MLB Rumors: Changes are coming for the Boston Red Sox
With the Boston Red Sox likely on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, it was fair to point to Chaim Bloom for answers. That was his job, after all, and changes are likely coming this offseason that could alter the outlook of this Boston team.
Then, the Red Sox dropped a bomb this afternoon, with news Bloom would not return to his post next season. So, who will replace Bloom in the Boston front office? Apparently it will not be Theo Epstein, the former President of Baseball Operations who led the Sox to multiple World Series.
Whoever the Red Sox hire will have a lot of work to do, as changes are coming to this roster. While Boston was complimentary of Bloom's work rebuilding their farm system, the major-league product needs a lot of work.
Per FanSided's Kevin Henry, the likes of Adam Duvall and James Paxton could very well be headed elsewhere next season. Moves involving Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo shouldn't be ruled out, either, given their contract status. Much of this can be seen as addition by subtraction, with more decisions to come as free agency begins. Expect Boston to be one of the more active teams at the winter meetings.
Whether it's Alex Cora, Epstein or Santa Clause, Boston's next head of baseball operations needs to clean house.
MLB Rumors: Would the Angels trade Mike Trout to a rival?
The Angels remain unlikely to trade Mike Trout, but that hasn't stopped pundits from asking a rather simple question: Which teams would be the favorites to deal for the future Hall of Famer?
At 32 years old, Trout has only appeared in the postseason one time. The Angels are likely to lose Shohei Ohtani this offseason, per recent reports. It does not appear Anaheim will be making the playoffs anytime soon. Murray points to Trout's loyalty as a reason he would stay with the Angels:
"But a trade is unlikely for a multitude of reasons. First, Trout is extremely loyal. He signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract through the 2030 season with the vision of retiring with the Angels. He wanted to be in Anaheim, and all indications are that he wants to remain with the franchise. Perhaps that changes if team owner Arte Moreno informs Trout that he's opting for a multi-year rebuild. But Moreno, aside from a historic teardown in mid-August, has always avoided rebuilding and prefers to be competitive."
As I've mentioned in other articles, I like to operate in the hypothetical. Bleacher Report suggested the Texas Rangers could be a possible suitor for Trout. Any trade to an AL West rival would be a huge surprise for good reason. However, Texas also has plenty of prospect capital to offer the Angels. It surely presents a dilemma.
As B/R writer Zach Rymer notes, "the Rangers already have an offense that leads the American League in scoring, but left field and center field are relative weaknesses. Trout could upgrade either or both spots and provide additional support for a DH spot that's also struggled to produce."
It's a fun thought, but an unlikely one to say the least.
MLB Rumors: Insider trashes the Blue Jays, and for good reason
The Blue Jays have eliminated any leverage they had despite having one of the most talented rosters in the American League. Toronto are the 'on paper' champions of baseball year after year. Eventually, we need to see it play out on the field.
Toronto entered their biggest series of the year on a level playing field with the Rangers. Then, they lost the first three games of their four-game set by a combined score of 26-7. They've lost their season tiebreakers with Texas, Seattle and Houston, which could come into play in the AL Wild Card standings. Ken Rosenthal went scorched earth on the Jays, who continue to let fans and pundits down.
"Here's everything you need to know about the Jays: The last time they came back from a deficit of three or more runs to win was July 9 in Detroit, their last game before the All-Star break. Since the break, they are 0-19 in games where they trailed by three or more runs, according to STATS Perform."
Yikes, indeed.
The Jays could very well still make the postseason, but with their lineup of big names essentially inept, and a rotation lacking a true ace thanks to Alek Manoah, what exactly should fans expect from this team?
