduled for December 8-11 in Dallas. Boston has already been linked to free agent outfielder Juan Soto, though the $600 million+ bidding appears concentrated among the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays. More realistic targets include mid-rotation starters Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty, both of whom could sign before Thanksgiving.
Breslow's front office now has five executives with GM-level experience across four decades. Whether that produces better talent evaluation or slower decision-making will clarify by spring training. The Red Sox open 2025 at home against the Rays on March 27.
The takeaway
Wren's hire gives Boston another veteran deal-maker as Breslow builds infrastructure for a winter chase of rotation help and potential Sasaki pursuit.
red soxfront officefrank wrenmlbcraig breslowbaseball operations
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