Article: Looking Back Upon Old Trades: #4 Chaim Bloom Makes a Deadline Deal

[Nick John]

Welcome back once again to our small series looking back on one major trade from each GM in the John Henry era. After leaving off with Dealing Dave Dombrowski, we move into a new era for the Red Sox. The new era even came with a new title: enter Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom.

It's no secret that Chaim Bloom was hired to perform some unpleasant tasks. After the Red Sox brought in Dave Dombrowski to go all out for championships, Bloom was tasked with rebuilding the farm system and doing the unthinkable: trading Mookie Betts. However, I feel that we've talked about that particular tragedy enough over the years, so instead, we’ll be looking at what might have been Bloom’s best trade: a deadline deal in 2022 that saw the Sox ship long-time catcher Christian Vázquez to the Astros for prospects Wilyer Abreu and Enmanuel Valdéz.

The trade came as a surprise not just to fans, but Vázquez himself. The catcher was being interviewed on the field during batting practice, and only found out about the trade when a reporter asked him how it felt to be traded. It's hard to imagine the emotions that must have been running through Vázquez as he got blindsided by the question live on camera.

At the time, the reception to the move was mixed. Fans understood the need to move Vázquez. The Red Sox didn't look like contenders and he was a 31-year-old catcher on an expiring contract. The problem was Vázquez was a fan favorite and was one of the team’s better players that season.

Vázquez spent eight seasons in Boston, appearing in 698 games and slashing .262/.311/.389. While he was never a strong hitter, he knocked 54 home runs and was a part of the 2018 World Series team. He called a god game and pitchers enjoyed working with him. The Red Sox were going nowhere, and the Astros were in a playoff race looking to upgrade their catching position. It was a natural fit.

Unfortunately, Vázquez wouldn’t play much in Houston. He appeared in only 35 games after being traded, as the Astros chose to play the light-hitting Martin Maldonado over him during the playoffs. Fortunately for Vázquez, the Astros won the World Series, earning him his second championship ring before he hit free agency. The catcher got a payday from the Twins, signing a three-year $30-million contract after the 2022 season. He's now rumored to be on the trading block.

The Red Sox made out in the trade. Considered one of Bloom’s best moves during his tenure in Boston, the Sox brought in two interesting prospects in the form of Abreu and Valdéz. Considering how their time in Boston ended up, it is a little bit ironic that Valdéz was the one considered the more valuable at the time, having reached Triple A by the age of 23.

Valdéz was generally viewed as having a great bat but no real position, due to defensive struggles. He holds a career .806 OPS in the minor leagues. The Astros had tried him all over the field in order to keep his bat in the lineup, but after the trade, the Red Sox mainly played Valdéz at second base. In 44 games in Worcester, Valdez continued to flash his power with seven home runs to end the 2022 season. Despite defensive limitations, he impressed the team enough to be added to the 40-man roster after the season.

Valdez would go on to split the next two seasons between Boston and Worcester, often being the first position player recalled to the majors when the team needed body. Despite his continued defensive struggles, Valdéz would continue to get chances due to his potential bat. 2023 showed flashes of it, slashing .266/.311/.453 across 49 games for a 102 wRC+. However, Valdéz struggled throughout 2024. He ran into some bad batted-ball luck that resulted in a 72 wRC+ in Boston, and his Worcester stats weren't particularly impressive either. In December, Valdéz was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster, then traded to the Pirates right-handed pitcher Joe Vogatsky, who has yet to throw a pitch as a professional.

Abreu, on the other hand, has so far turned out better than anyone could have expected. When the Red Sox acquired him, he was viewed as an on-base threat with a bit of pop and a great glove. After the trade, he spent the remainder of 2022 in Portland, where he played in 40 games and put up an impressive 120 wRC+. Just like Valdéz, Abreu impressed enough to be placed on the 40-man roster that offseason. That turned out to be a good move, as Abreu kept right on hitting in 2023. Opening the season as a 24-year-old in Worcester, Abreu played in 86 games and ran a 130 wRC+ with 22 home runs to go along with outstanding defense. He continued to impress during a 28-game cup of coffee at the end of the season, slashing .317/.388/.474 with two home runs.

Abreu had earned the chance to win the starting right field position in spring training. and he would do just that, becoming the starter and playing in 132 games. He had to adjust to a full season of major league pitching, and the Red Sox kept him from facing left-handed pitching as much as they could, but he had an outstanding season. His final slash line of .253/.322/.459 was good for a 114 wRC+. He hit 15 homers and racked up value on the basepaths and in the outfield. Abreu would finish sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting and brought home a well-deserved Gold Glove award. He also had the dirtiest uniform in the league.

Chaim Bloom has become something of a rebuilder for hire. After working his way up with the Rays, the Boston job was his first as the person in charge, and he wasn't hired to do the fun stuff like Dave Dombrowski. He was hired to make unpleasant decisions that could make the team better in the long run, and then he was dismissed before he could enjoy the fruits of that labor. He is now working for the Cardinals, and is set to take over for John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations after the season. He'll have a tough rebuild ahead of him there.

This trade is likely the best Bloom ever negotiated during his time in Boston. Letting Vázquez find out about the trade the way he did was criminal and the Valdéz portion didn't work out, the Red Sox still managed to acquire a talented, outfielder on a rookie contract who should keep performing for many years. With the amount of young talent ready to break onto the scene in Boston, whether Abreu remains with the club or ends up packaged in a trade, having him puts the Red Sox in an excellent spot.

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