Why the Red Sox fired chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom

On Thursday, the Boston Red Sox fired chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. While there was speculation the Red Sox would move on from Bloom this offseason, it's surprising they did so with 17 games left in the regular season.  

Bloom did a lot of things well since his hiring by Boston in 2019. He turned a league-worst farm system into the third best, per FanGraphs. He built the 2021 team that made a surprise run to the American League Championship Series. He also signed star third baseman Rafael Devers to a 10-year, $313.5 million contract. 

Despite these successes, it is clear ownership expected more.

"Our organization has significant expectations on the field, and while Chaim’s efforts in revitalizing our baseball infrastructure have helped set the stage for the future, we will today begin a search for new leadership," said principal owner John Henry. 

Here are three reasons why the Red Sox fired Bloom:

1. Losing the Mookie Betts trade

The first move that Bloom had to make after his hiring was the trade of Betts. With legitimate concerns about how his 5-foot-9 frame would hold up long term, ownership felt it best to move on and recoup value instead of letting Betts walk for nothing. 

Betts, however, has put those concerns to rest with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Three years into his new contract and in his age-30 season, Betts is having arguably the best campaign of his career, slashing .312/.412/.607 and hitting a career-best 39 home runs. Additionally, Betts is showcasing unprecedented defensive versatility, splitting his time among right field, second base and shortstop. 

The Red Sox got three players for Betts (and pitcher David Price): outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Connor Wong and infielder Jeter Downs. Verdugo, the biggest name of the group, has been a solid, everyday player for the Red Sox. He has played above-average defense in the corner outfield positions and consistently hit in the .280 range, but he has yet to reach All-Star level. 

The team has endured off-the-field issues with Verdugo as well, most notably when manager Alex Cora benched him for disciplinary issues earlier this season.

This season was the first time that Wong played a substantial role, and he has shown that he has the potential to be a serviceable everyday catcher. Wong's defense is his calling card. He is tied for 16th in the majors in defensive WAR, per ESPN. 

Downs, meanwhile, never made an impact at the major league level for the Red Sox and is now with the Nationals organization. 

When an MVP-caliber player is traded, a team must get a significant return. Verdugo and Wong — players who are unlikely to play a significant role in the Red Sox's future — are not enough. 

2. Trade-deadline performance

The Red Sox had a losing record every August under Bloom. This season, they went into the trade deadline 1.5 games out of the playoffs with the best record in baseball in July. Bloom did not make any impact moves, and the Red Sox slowly fell out of contention.

Last season, the Red Sox were in a similar position, just two games out of the final American League wild-card spot at the deadline. Instead of committing to buying or selling, Bloom traded locker-room favorite and starting catcher Christian Vazquez and reliever Jake Diekman while adding outfielder Tommy Pham, first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Reese McGuire, making it so the Red Sox did not noticeably improve or acquire any significant prospects. 

To contend for the World Series, the Red Sox need someone at the helm who has the ability to effectively manage a trade deadline and know when to go all-in or when to trade expiring contracts for prospects. 

3. Better options available

Deep-pocket owners, passionate fans, good culture, recent history of success and a top farm system make the Red Sox job one of the most appealing in the sport. Boston should have plenty of suitors for this opening.

Potential names include Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen, a Massachusetts native who spent a decade with the Red Sox before taking the job in Arizona; Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, another Massachusetts native and one of the brightest young executives in the game; and Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, a New England native and University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate.