Chaim Bloom is new to the Red Sox organization, but he’s well aware of the impact Mitch Moreland made — on the field and in Boston’s clubhouse — over the past three seasons.
The Red Sox on Tuesday re-signed Moreland to a one-year contract with a club option for 2021. Bloom, who took over as Boston’s chief baseball officer back in October after 15 years in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, is confident the veteran first baseman still is capable of producing at a high level.
“This guy has a track record,” Bloom told The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams via phone Tuesday. “What’s under the surface and what’s under the hood gives us the confidence that he could do damage in a lineup.”
Moreland was limited to just 91 games last season due to injuries. He was solid when healthy, though, batting .252 with 19 home runs, 58 RBIs and an .835 OPS.
It was fair to wonder whether the Red Sox would bring back Moreland, who’s entering his age-34 campaign. Boston is aiming to trim payroll in an effort to get below the $208 million luxury tax threshold, and Michael Chavis filled in nicely at first base with Moreland on the shelf in 2019. Not to mention the Red Sox have a highly touted corner infield prospect, Bobby Dalbec, on the cusp of reaching the majors, and another slugger, Triston Casas, not too far behind.
But Moreland’s return certainly makes sense from a personnel perspective. He’s a left-handed hitter with pop, having smacked at least 22 home runs four times in his career, and long has been considered a strong defender. His presence will allow Boston to mix and match, with Chavis bouncing between first base, second base and perhaps even the outfield if the Red Sox swing a trade involving Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and/or Andrew Benintendi.
“It just makes our roster that much deeper,” Bloom told McWilliams. “On a given night, we’re going to have a lot of options to create a really productive lineup. We’re going to be better able to withstand the ups and downs of a season, the need to get guys rest and the injuries that will come along. We’ll be able to better take advantage of the versatility some of our guys have.”
Moreland, a Gold Glove winner with the Texas Rangers in 2016 and an All-Star with the Red Sox in 2018, is highly respected across Major League Baseball for his impact on and off the diamond. Clearly, Boston didn’t want to pass on the opportunity to keep him around for at least one more season.
