Chaim Bloom and Alex Cora to remain with the Red Sox for ’23 season, what’s next for Boston?
On Tuesday, Red Sox team president and CEO Sam Kennedy said the team is not planning to cut ties with Chaim Bloom or manager Alex Cora.
“I am very comfortable saying Chaim and Alex will be back. And I am very comfortable saying there is a strong belief in the direction of the franchise from our ownership group,” Kennedy said Monday to The Athletic. “That direction is continuing to build for the future, but also continuing to invest at the major-league level.”
This season has been difficult for the Red Sox from an injury perspective. Starters Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill have all spent time on the injured list. Sale is out for the season following a broken pinky and a broken wrist from a fall off his bike.
Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck have been on the injured list. Trevor Story and Kiké Hernández spent considerable amount of time on the injured list as well.
The bullpen has been a disaster all season and Bloom should be criticized for not addressing changes earlier in the season. Trading Hunter Renfroe and not re-signing Kyle Schwarber has been massive blunders for a team lacking power this season.
What’s next for the Red Sox?
It’s clear the team will need to fill holes all over the roster. J.D. Martinez will likely see a qualifying offer but is expected to leave in free agency. Xander Bogaerts is expected to opt-out of his contract and test free agency. While it feels like Bogaerts is gone this offseason, the front office should get a fair opportunity to re-sign the All-Star shortstop.
The Red Sox will have roughly $92 million committed to the 2023 roster. Bloom will have the financial flexibility to address the holes for the big league roster.
Boston should make every effort imaginable to extend Rafael Devers. In addition, this team lacks front of the rotation talent and Bloom could change perception of him and the front office and make a massive splash.
The Marlins have a surplus of young pitching and the Red Sox have a need. Right-hander Sandy Alcantara would be a game changer for the rotation. It will cost the Sox a massive haul. Alcantara leading a rotation with Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Kutter Crawford, Chris Sale and a combo of re-signing Michael Wacha and another free agent would be massive gain.
The likelihood that the Marlins would trade Alcantara is low but he’s a pitcher that Bloom could sell out for in a trade.
There is still a month to go in the season and things can change before the offseason. The Red Sox have at the very least begun to stabilize the ship by announcing Bloom and Cora will return.
Bloom will need to hit a home run this offseason to alleviate the pressure on his job and the fan base.
“I see us continuing to invest across the entire organization, at the major-league level, throughout our baseball operations. This group is hungry for another World Series championship. And we’ve got in my opinion the best baseball operations group, the best staff in that dugout, an amazing manager in Alex Cora, Chaim and Brian O’Halloran and Raquel Ferreira and Eddie Romero,” said Kennedy.
