Red Sox baseball chief Chaim Bloom said the top priority in Major League Baseball is keeping players safe and trying to start the regular season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Business discussions throughout baseball are secondary.
“This has been one of the most unique moments I have experienced in my career,” Bloom said during a Zoom conference call on Friday. “I think that is probably true for almost everyone who works on this game. One of the things that has made it unique is that much of our focus, and I think not just the Red Sox but the 30 clubs in this industry, have focused on making sure we’re up and running and ready to roll in a box strong. and a comfortable environment since we are playing in the middle of the pandemic. That has been our top priority, and I think it has been the top priority for all 30 clubs. And that has meant that we haven’t had the normal late-spring trade talks that I think you would normally see right now, a week outside of opening day. “
The Red Sox will open the shortened 60-game season next Friday against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
“With all that said, we’ve tried to keep as much focus on baseball and transactions as possible,” said Bloom. “We still have a responsibility to do our work in that regard. There are many more considerations that come with that. So we’ve had those conversations. We try to stay active. … I don’t want to harm the probability of something happening. We are always looking to improve wherever we can. So there are many forms they could take if there is an opportunity. But it is really difficult to harm, especially because of the only thing this period has been. ”
The Red Sox should seek to bolster their starting rotation. Eduardo Rodríguez (coronavirus) will start the 2020 season on the 10-day disabled list. Chris Sale is sidelined for 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Bloom admitted that his initial rotation is “definitely more unstable than I think he would like, in a vacuum.”
The Red Sox signed free agent Zack Godley to a minor league contract on Friday. The 30-year-old right-hander, who the Detroit Tigers pitched five days ago, had a 23-20 record with a 4.10, 1.31 WHIP and 3.63 FIP ERA in 59 starts (57 starts) in 2017 and ’18 combined for the Arizona Diamondbacks
It will be difficult for any major league player to be changed during the pandemic due to security concerns, including traveling to a new city on a commercial flight and living in a hotel during the shorter season.
Bloom was asked if that makes him hesitate to change a player.
“It is a real consideration,” said Bloom. “I wouldn’t say that hesitating is the word. But I do think it is something you should keep in mind. I think these are things that we always keep in mind. Every time you do something, you should always have some consideration for the person and what you are doing to recognize that this is a business and everyone knows within it what could happen. “
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