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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov. 12

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at Boston Common Golf

Patri_ts Lose to Colts in Germany

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Colts 10, Patri_ts 6

FRANKFURT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Gardner Minshew passed for 194 yards, Jonathan Taylor scored the game’s only touchdown, and Indianapolis defeated sinking New England in Germany.

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The Colts (5-5) won their second straight game and enter their bye week at .500, while ensuring the Patriots (2-8) remained with the AFC’s worst record.

Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes and threw one interception. Taylor rushed 23 times for 69 yards, and Michael Pittman had a game-high eight catches for 84 yards for Indianapolis. The Colts intercepted Patriots quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter.

 

Belichick Takes It One Trip at a Time

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FRANKFURT (Germany) – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Not to be confused with Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, NFL fans in Germany will be treated to another matchup of popular NFL teams when the sub-.500 New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts play Sunday in Frankfurt.

After the NFL came to Germany for the first time last season, Frankfurt received a turn with games in consecutive weeks. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14 there last week.

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The Patriots (2-7), the designated home team, have international marketing rights in Germany and are a fan favorite there because of their German-born former offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer — not to mention their six Super Bowl victories from 2001 to 2018.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” said coach Bill Belichick, whose Patriots teams are 3-0 in international games all-time. “When it gets there, we’ll look forward to it.”

Owners of the worst record in the AFC, the Patriots are not at all playing like the dynasty of the past two decades, and while it may have been unthinkable a few years ago, the proverbial seat is getting hotter for Belichick as New England continues to lose.

A 20-17 defeat to the Washington Commanders was the Patriots’ fifth loss in six weeks. They’ll have their bye week upon returning from Germany.

Mac Jones steadied to some degree after a dismal early October. He threw for 220 yards and one touchdown against Washington and didn’t take a sack, but he was intercepted on the last drive of the game as the Patriots scored just three points after halftime.

“Just being consistent and trying to work together,” Jones said of the offense’s struggles. “We have some young guys playing, and just making sure we’re all on the same page and out there executing each week. Like I say, each week’s different and it’s important to understand what we need to do this week.”

This week’s task involves getting past an opportunistic defense. Kenny Moore of the Colts (4-5) scored two pick-6s in a 27-13 win over the Carolina Panthers last week. That ended a three-game losing streak that saw the Colts allow 37, 39 and 38 points.

Jones is tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

As for the Colts’ offense, Gardner Minshew has been under center since rookie Anthony Richardson’s season-ending shoulder injury. But the Colts are a run-first team, and while Jonathan Taylor is the household name, Zack Moss ranks second in the NFL with 615 rushing yards this season.

“We know this stretch, this back-half stretch, is where teams have to bolster up,” Taylor said. “You’re either gonna go up or you’re gonna go down, so (the game will) do a lot in order to make sure that we can continue to trend upwards.”

Both the Colts and Patriots are practicing at home through Thursday and taking a flight overseas Thursday night, landing Friday morning Frankfurt time.

“We’re going over there on a business trip to go win a football game,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “That’s the message — it’s just a long road trip. Stay focused.”

One player not making that trip is Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, who reportedly is being disciplined for reporting late to the team hotel last Saturday.

Jackson did not practice Wednesday and was ruled out along with left tackle Trent Brown (personal/ankle) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (concussion) as the Patriots departed for Germany on Thursday.

Defensive lineman Christian Barmore (knee), linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (hamstring) and cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee) made the trip but were limited in practice.

On Thursday, the Colts ruled out tight end Andrew Ogletree (foot) and cornerback Julius Brents (quadriceps).

–Field Level Media

NBA Round-Up; Celtics Fall

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics were the last team to fall from the ranks of the undefeated and James Harden made his debut with the LA Clippers on a busy Monday night in the NBA.

Timberwolves 114, Celtics 109 (OT)

Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 38 points in as Minnesota prevailed in overtime to hand Boston its first loss of the season.

Edwards, who also had nine rebounds and seven assists, came through in OT by making jump shots on three consecutive possessions. Jaden McDaniels had a 20-point performance for the Timberwolves, who received 14 points and 12 rebounds from Rudy Gobert.

Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 32 points for the Celtics, who got 26 points from Jaylen Brown and 20 from Kristaps Porzingis.

Knicks 111, Clippers 97

RJ Barrett, returning from a two-game absence caused by a sore left knee, scored 11 points during a fourth-quarter surge as the host New York Knicks broke open a tie game and cruised to a 111-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

The Knicks outscored the Clippers 35-21 in the fourth quarter and 69-51 in the second half, spoiling the debut of new Los Angeles acquisition James Harden.

Barrett finished with 26 points while Julius Randle posted a season-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who won at home for the first time in three tries this season. Mitchell Robinson (13 points, 15 rebounds) also had a double-double for New York.

Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points while Harden finished with 17 points in 31-plus minutes in his first action since the Philadelphia 76ers dealt him to the Clippers on Oct. 31.

Nuggets 134, Pelicans 116

Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, rookie Julian Strawther scored a career-best 21 points and host Denver rallied from a 20-point deficit to rout New Orleans.

It was Jokic’s 108th career triple-double, fourth most on the all-time list. Rookie Jordan Hawkins scored a career-high 31 points and Brandon Ingram added 22 for the Pelicans.

New Orleans guard CJ McCollum was out after an MRI on Sunday revealed he had a collapsed lung and would likely miss multiple games. The Nuggets were missing guard Jamal Murray, who will be out for an extended period of time due to a hamstring injury.

Warriors 120, Pistons 109

Stephen Curry had 34 points and visiting Golden State defeated slumping Detroit.

Chris Paul finished with 17 points, six assists and five rebounds off the bench, and Klay Thompson had 17 points. Dario Saric added 12 points, while Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney chipped in 10 apiece.

Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes each had 21 points and combined for 12 assists for Detroit, which has lost five straight games. Isaiah Stewart contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Pacers 152, Spurs 111

Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points, 20 of them in a dominating first half, and Myles Turner added 15 points and 11 rebounds as Indiana rolled past San Antonio in Indianapolis.

Indiana has won two of the first three games on its current homestand and ran the Spurs and rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama out of the building while forging a 25-point lead by halftime and a 39-point advantage late in the third quarter. Indiana finished with its highest-scoring game of the season.

Doug McDermott led San Antonio with 17 points off the bench. Keldon Johnson added 16, Zach Collins had 14, Wembanyama produced 13 points and 10 rebounds and Charles Bassey scored 10 points for the Spurs, who were playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back.

Mavericks 117, Magic 102

Luka Doncic poured in 29 points and Kyrie Irving scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half as Dallas improved to 6-1 with a big comeback win over host Orlando.

Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points for Dallas, which trailed by as many as 15 points in the second quarter before outscoring Orlando 64-36 in the second half.

Paolo Banchero scored 22 points to lead Orlando. Moe Wagner and Cole Anthony had 19 points apiece off the bench for the Magic, who missed their first 13 3-point attempts in the second half.

76ers 146, Wizards 128

Joel Embiid had 48 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lift host Philadelphia over Washington.

Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and a career-high 11 assists, Tobias Harris contributed 18 points and De’Anthony Melton had 14 for the Sixers, who won their fifth game in a row after a season-opening loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kyle Kuzma led the struggling Wizards with 28 points, while Jordan Poole added 23 and Deni Avdija followed with 16.

Heat 108, Lakers 107

Bam Adebayo recorded a triple-double of 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists, Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 28 points and Miami survived a late-game surge to beat visiting Los Angeles.

Tyler Herro finished with 22 points despite going just 2-for-10 from 3-point range on a night when the Heat collectively went just 12-for-37 from beyond the arc. The Miami defense forced Los Angeles into an even worse shooting performance from deep, however, limiting the Lakers to 8 of 26 from long range.

LeBron James scored seven of his game-high 30 points in a 1:19 stretch late in the fourth quarter, helping trim a 10-point Miami lead to one. His last points of the burst, a three-point play with 2:39 remaining, capped the game’s scoring.

Bucks 129, Nets 125

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and hit the tiebreaking basket with 71 seconds remaining as Milwaukee outlasted Brooklyn in New York.

Antetokounmpo shot 15 of 27 from the field and scored nine points in the final six-plus minutes to help the Bucks get their second straight win. Damian Lillard added 21 points and seven assists for Milwaukee.

Cam Thomas led all scorers with 45 points and Mikal Bridges added 31 in the loss. Ben Simmons grabbed 15 rebounds for the Nets.

Bulls 130, Jazz 113

Zach LaVine scored 24 points and DeMar DeRozan added 21 as Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over visiting Utah.

Coby White hit 7 of 9 shots to finish with 18 points and had seven assists for the Bulls, who had eight players score in double figures as they successfully opened a three-game homestand with their top offensive output of the season.

