3 internal candidates considering possible replacements for Chaim Bloom

A number of names listed as potential replacements for former Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom have emerged in the days following his firing.

Cleveland Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti and Oakland Athletics General Manager David Forst were listed as possibilities by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi just hours after the news broke.

Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes was another potential candidate suggested by WEEI’s Rob Bradford.

Chris Antonetti

Antonetti, who has ties to New England after graduating from high school in Connecticut and earning a degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has worked as a baseball executive since 1998. The 47-year-old made his debut with the Montreal Expos before he was hired by the Goals in 1999.

He was named Cleveland’s general manager in 2010 and took over as president of baseball operations five years later. Since 2015, Antonetti’s team has reached the playoffs five times, including a World Series appearance in 2016. Cleveland also signed star third baseman Jose Ramirez to a $124 million contract extension in April dollars over five years.

Antonetti won the MLB Executive of the Year award last season after the Guardians finished first in the AL Central and appeared in the ALDS.

David Forst

Forst graduated from Harvard in 1998 and participated in spring training with Boston as an infielder the following year. He got his start behind the scenes in baseball in 2000 when the Athletics hired him as a scout. Forst was promoted to deputy general manager four years later. He became Oakland’s general manager after the 2015 season.

The Athletics reached the playoffs three straight seasons from 2018-2020, but are currently experiencing a rebuild. Since 2021, the team has traded a number of players, such as pitchers Chris Bassitt, Cole Irvin, Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea, as well as infielders Matt Chapman and Matt Olson.

Oakland also returned catchers Christian Bethancourt and Sean Murphy, all recognizable names who contributed to the team’s success in the late 2010s. The A’s currently have the worst record in baseball and are on the verge of a move.

Brandon Gomes

A native of Fall River, Gomes has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks of the Dodgers organization. The 39-year-old was a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs as recently as 2016 before being hired as the team’s pitching coordinator. He was promoted to Los Angeles’ director of player development after the 2017 season.

Gomes was elevated to vice president and assistant general manager of the Dodgers in March 2019 before being named the franchise’s general manager ahead of the 2022 season.

Since being hired as a member of the front office six years ago, Los Angeles has seen a lot of success on the field. The club has made the playoffs every season, including winning the 2020 World Series.

The Dodgers notably traded for Mookie Betts from the Red Sox before their title win in 2020. They also signed star first baseman Freddie Freeman in March 2022. Both players made their case to win the MVP award in the NL this year.

Names to exclude

While these are three names to watch as the search for the Red Sox’s head of baseball operations begins, there are also some people to keep off your radar. You can rule out former Boston general manager Theo Epstein, according to team president Sam Kennedy.

Epstein’s name was first floated by DraftKings’ Jared Carrabis days before Bloom was fired by the Red Sox. The idea gained traction on social media and prompted Kennedy to drop it during his press conference while answering questions about Bloom’s firing. NBC Sports Boston’s John Tomase even threw a wet blanket over that suggestion three days before Bloom’s firing was announced.

Another name brought up after Bloom’s departure was that of Boston manager Alex Cora. by ESPN’s Buster Olney. Likewise, Cora essentially excluded herself from the conversation on several occasions. Kennedy also said that he expects Cora to lead the team in 2024. However, it has been reported that Cora would one day be interested in the front office career path, most recently. according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

Brian O’Halloran, Boston’s newest general manager who was promoted to an unknown and senior management position within the organization, is also not an option to replace Bloom.

Kennedy acknowledged that the search for a new front office leader “could take some time.” He also indicated that the future general manager or president of baseball operations could consist of two people.

With fewer than 15 games remaining in the 2023 season and a long offseason ahead, we may not know who Bloom’s successor will be until next year.