Bloom’s dismissal comes as little surprise, given that Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reported Wednesday that
there was “widespread speculation within the industry” that the Red Sox will cut ways with him after the 2023
season.
Bloom was hired as Boston’s chief baseball officer in October 2019 after a 15-year career with the Tampa Bay Rays.
His goal was to restock the team’s prospect pool after Dave Dombrowski unloaded the club’s finest available players
in pursuit of a World Series triumph in 2018.
Bloom has done wonders in revamping Boston’s prospect pool, and the Red Sox now have the fifth-best farm system
in Major League Baseball, according to Baseball America. According to MLB.com, the team’s top prospects include
shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony, and outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who made his major league
debut this season.
However, while Bloom has established a strong farm system, the Red Sox have not produced at the major league
level throughout his tenure.
The Red Sox have only reached the postseason once under Bloom, in 2021, when they finished second in the
American League East with a 92-70 record and advanced to the ALCS before losing to the Houston Astros.
Boston is having another spectacularly dismal season and was formally removed from AL East title contention with a
loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday. The club is fourth in the division with a 73-72 record, and a loss to the
Pinstripes on Thursday at Fenway Park would give them sole ownership of last place.
Bloom has also faced harsh criticism for moving franchise cornerstone Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in
2020 and allowing star shortstop Xander Bogaerts to depart in free agency last winter. The Red Sox reportedly
undervalued Bogaerts, who finally signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the San Diego Padres.