Lauri Markkanen had a game-high 29 points, including five 3-pointers, but the Jazz posted a third consecutive loss.

Rockets 122, Kings 97

Jalen Green scored a game-high 23 points while Alperen Sengun posted a double-double as Houston dismantled visiting Sacramento for the second time in three days.

Green needed only nine shot attempts to pace the Rockets in scoring, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line, where he finished 10 of 12. Sengun, meanwhile, was the offensive linchpin, pairing a career-high 12 assists with 17 points to help Houston to its third consecutive victory.

The Kings, playing their third straight game without guard De’Aaron Fox (ankle), lost for the third straight time. They fell 107-89 at Houston on Saturday.

Thunder 126, Hawks 117

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to lead Oklahoma City past visiting Atlanta, ending the Thunder’s two-game skid while also ending the Hawks’ four-game winning streak.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed Friday’s loss to Golden State with a sprained left knee. Trailing by 19 entering the fourth quarter, the Hawks didn’t go away quietly and steadily cut into the Thunder’s lead, eventually getting it down to six with a minute remaining.

But rookie center Chet Holmgren grabbed a rebound of Gilgeous-Alexander’s miss and laid it in, then was fouled by Onyeka Okongwu and made the free throw to finally put the game away.

–Field Level Media

Jayson Tatum Sets Cs Milestone

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BROOKLYN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jayson Tatum scored 32 points on Saturday night as the Boston Celtics pulled away midway through the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten with a 124-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in New York.\

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The Celtics did not lead by more than 14 and appeared sluggish at times before improving to 5-0 for the first time since starting the 2009-10 campaign with six straight victories.

Tatum reached the 30-point mark for the fourth time this season and also reached 10,000 career points by converting a three-point play in the second quarter. At 25 years, 246 days old, Tatum became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach the 10K milestone.

Tatum made 10 of 20 shots, hit six of Boston’s 15 3-pointers and collected 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 23 points while Kristaps Porzingis had his way inside against Brooklyn’s smaller lineup and contributed 22 to help the Celtics get 52 points in the paint.

Jrue Holiday added 18 points and 10 assists as the Celtics shot 47.8 percent and improved to 11-1 in the past 12 meetings with the Nets, including playoffs.

Playing the second night of their first back-to-back, the Nets shot 43 percent and saw a three-game winning streak end. Brooklyn also shot 32.7 percent (17 of 52) from 3-point range.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 27 points while Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges added 19 apiece. The Nets played without Nic Claxton (ankle) and also rested Ben Simmons for the first time.

Brooklyn briefly moved ahead in the second, but the Celtics scored the last eight points of the quarter and took a 70-58 halftime lead on Tatum’s trey at the horn.

Dinwiddie scored 12 points in the third quarter as Brooklyn erased nearly all of its halftime deficit and rallied from an eight-point hole to get within 91-88 going into the fourth quarter.

Boston let the lead slip to 96-95 when Dennis Smith Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 7:47 remaining, but Tatum hit two threes in a 14-4 spurt that extended the lead to 110-99 with about five minutes left to effectively seal the victory.

–Field Level Media

Rory, Keegan Join Boston Common Golf

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FENWAY – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston Common Golf, the new tech-forward golf team representing Boston and New England, named four world-class PGA TOUR golfers to its new team, including Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott, and Tyrrell Hatton.

“These four remarkable golfers have achieved an extraordinary list of accolades as individuals, and together as a group, they convey an unmistakable sense of exceptionalism that not only commands respect but also instills a profound sense of awe, especially among their competitors,” said Fenway Sports Group principal team owner John Henry.

“Rory, Tyrrell, Keegan, and Adam stand at the very heart of our team’s potential for success in this groundbreaking venture and we extend our gratitude to each of them for embarking on this journey with us.

“As a co-founder of this visionary league, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Rory and for the partnership we have with Sean O’Flaherty of Symphony Ventures who has been indispensable in helping us build Boston Common Golf. The Symphony team have placed their trust in Fenway Sports Group, and it is an honor and a privilege to share this path with them.”

McIlroy currently ranks as World No. 2 and has spent more than 100 weeks as World No. 1 during his career. Along with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, he is one of only three players to win four majors by the age of 25. McIlroy turned professional in 2007 and has since recorded 24 PGA Tour victories, nine international victories, and three FedEx Cup championships. His most recent victory came at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open in June. McIlroy grew up in Holywood, Northern Ireland, and in 2022 became the first player from outside the United States to serve on the PGA TOUR Policy Board. He is a co-founder of TMRW Sports, the parent company of TGL.

