Morning Sports Update
“If you’re not producing, you’re not winning, you’re not seeing October baseball, a change needs to be made.”
Alex Verdugo’s thoughts on Chaim Bloom’s dismissal: Following the major Red Sox news on Thursday that the team had parted ways with chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, one player with a particularly notable link to the now-former executive was asked about it.
Alex Verdugo, one of the players Bloom acquired from the Dodgers in return for the controversial Mookie Betts trade in 2020, said he doesn’t think about in those terms.
“For me, our relationship was a good one, man,” Verdugo told reporters of Bloom. “He wanted the best for me. He wanted to push me.
“Obviously, I came over in the big trade,” he added. “I always want to play good. It’s not to live up to the trade or to live up to certain expectations.”
Since arriving in Boston, Verdugo has a .284/.340/.429 slash line, with 43 home runs across four seasons with the Red Sox.
Regardless of his involvement in a specific trade, Verdugo recognized that the team’s performance in 2023 was not good enough.
“You don’t ever want to be the reason someone loses their job,” he said. “But at the same time you understand it. If you’re not producing, you’re not winning, you’re not seeing October baseball, a change needs to be made.”
As for his own future — Verdugo’s contract runs through the 2024 season — he said he’ll have to wait and see.
“I haven’t really thought about it like that,” Verdugo explained when asked how Bloom’s firing might affect a possible contract extension. “Obviously, I had a relationship with Chaim. I talked with him a good amount. It’s up in the air. We’re not sure who our next one is going to be. We don’t know what kind of direction we’re going to go in.”
Trivia: Trades between the Red Sox and Dodgers have become more common in the 21st century. According to Baseball Reference, the two teams have completed eight trades since 2000. The 20th century was a different story, with only four trades. One of those deals — completed in 1939 — involved Boston sending the then-Brooklyn Dodgers what future Hall of Famer?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He made his Major League debut for Brooklyn in 1940, playing with the Dodgers through the 1958 season (the team’s first in Los Angeles). He never hit more than 16 home runs in a season, but made 10 All-Star teams.
Scores and schedule:
The Red Sox split a doubleheader with the Yankees on Thursday, winning the afternoon game 5-0 but losing 8-5 at night. A three-game series against the Blue Jays begins tonight at 7:07 p.m. in Toronto.
On Saturday, the Revolution will face the Rapids in Colorado at 9:30 p.m.
Also this weekend, the Patriots will host the Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
Rafael Devers keeps moving up the list: Devers hit his 170th career home run for Boston, placing him tied for 13th all-time in team history with Jackie Jensen. Next up? Nomar Garciaparra, who had 178.
On this day: In 1974, the Patriots stunned the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Dolphins 34-24 in the season opener at Schaefer Stadium. New England was propelled after getting the better of a thrilling 27-point second quarter.
Daily highlight: Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins went full extension to make the catch against the Rays on Thursday.
Trivia answer: Pee Wee Reese
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