Craig Breslow Has Made His First Move. Now We Find Out What He Really Thinks About This Team.

Craig Breslow has officially made his first significant move of the trade deadline, and like every trade involving the Red Sox, Red Sox X wasted no time picking a side.

Some fans immediately called Curtis Meade the perfect fit. Others believed giving up Connelly Early was too high a price. Before long, timelines were filled with stat comparisons, prospect rankings and arguments over who won the deal.

The debate is understandable, but I don't think it's the biggest takeaway.

Curtis Meade fills a need. He's having the best offensive season of his career, bats from the right side and has the kind of power that should play well at Fenway Park. He also brings versatility, with the ability to play first, second and third base, and he won't become a free agent until 2031. With Connelly Early currently on the injured list and Boston's pipeline full of left-handed pitching prospects like Jake Bennett and Payton Tolle, Breslow was dealing from a position of strength to address a weakness on the major league roster.

On paper, it makes sense.

The bigger question is what comes next.

The 15-game winning streak changed expectations throughout Red Sox Nation. For weeks, many fans expected Boston to be sellers. Instead, this team fought its way back into the playoff race and forced the front office to think differently.

More importantly, they've earned help.

Anthony Siegler, Andruw Monasterio and so many others have stepped into larger roles than anyone expected. They've battled through injuries, kept the clubhouse together and played meaningful baseball when few people believed they would. At some point, it's no longer fair to ask them to keep carrying the load.

That's why this deadline isn't really about Curtis Meade.

It's about Craig Breslow's intentions.

If Curtis Meade ends up being the biggest addition Craig Breslow makes, Red Sox fans will have their answer. The goal wasn't to build a World Series contender. It was simply to build a playoff team.

If bigger moves follow adding an impact bat, upgrading behind the plate or strengthening the starting rotation, it sends a completely different message. It says the Red Sox believe this team has a chance to compete with anyone in October.

Curtis Meade may end up being a very good player in Boston.

But this trade won't define Craig Breslow's deadline.

The next move will.