“I’m thrilled to join Boston Common Golf and to be representing Boston and New England’s rich sports culture,” said McIlroy. “TGL brings a unique dimension to the game, and I can’t wait to stand with Adam, Keegan, and Tyrrell as my teammates. It’s a fantastic opportunity that will offer us all a chance to build lasting connections and to foster regional pride that you don’t often see in the game of golf.”

Bradley currently ranks as World No. 17 and has ranked as high as World No. 10. Bradley has recorded six PGA TOUR wins, including the 2011 PGA championship, and has made two Ryder Cup appearances for the U.S. team (2012, 2014). His most recent victory came at the 2023 Travelers Championship in June. Originally from Woodstock, Vermont, Bradley currently splits his time between Jupiter, Florida and Newburyport, MA.

“I’m incredibly proud to be a part of Boston Common Golf, especially as a kid from New England,” said Bradley. “This region has a rich golfing history, and to have the opportunity to represent it is a dream come true. I come from a family deeply connected to the sport, and to represent that heritage while also contributing to a team backed by Fenway Sports Group is a unique honor.”

Scott currently ranks as World No. 45 and has ranked as high as World No. 1, most recently in 2014. Since turning professional in 2000, Adam has recorded 14 PGA Tour victories and 14 international victories. His most recent victory came at the 2020 Genesis Invitational. Scott has been selected for the Presidents Cup 10 times (first being selected in 2003 and most recently selected in 2022) and the World Cup four times (2001, ’02, ’13, ’16). Born in Adelaide, Australia, Scott currently resides in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. He became the first Australian to win the Masters when he beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff at the 2013 tournament at Augusta National.

“My first win on the PGA TOUR was in 2003 at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Massachusetts which makes being part of the New England team especially meaningful,” said Scott. “Australia may be a world away from New England, but the golfing spirit is universal. Joining Boston Common Golf feels like a unique opportunity to be part of a team deeply connected to the heart of the game and to represent a region with such a rich golfing tradition.”

Hatton currently ranks as World No. 12 and has ranked as high as World No. 5, most recently in 2021. He has one PGA Tour victory (2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational) and six international victories. His most recent success came at the 2021 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Since turning professional in 2011, Hatton has been selected for three Ryder Cup teams (2018, ’20, ’23), the World Cup (2018), and the Eurasia Cup (2018). Hatton grew up in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England and now splits his time between Marlow, England and Orlando, Florida.

“Being a part of the Fenway Sports Group family through Boston Common Golf is truly surreal,” said Hatton. “As a lifelong Liverpool F.C. fan, it’s a dream come true to be part of the same ownership group. This is an incredible opportunity to represent the spirit of excellence and winning that Fenway Sports Group embodies, and to play with some of the golfers I have admired throughout my career.”

TGL (presented by SoFi) is a new golf league offering a fresh approach to the sport with a focus on technology, innovation, and fan engagement. The new league will feature the world’s top players in a two-hour, team golf competition that merges physical and virtual golf airing in primetime and beginning January 9, 2024 on ESPN. The Boston Common Golf team will play in five regular season matches against the other TGL teams, followed by a four-team postseason, with a semi-final and finals series. SoFi Center, a custom-built venue in Palm Beach, Florida, will combine a data-rich virtual course with a state-of-the-art short game complex creating a unique experience for fans in the stands as well as those watching around the world.

Patriots Re-Sign QB Cunningham

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots re-signed quarterback Malik Cunningham and returned him to their practice squad Thursday while also signing wide receiver Jalen Reagor from the practice squad onto the 53-man roster.

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Cunningham, who joined New England as an un-drafted free agent out of Louisville, was signed to a three-year deal before the Patriots’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders two weeks ago. But the team released him on Tuesday, and he cleared waivers.

Cunningham, 25, played six snaps against the Raiders, four at wide receiver and two at quarterback. He took one sack in the 21-17 loss. He was a healthy scratch for this past Sunday’s 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Reagor, 24, has appeared in the past two games for the Patriots, catching one pass for 11 yards against Buffalo.

Reagor was a first-round draft pick (No. 21 overall) in 2020 by the Philadelphia Eagles and spent two seasons as a starter for them. He appeared in all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 and has 73 career receptions for 810 yards and four touchdowns.

Porzingis Leads Celtics Over Knicks

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire service Report) – Boston’s newly acquired center Kristaps Porzingis scored nine of his 30 points in the final 2:34 on Wednesday night for the visiting Celtics as they overcame a late six-point deficit to beat the New York Knicks, 108-104, in the season opener for both teams.

