The Boston Red Sox fired chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom on Thursday after four up-and-down seasons that included a pair of last-place finishes and a 2023 almost certain to end without a playoff berth.

Bloom, 40, joined the Red Sox following their firing of general manager Dave Dombrowski in September 2019, a year after they won their fourth World Series in 15 years. He brought small-market success with Tampa Bay as the antithesis to the swashbuckling Dombrowski: methodical, patient and ready to rebuild a farm system while still succeeding in the major leagues.

But within months of arriving, with ownership stressing financial flexibility, Bloom traded star outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The move hung over his tenure as Boston sandwiched last-place finishes around a 2021 in which it took Houston to six games in the ALCS. The Red Sox, on the cusp of wild-card contention as recently as last week, have lost six of their past seven.

The firing surprised multiple officials in the organization, who believed that despite the lack of big league success, the Red Sox's future -- with a much-improved farm system and significant room to spend -- is on the upswing. In a statement, owner John Henry said Bloom "set the stage for the future," but that wasn't enough to save his job.

"While parting ways is not taken lightly, today signals a new direction for our club," Henry said. "Our organization has significant expectations on the field and while Chaim's efforts in revitalizing our baseball infrastructure have helped set the stage for the future, we will today begin a search for new leadership. Everyone who knows Chaim has a deep appreciation and respect for the kind of person he is. His time with us will always be marked by his professionalism, integrity and an unwavering respect for our club and its legacy."