The Boston Red Sox have officially fired Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom after four tumultuous seasons.
The decision was not overly unexpected. The majority of Red Sox fans have been calling for Bloom’s job for months.
The 40-year-old had joined the Red Sox in September 2019, taking the reins following the departure of General Manager Dave Dombrowski, just a year after the team secured their fourth World Series championship in 15 years.
Bloom brought a different approach to the organization, emphasizing a methodical and patient strategy, focusing on rebuilding the farm system while maintaining competitiveness with the big club.
Alex Cora on Chaim Bloom being fired today.
Called him a “good kid.” Mentions how he was the first one there for him when everything went down with the cheating scandal.
Apparently they were talking about the future just yesterday.
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) September 14, 2023
However, his tenure was marred by a significant early trade when Bloom traded star outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This move cast a long shadow over his time in Boston.
The team sandwiched last-place finishes between a 2021 season in which they pushed the Houston Astros to six games in the ALCS.
Now, as we near the end of yet another disappointing season in Boston, Bloom is officially out the door.
Some people around the league believed that despite the team’s struggles at the Major League level, Boston’s future is promising, with a significantly improved farm system and financial flexibility for future moves.
In a statement, owner John Henry acknowledged Bloom’s contributions, stating that he had “set the stage for the future.” (However, this was insufficient to secure Bloom’s job going forward.)
Team President and CEO Sam Kennedy addressed the media in a news conference: “The decision was not made lightly or easily. We all know where we are in the standings. It’s a painful reality that fans feel as deeply as we do. Our fans deserve a winning, competitive team that consistently plays postseason baseball.”
Some believe that Bloom got the short end of the stick and isn’t truly the one to blame for the Red Sox struggles.
Jeff Passan on Sportsnet:
“Chaim Bloom was asked to rebuild the farm system, win at the same time and stay under the tax… doing two of those at the same time is tough. Doing all three at once is damn near impossible.
Their farm system is really good now. I don’t think people…
— Matt Couture (@MattCouture5) September 15, 2023
“I think we’ve always been consistent, trying to build that farm system while prioritizing success at the Major League level,” Kennedy explained. “Obviously, the past two seasons we haven’t been there, and the change was made.”
As of the end of Chaim Bloom’s tenure, the Red Sox had accumulated a record of 267 wins and 262 losses, with their most notable achievement being a trip to the AL Championship Series in 2021.
Kennedy emphasized the organization’s unwavering commitment to championship aspirations, saying: “It’s hard to say it’s not related to results because that’s what this is all about. We’re aiming for World Series championships. That’s it. That’s the aim, that’s the goal.”
“We’re here to win World Series championships. While we’re here, we’re not going to waste this opportunity. That’s what the Boston Red Sox are all about.”
In the history of baseball there has never been a more mistreated GM than Chaim Bloom. Thank you for your service the city didn’t deserve you🕊️🕊️🕊️ I will never forget the joy I got seeing every Chaim move pan out. Bloominati member til the day I die
— Boston Sports Enjoyer (@DeversEnjoyer) September 14, 2023
Those are strong words from Kennedy that Red Sox fans would like to think are true. However, owner John Henry has become increasingly cheap through the years and some believe he’s lost interest in competing at the highest level.
It seems that they were banking on Bloom to build a championship-contending team while leaning heavily into analytics – in an attempt to keep the payroll down, yet the wins up.
What are your thoughts on analytics in baseball?
Did Bloom deserve to be fired?
Will the Sox get back to their big-spending ways? Or are those days over?