Revisiting Blockbuster That Made Cardinals Exec Chaim Bloom Hated Among Red Sox Fans

The next St. Louis head honcho isn't well-liked in Boston

Jul 27, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom talks with the media before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals revealed a new organizational direction shortly after the 2024 season ended but the most significant change has yet to come.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak announced 2025 will be his final season as head honcho and will pass the torch to former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.

Hopefully, Bloom learned from his past mistakes as Boston's baseball boss and won't complete another disastrous blockbuster trade, as he did at the beginning of his tenure with the Red Sox.

"The (Los Angeles) Dodgers got (Mookie) Betts, (David) Price, and $48 million from the Red Sox for (Jeter) Downs, (Alex) Verdugo, and (Connor) Wong," CBS Sports' Mike Axisa wrote Tuesday as he discussed the 2020 blockbuster. "In a separate trade, the Dodgers received (Brusdar) Graterol, (Luke) Raley, and a competitive balance draft pick from the (Minnesota) Twins for (Kneta) Maeda, (Jair) Camargo, and $10 million. Boston was scared away by Graterol's medicals. The Dodgers looked things over, and were happy to take him. A few months later, Graterol recorded two outs in the seventh inning of the World Series clincher (though he's dealt with numerous injuries in the years since)."

Downs, Verdugo and Wong are no longer with the Red Sox, so Bloom's trade of future Hall of Fame slugger Betts was a flop. Consequently, Boston fans will never forgive the future Cardinals POBO for trading such a beloved player.

Considering Mozeliak is notorious in St. Louis for his rich history of trading star players for little in return, it's nerve-wracking to be reminded that Bloom has similarly alienated himself with Boston's fan base.

Times are tough for Cardinals fans right now as there's no clear direction for the organization's future. Mozeliak hasn't done much to bolster the big-league roster in his final offseason leading the show and St. Louis deserves better. Hopefully, Bloom has wisened since his reign in Boston.

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