With the MLB trade deadline quickly approaching, there’s no clear read on what kind of strategy the Red Sox are working with. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has a reputation of focusing more on prospects and the long-term outlook of the club, but at the same time his team has the best record in baseball and may have a shot at truly being contenders.
Bloom appeared on NBC Sport Boston’s Talkin’ Baseball Tuesday night, where he was asked about his team’s approach. “I think the important thing is just to stay true to the goals that got us to this place where – we’re trying to win as many championships as we can. Now, this year is a big part of that. So we want to do everything we can to help this year’s group,” Bloom said. “When you have that legitimate shot at the postseason and a legitimate shot at a championship, you want to do everything you can to support it.”
However, Bloom did clarify that “we’re also not doing our jobs if by doing that, we make it much harder to win championships in every year that follow. So it all matters. That means maybe we’re walking a tightrope, but that’s where exactly where we want to be.”
Still, Bloom’s tone is noticeably different than earlier in the season, when he spoke with 98.5’s Tony Massarotti. While many of his notes during that interview in late May were similar to what he said on Tuesday, Bloom did mention “placing an emphasis on the farm system” at the deadline.
Now it appears Bloom may be more open to parting with future assets to help the 2021 Red Sox reach their full potential. It’s a logical jump for him to make at this point – back in May, the team was still in some ways proving itself. The Rays and Yankees were both within two games in the division, and the team was struggling to win at home. Fast forward two months, and they’ve started to pull away and really show their upside as true contenders.
Whatever moves Bloom ultimately makes in his first real deadline with the Red Sox will certainly set the tempo for expectations during his tenure. The precedent of how he responds to a contending team, and just how tightly he holds onto prospects, will be build around the moves he makes (or doesn’t make) at the end of July.
For more on the Red Sox’s approach to the deadline, check out the latest episode of the Hardcore Baseball podcast below.
MORE: 2021 Red Sox Midseason Report
