FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s not often Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom gives specifics when it comes to roster building.
The night before the lockout went into effect, Bloom said he was hoping to add bullpen help and a right-handed bat when baseball’s market reopened. On Sunday, three days after the lockout was lifted, Bloom signed two free-agent relievers Jake Diekman and Matt Strahm.
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On Monday, in his first session with the media since December, Bloom reiterated his desire to add position players to the club, particularly a right-handed hitter, though he didn’t rule out a reunion with lefty bat Kyle Schwarber. If Sunday’s signings are any indication, Bloom is far from done with his roster additions.
“We talked about this before the lockout, that the bullpen was going to be a priority for us, that we do still want to add position players to the group,” Bloom said. “The (Hunter Renfroe-Jackie Bradley Jr.) trade we made on Dec. 1 kind of flipped our lineup balance a little bit to where we have an opening for a right-handed bat. That said, in this period, especially with so much going on and so many conversations, we want to be nimble enough to take advantage of all opportunities.”
Bloom called the last few days “as busy as any time I’ve experienced in my career,” first in checking in with his existing players and then in fielding numerous calls to discuss potential trades and free-agent signings. Diekman and Strahm add depth to the bullpen, but it’s possible there’s more relief help to come. The priority now, though, seems to be adding to the lineup.
Normally mid-March is when camp begins to slow down as teams plod through the heart of their spring training schedules. Not this year.
“Every day feels like it’s been a week right now,” Bloom said. “I haven’t experienced something quite like this.”
Part of the new collective bargaining agreement called for an increase in the luxury tax threshold to $230 million this year. The Red Sox payroll currently sits around $200 million, meaning Bloom has about $30 million to spend, or more if he opts to go over the threshold after two years under it. Meanwhile, with J.D. Martinez and Nathan Eovaldi in the final year of their current deals and Xander Bogaerts with an opt-out after this year, there may be significant money coming off the Boston books. The increased payroll this year and the possibility of more payroll flexibility after this season might make it more enticing for Bloom to make a big move in the coming days.
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“It opens more options for us, maybe than we’ve been working with the last couple years,” Bloom said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean — I don’t think we should worry about the size or the Q factor or the splashiness of the move. We should be trying to use all our resources to be as great as we can be every year, whatever that means. But certainly looking ahead, the more flexibility you have, the more options you can consider. That’s part of why that flexibility is important because it does give you access to the whole menu.”
While it’s clear Bloom is pursuing another bat for the lineup, he wouldn’t specify if he’s searching for a particular position to fill. On Sunday, manager Alex Cora noted he liked the outfield alignment of Alex Verdugo in left, Enrique Hernández in center and Bradley in right field, but admitted that might change by the end of camp.
Bloom suggested there was room to add another outfielder to the mix, but that their roster gives them the flexibility to add elsewhere. In other words, if they add an infielder, Hernández would likely have a more full-time role in center field with Bradley in right. If they add an outfielder, Hernández might spend more time at second base. (For what it’s worth, Hernández took part in infield drills and was on a turf field outside the clubhouse on Monday at JetBlue Park fielding grounders from his knees alongside other Red Sox infielders.)
Right-handed hitters Seiya Suzuki, Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa are among the top free agents still on the market as of Monday afternoon, and Bloom noted Schwarber could fit on the right-hand side of their infield (which features right-handed hitters Bobby Dalbec and Christian Arroyo at the moment).
“(It) doesn’t necessarily have to be an outfielder, but I think we have opportunity,” Bloom said. “And I think it’s safe to say we’re going to be out there looking to boost our outfield in some way. But because of the different options we have with guys in-house, that could also come from adding somebody in a different position.”
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Meanwhile, Bloom has been mindful of an impending decision on a contract extension for Rafael Devers, who’s eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. The first few days post-lockout have been devoted to getting a grasp of the market and the players available to upgrade their current roster, but any significant moves made now will have an impact on a future Devers deal, something that Bloom is undoubtedly keeping in mind.
“I’ve said it before, nothing’s changed with that and how we feel about him,” Bloom said. “He’s a cornerstone player for us and we hope he’s here for a long time.”
More than two years into his tenure, Bloom has yet to sign a player to a big contract either as an extension or in free agency. That day may be drawing closer.
(Photo: Barry Chin / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
