The Boston Red Sox kept things in the American League East for their next head of baseball operations, hiring Tampa Bays executive Chaim Bloom for the post, multiple outlets reported Friday.
In addition, mlb.com reported Friday that Brian O’Halloran was promoted to general manager from his role as assistant GM. He was one of three assistant GMs with the Red Sox.
The 36-year-old Bloom will take over after Dave Dombrowski was fired before the end of this past regular season and less than one year after the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series.
Bloom, a Philadelphia native and Yale graduate, helped to make the Rays a cost-effective winner. Tampa Bay made the playoffs as a wild-card team and advanced to the American League Division Series where the Rays took the Houston Astros to a deciding Game 5 before falling.
The Rays finished 12 games ahead of the Red Sox in the regular-season standings despite having the lowest payroll in baseball on Opening Day at just under $50 million. The Red Sox had the highest payroll at the start of the season at $187 million.
The Red Sox already have expressed a desire to move payroll under the luxury tax threshold next season.
Bloom will have his work cut out for him quickly. J.D. Martinez can opt out of his contract five days after the World Series ends, while 2018 MVP Mookie Betts will become a free agent after the 2020 season.