Red Sox could lose assistant GM to Athletics

The Boston Red Sox could lose assistant general manager Taylor Smith to the Athletics as their search for a new baseball operations leader continues. Smith oversees research and development under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow , making his potential departure significant for the Red Sox's analytics operation .

ESPN's Jeff Passan took to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday to report that Smith remains a leading candidate , while the St. Louis Cardinals will likely retain fellow finalist Rob Cerfolio.

"Boston assistant general manager Taylor Smith remains a top candidate to take over as head of baseball operations for the A's, sources tell ESPN. Cardinals assistant GM Rob Cerfolio, another finalist, is expected to remain with St. Louis."

Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

Smith joined the Red Sox organization in October 2024 after parts of seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he most recently served as director of predictive modeling. His arrival gave Boston an executive with extensive experience in analytics and player evaluation.

The University of Georgia graduate earned joint bachelor's and master's degrees in statistics and a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 2018.

The Red Sox list Smith as senior vice president and assistant general manager. A move to the Athletics would put him in charge of baseball operations after overseeing research and development as part of Breslow's staff.

The Athletics began their search after mutually parting ways with longtime general manager David Forst on August 7. Forst spent 27 years with the organization, and assistant GM Dan Feinstein took over on an interim basis.

The opening comes as the franchise plays in West Sacramento while preparing for a planned move to Las Vegas in 2028. Hiring a permanent baseball operations leader would fill a key position during that transition.

Smith remains a top candidate for the opening, but neither side has announced an agreement. The Red Sox could lose a vital member of their front office as the Athletics continue their search.