Red Sox Star Reportedly Almost Was Traded Away Despite Suffering Unfortunate Injuries

Did the Red Sox make the right decision hanging on to the star lefty?

The Boston Red Sox certainly are in flux right now. 

Boston fired former Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom on Thursday afternoon in a move that surprised many. Speculation had been swirling for weeks that a move was possible, but not many expected the firing to come out of the blue before the season came to a close. 

With Bloom now out as the Red Sox's Chief Baseball Officer, his past moves -- or lack thereof in some cases -- have been widely discussed. One possible move that has come as a shock is the Red Sox reportedly discussed trading left-handed starter Chris Sale last season, although a deal didn't come to fruition, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford. 

"One instance was particularly striking," Bradford said. "Per a major league source familiar with the situation, just before the 2022 trade deadline - and a few weeks after Chris Sale had broken his finger broken in his second outing of the season - a team approached Bloom about dealing for the lefty. The acquiring club was agreeing to take on all of the money left on Sale's contract (2 1/2 seasons of more than $50 million) while sending some semblance of players. The Red Sox wanted better players than were offered and no deal was done."

Sale has found his name slightly in trade rumors this season but last year, it wasn't widely reported. The big lefty has dealt with a plethora of injuries over the last few years leaving many to question what his future holds. He's under contract in 2024 and due over $27 million and then has a $20 million club option in 2025. If Sale is healthy and pitching like his typical self, the contract makes sense. Many have wondered if the Red Sox should try to deal him away this upcoming offseason but the fact that they could've dealt him last season and completely offloaded the contract now has many questioning Bloom's choice. 

The 34-year-old is healthy now. Hopefully, he can finish the season strong and thrive with the club next year. Sale is a seven-time All-Star and was integral to Boston winning the 2018 World Series. He has been a fan-favorite in Boston and hopefully can get back on track.

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