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Porzingis drained all six of his free throws down the stretch and hit a key three-pointer with 1:29 left that put Boston ahead for good at 104-101. His perfect performance from the foul line highlighted a fourth quarter in which the Celtics made 14 of 15 free throws. They finished the game 22-for-26 from the line.

Porzingis’ 30 points are the most ever by a Celtics player in his first game for the team. The 7-foot-3 center, who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Knicks, was acquired from the Washington Wizards on June 23.

Boston all-star Jayson Tatum (34 points, 11 rebounds) had a double-double for the Celtics, who led by as many as 12 in the third quarter and opened the fourth with a nine-point lead before the Knicks stormed back, rocking Madison Square Garden as though it was 1969-70.

New York’s RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley each had 24 points for the Knicks, who were 18 of 41 from 3-point land but just 14 of 26 from the free-throw line, including 5 of 9 in the fourth quarter.

Knicks’ center Julius Randle (14 points. 11 rebounds) had a double-double while point guard Jalen Brunson scored 15 points but shot just 6-for-21 from the field. NY’s Quentin Grimes added 11 points.

Barrett scored the first seven points of the fourth to begin a 13-2 run for the Knicks, who took their first lead at 86-84 on Josh Hart’s 3-pointer with 8:56 left. New York twice opened up a six-point lead, the last time at 101-95 on Brunson’s floater with 3:39 left, before Jrue Holiday’s layup began the Celtics’ game-ending run.

The Knicks missed their next six shots from the field, a span in which Porzingis scored nine unanswered points. Isaiah Hartenstein converted a putback with 18 seconds left to cut the Celtics’ lead to 106-104, but Payton Pritchard hit a pair of free throws and Brunson missed two 3-point attempts in the waning seconds.

Boston led 51-46 at the break behind 19 points from Tatum. Barrett paced New York with 14.

Red Sox: Breslow is the One

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official New Release) – The Boston Red Sox named Craig Breslow as the club’s Chief Baseball Officer. In this role, he will be responsible for all of the team’s baseball operations.

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A 2013 World Series champion with Boston, Breslow becomes only the fourth former Red Sox player to lead the club’s baseball operations efforts, the first since Haywood Sullivan served as General Manager from 1978-83.

“Each year, one baseball club emerges with a championship,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “Our organization continues to have significantly high standards and expectations with a goal of being able to compete annually for that coveted privilege. After the 2018 World Series, we sought to build a future that would avoid the ups and downs normally associated with winning. That plainly hasn’t happened. Despite the results, over the past few years, substantial efforts have been made and considerable organizational progress has occurred behind the scenes, but not at the major league level. We feel strongly that Craig is the right person at the right time to lead our baseball department. Craig’s understanding of the game is remarkable. What convinced us to bring him aboard in this capacity was his highly strategic philosophy and his grasp of what it takes operationally in today’s evolving game to excel at the highest level in player acquisition, development, and execution at the major league level. We are excited to welcome him back.”

“We met a number of extremely qualified candidates and Craig’s vision for how to bring another World Series Championship to Boston was extremely thoughtful, compelling, and inspiring,” said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “He not only has deep experience as a front office executive, but he’s also a former player who knows the market extremely well. And while his baseball expertise remains the dominant factor, his genuine aspiration to create a better world sets him apart as an extraordinary leader. I’m eager to welcome him to the Red Sox and look forward to the impact he will have on our operation.”

“Craig was a standout candidate,” said Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy. “The praise from fellow baseball executives was impressive, but what truly distinguished him were the resounding character references from former teammates, including David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, David Ross, Brock Holt, and Kevin Youkilis. Craig knows what it takes to be successful in Boston and he’s up for the challenge.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to return to the Boston Red Sox, an organization that means so much to my family and to me,” said Breslow. “I am humbled by the opportunity to lead baseball operations and to work alongside so many talented people. I’d like to thank John Henry, Tom Werner, Mike Gordon, and Sam Kennedy for entrusting me with executing the vision we share for this organization. I know firsthand how special winning in Boston is, and I look forward to once again experiencing that passion and success with our fans.”

“I’d also like to thank Tom Ricketts, Crane Kenney, Jed Hoyer, Carter Hawkins, and the Chicago Cubs for giving me my first opportunity in a Major League front office,” added Breslow.

