Justin Turner, Trevor Story Weigh In On Red Sox Parting With Chaim Bloom

Justin Turner was one of the many free agents Chaim Bloom brought to Boston during his tenure as the chief baseball officer of the Red Sox.

So when news that the Red Sox parted ways with Bloom on Thursday following four seasons was delivered to the team, it came as “kind of a shock” to Turner.

But with Bloom departing, Turner had nothing but positive things to say about the former Red Sox front office executive.

“I had a great relationship with Chaim. Talked to him all the time. He’s around a lot,” Turner told reporters following Boston’s win in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. “He was awesome to me and my family. Obviously went through some scary stuff in spring training getting hit in the face and he was over at my house every day checking in on me before I was able to come back to the field. So, I appreciate that.

“I appreciate the opportunity to come over and play in this great franchise as a 38-year-old free agent. And I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a brilliant baseball mind and probably has a long future in this game somewhere.”

Like Turner, Story followed the free-agent path to the Red Sox. He became the biggest free agent Bloom signed during his time with Boston, inking a six-year, $140 million deal prior to the 2022 season.

And Story, who spent the majority of this season injured, was grateful to Bloom for giving him an opportunity.

“It’s hard, man,” Story told reporters as seen on NESN postgame coverage. “Like you said, he’s a big believer in me and he’s a big reason why I came here. No one cares more than Chaim. It’s tough. It’s kind of a shared blame. We didn’t get the job done on the field. I think you ask anybody on the team, on the staff, we all kind of feel a shared blame there. At the end of the day it’s about performing and we didn’t do that up to what we think that we should.”

With Bloom leading the Red Sox front office, Boston finished last in the American League East twice and also made a run to the AL Championship Series in 2021.

But the Red Sox are back in the basement of the division again this year, posting a 74-72 record heading into the nightcap with the Yankees. And both Story and Turner believe it’s not completely on Bloom for the lack of consistent success.

“I can’t speak for everyone in this room, but something I definitely take personally,” Turner said. “You never want to lose the guy that brought you in here because you didn’t perform well enough on the field. I do take that a little personal.”