The search for a new General Manager in Boston has come to an end.
In a tweet sent out Friday, Joel Sherman stated that what many around the league believed, is now finalized. The former Rays Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations is coming to Boston.
Chaim Bloom to #RedSox as GM is finalized.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 25, 2019
Bloom, 36, started his career as an intern for the Tampa Bay Rays when he was 21 years old and he worked his way up through the franchise. In 2014, he was hired to become the Vice President of Baseball Operations, where he stood for five years.
While many casual fans may not know the name “Chaim Bloom,” here is why Red Sox fans should be excited about the hire.
To start, the Tampa Bay Rays had the lowest payroll in baseball this season, yet remained just one win away from beating the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the ALDS. Meanwhile, the Red Sox (a full $163 million more than Tampa) managed to miss the playoffs this season.
The Rays were able to push the eventual American League Champions to a winner-take-all Game 5, despite just one player on their roster making $15 million or more. They developed their players, built through their farm system, and ultimately went farther than most teams.
A couple of notable big moves from Bloom include Rays ace Charlie Morton, who signed a two-year, $30 million deal last offseason, and Tommy Pham, who the Rays acquired in a trade before the 2018 trade deadline.
Morton, who is less than two years younger than Bloom put together an All-Star season, accumulating 16 wins, a 3.05 ERA and 240 strikeouts (all career-highs). The right-hander’s market was nothing special, as is most 35-year-olds, but Bloom took the chance despite Morton only having two prior seasons of legit success. The chance paid off, as Morton led a Rays staff that pieced together a 96-win season.
As for Pham, he was never considered a marquee name. In St. Louis, he put up some nice numbers including 23 home runs and a .305 batting average in his last full season with the Cardinals. After starting off slow in 2018, hitting .248, the Rays bought low on the young outfielder. After getting traded, Pham hit .348 with the Rays in 2018 and followed it up with a strong 2019, in his first full season with Tampa.
The Rays also received Yandy Diaz in an offseason trade that sent Jake Bauers to the Indians. Diaz was solid in the regular season but was a big part of the Rays defeating the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card game. Diaz hit two home runs, including one to lead-off the game.
While the Rays have had recent success, they are also built heavily for the future. The Rays have a top farm system in the league, with four prospects in the MLB Top 45 rankings. Their prized prospect, Wander Franco is ranked as MLB Prospect Watch’s number one MLB prospect. The Rays have managed to maintain a strong system, due to great drafting as well as smart international signings. Let’s not forget about Tyler Glasnow, who also is in the running for the best young pitcher in baseball pending his health.
Bloom may just be the perfect hire for Boston in a year where Boston needs to cut salary while still finding a way to be competitive, Bloom is an ideal candidate to find the small-name players who can ultimately have a big impact. The Rays bullpen, which could also be credited to Kevin Cash, was lights out which is a big area of need, where Bloom specializes in finding diamonds in the rough.
