It really isn't hard to see that by replacing JBJ with Pham. Dalbec with Hosmer (and allowing Casas to ease in to a playoff race) and Vazquez with McGuire.... and with Sale and Eovaldi AND Wacha AND Houck AND Whitlock (to shore up the BP) all about to return how the Sox could get into the playoffs last season.
The wheels were very loose before the deadline after a miserable July, but the team showed they could kick ass for a stretch, and I thought Bloom did a good job at both putting a better team out to viably contend while also assembling some pieces for the future.
That it took Eovaldi longer to return, Sale getting knocked out by a freak line drive, along with Devers completely falling apart and JDM continuing his slide was what finally put the nails in the coffin.
If perhaps Casas was called up for Dalbec in June and played as well as he did, Sale doesn't get injured and Eovaldi returns on schedule things could be different right now. Maybe they slip into the playoffs and they collectively turn into the May version of the team.
Every single move that Bloom made I completely understand... my biggest issue with Bloom was the Renfroe/JBJ deal and not signing Schwarber. I'm not a "Bloomer" but I think I'm more objective about this than a lot of people on this site currently.
