The Boston Red Sox announced the firing of Chief Baseball Officer, Chaim Bloom late Thursday morning.
Bloom, who would have entered the fifth and final year of his contract next year, has been on the hot seat for quite some time now after several controversial, and questionable decisions over the course of his tenure with the Red Sox.
While Red Sox fans do have a lot to thank Bloom for, including bolstering the farm system which was recently ranked fifth best in all of baseball by Baseball America with top prospects like Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, Nick Yorke, and Roman Anthony, to name a few, there are still plenty of mistakes Bloom made while at the helm that had residual long-term effects and ultimately led to his termination.
4 potential candidates to replace Chaim Bloom
Several executive names around Major League Baseball have been jotted down on the Red Sox' wish list to replace Bloom, many of which have already been ruled out. The first name crossed off the list that many Red Sox fans would have loved to see take the reigns was David Stearns, who was recently hired by the Mets as president of baseball operations.
Perhaps the ultimate pipe dream was for Theo Epstein to return to the Red Sox front office, but those speculations were quickly put to rest when it was affirmed that Epstein is in fact "not a candidate to lead the Red Sox," per Sam Kennedy.
Theo Epstein is not a candidate to lead the Red Sox, says Sam Kennedy.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 14, 2023
Here are 4, realistic candidates for the Red Sox open GM position:
1. James Click
Click was instrumental in the Astros' reign of terror over the last few seasons, highlighted by the 2022 season where the Astros won 106 games and brought a World Series Championship back to Houston. Click and the Astros parted way after the 2022 season, and Click currently serves as Vice President of Baseball Strategy for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Some say Click is "too similar" to Bloom in that he has shown a lack of aggressiveness during trade deadlines and have let key pieces walk while under his leadership. Nonetheless, Click appears to be a great option with proven success.
2. Jon Daniels
A recent acquisition to the Ray's front office last offseason, Daniels' leadership would objectively fit well with a large market team like Boston. Paired with a successful tenure as GM of the Texas Rangers that featured two trips to the World Series, he's helped catapult the Rays as front-runners in a highly competitive division.
3. Brandon Gomes
Current GM of the Dodgers, Brandon Gomes, would bring a player-esque mindset to the Red Sox front office, having spent half a decade in the Rays' bullpen. This approach has seemed to work with the decision to have former player Alex Cora manage the team, so maybe that's the approach the Red Sox need to take with the front office?
4. Brian Sabean
Working alongside Brian Cashman in New York, Sabean currently serves as an executive advisor in the Yankees' front office. Formerly, Sabean was the longest-tenured GM in San Francisco Giants' history and brought championships to the Bay Area in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Sabean's proven success with a large market team, paired with the recent downfall and disappointment with the Yankees, certainly brings his name to the top of the list as a potential replacement.