After a disappointing 2019 season, the Boston Red Sox have brought on a new executive they're hoping will put the team back in the World Series on a regular basis.
Chaim Bloom, an executive from the Tampa Bay Rays, will serve as the Sox' new chief baseball officer, the team announced in a press conference Monday. "Chief baseball officer" is a brand new title in the front office as the Sox look to go in a new direction. Bloom is replacing Dave Dombrowski, the former president of baseball operations who was fired in September.
Bloom, 36, began his career as an intern with the Rays in 2005, and rose to become senior vice president of baseball operations there.
Bloom acknowledged he's pretty young for the job, but said in his nearly 15-year career, he's learned from the people he worked with.
"I've been fortunate enough to be around just about every aspect of baseball operations,” Bloom said. "I've been able to learn from a lot of different people, of different backgrounds, different ages, you know, different people and from all walks of this game who have been mentors to me. And it really brought to light that I think as long as you have respect for everybody else's experiences, you can be proud of your own experiences, but also learn from everybody."
Bloom seemed to dismiss any comparisons to former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, who was just 28 when the team hired him.
"I think, you come into this chair, you're not trying to be anybody else," he said. "You're just trying to be who you are, and be the best version of yourself."
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At Monday’s press announcement, Bloom addressed the team’s fans, saying their bond with the Sox is unlike anything else in sports.
"I know how passionate you are, and I know how important this team is to you,” he said. “And I don't take that lightly. My teammates and I will work together and do everything we can to make you proud on and off the field."
The announcement came on an off day for the World Series, as the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros travel back to Houston for Game 6 on Tuesday. The Astros defeated Bloom's Rays in the American League Division Series this year, after Tampa Bay won the wildcard spot in a one-game playoff against the Oakland Athletics.
Bloom had a significantly smaller payroll with the Rays, and was asked if he was excited to lead a team with the biggest player budget in baseball.
"It's obviously great to have resources,” he replied. “But for me, there's so much beyond that that makes this opportunity exciting. And I think a lot of it is the talent within the organization, not just on the field, but also on our staff.”
The Sox finished 19 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East this season, just a year after winning the 2018 World Series. Bloom says his top priority is sustainability and competitiveness over the long term.
Team Chairman Tom Werner expressed confidence Bloom can turn things around.
"We all wake up every day saying, 'How can we improve?'" Werner said. "A year ago today, we were considered the best baseball club in the world, and obviously we didn't achieve our objective this year. But we have the pieces in place to be competitive every year. And we think that that Chaim will lead us back to being the best team in baseball."
Dave Dombrowski was fired as president of baseball operations after just four years with the team.
"Dave was a tremendous general manager and president for this club and is a Hall of Fame executive," team owner John Henry said Monday when asked about the decision. "We differed on how we should move forward. And we decided to make a change."
Henry said they preferred Bloom's approach, which he described as "collaborative."
After the press conference, team manager Alex Cora told reporters that this season's poor performance came from inconsistency, and he took the blame for that.
"A lot of people are doubting us, you know, which is good," Cora said. "I think that's going to push us to be great. And from my end, on a personal note, I'll use that to push me to be better. Last year I wasn't good. Two years ago, I was great. We'll see what happens next year."
Cora, who was hired by Dombrowski, applauded Bloom's hiring.
"He's a great asset. Everything I heard, everything I know about him. He's been outstanding. Just like Dave, you know, you spent 40 years in the big leagues, it's not because you're lucky," he said of his former boss, as he pivoted to the new one.
"I mean, when you're 36 and you've been in the big list for 15 years, you have to be good," Cora said of Bloom. "And he's really good at what he does. I'm very eager to learn from him."