Breslow, 43, spent the past five seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, most recently as Assistant General Manager/Senior Vice President, Pitching in 2023. His front office career began in 2019 with the Cubs as Director of Strategic Initiatives, evaluating and implementing data-based processes throughout all facets of Baseball Operations while also supporting the pitching infrastructure in the farm system. In 2020 he was named Director of Pitching/Special Assistant to the President and General Manager, then spent the 2021-22 seasons as Assistant General Manager/Vice President, Pitching.

Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 26th round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Breslow pitched 12 Major League seasons and recorded a 3.45 ERA over 576 appearances for San Diego (2005), Boston (2006, ’12-15), Cleveland (2008, ’17), Minnesota (2008-09, ’17), Oakland (2009-11), Arizona (2012), and Miami (2016). He appeared in 202 games for the Red Sox, notably posting a 1.81 ERA in 61 outings in the 2013 regular season to help Boston capture the American League East title en route to a World Series championship. Breslow allowed zero earned runs in nine of his 10 Postseason outings in 2013, earning the win in Boston’s ALDS-clinching victory over the Rays before securing a hold in the club’s ALCS-clinching win over the Tigers.

Breslow graduated in 2002 from Yale University with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He was named the “Smartest Man in Baseball” by The Wall Street Journal in 2009, and in 2010 he ranked No. 1 on The Sporting News list of Top 20 Smartest Athletes.

In 2008, Breslow founded the Strike 3 Foundation, which aims to heighten awareness, mobilize support, and raise funding for childhood cancer research. In 2013, he earned the Red Sox’ Tim Wakefield Community Service Award and was named the BoSox Club’s “Man of the Year.” Breslow was nominated for Major League Baseball’s prestigious Roberto Clemente Award three times, including in 2010 with the Oakland A’s and in 2013 and 2014 with the Red Sox.

Born in New Haven, CT, Breslow resides in Newton, MA, with his wife, Kelly; daughter, Livia; and twin boys, Mason and Carter.

OVER THE YEARS AT FENWAY

RED SOX BASEBALL OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP

1933-47: Eddie Collins*

1948-58: Joe Cronin*^

1959-60: Bucky Harris*

1961-62: Dick O’Connell (1)

1963-65: Mike Higgins^ (2)

1965-77: Dick O’Connell* (3)

1978-83: Haywood Sullivan*^

1984-93: Lou Gorman*

1994-2002: Dan Duquette*

2002: Mike Port* (4)

2002-05: Theo Epstein*

2005-06: Ben Cherington/Jed Hoyer* (5)

2006-11: Theo Epstein*

2011-15: Ben Cherington*

2015-19: Dave Dombrowski (6)

2019-23: Chaim Bloom (7)

2023-present: Craig Breslow^ (8)

 

^Played for the Red Sox

 

*Held title of General Manager

 

(1) The General Manager position was eliminated for the 1961-62 seasons; Executive Vice President of Business and Baseball Operations Dick O’Connell assumed the role.

 

(2) Mike Higgins was Executive Vice President in charge of baseball operations while Dick O’Connell maintained oversight of business operations.

 

(3) Dick O’Connell was named General Manager on September 16, 1965 when Mike Higgins resigned.

 

(4) Mike Port was named interim General Manager on February 28, 2002.

 

(5) Theo Epstein left the Red Sox from October 21, 2005-January 19, 2006. Ben Cherington and Jed Hoyer were named co-General Managers on December 12, 2005 and served in that capacity until Epstein’s return.

 

(6) Dave Dombrowski was hired as President of Baseball Operations on August 18, 2015.

 

(7) Chaim Bloom was hired as Chief Baseball Officer on October 28, 2019.

 

(8) Craig Breslow was hired as Chief Baseball Officer on October 25, 2023.

Patriots Release Cunningham

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots released quarterback Malik Cunningham on Tuesday, 10 days after signing the rookie from the practice squad to a three-year contract.

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Cunningham, who joined New England as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville, was signed before the Patriots’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders two weeks ago. Rather than a practice squad promotion for gameday, they inked him to a three-year deal.

Cunningham, 25, played six snaps against the Raiders, four at wide receiver and two at quarterback. He took one sack in the 21-17 loss. He was then a healthy scratch for this Sunday’s 29-25 win over the Bills.

The Patriots also released defensive lineman Trey Flowers, 30, who had been on the physically unable to perform list (foot) since Aug. 30. Flowers, who spent his first four NFL seasons (2015-18) with New England, has not played since Oct. 16, 2022, for the Miami Dolphins.