The Boston Red Sox have found themselves at the center of the baseball world this week. After trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, fans took a closer look at Alex Cora and the rest of the organization. Soon enough, reports came out that higher-ups like Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and CEO Sam Kennedy use artificial intelligence to help them hire employees.
The reports made waves across the sports media world. According to MassLive Red Sox reporter Christopher Smith, Boston is denying the allegations against them. The team said that the claims against them were not true and lacked evidence.
“Since 2012, the club has used a tool called HireVue to screen applicants for all roles across the organization,” the organization said. “The Red Sox are one of several MLB clubs to use this tool, which asks candidates to answer a few questions in a recorded video for the hiring manager to get a sense of the person beyond their resume. This is one of several steps in the hiring process and is just one factor that helps determine which candidates should advance to an in-person interview. On average, the club receives over 500 applicants per position, and for some roles, as many as 3,000. This tool is in no way a replacement for in-person interviews, simply one of many steps that helps the club screen the many candidates who apply for each job posting.”
Breslow and Kennedy continue to receive hate from fans via social media. After making such a big move, the allegations against the Red Sox are an unnecessary distraction.
Despite the drama surrounding the team, Boston is playing well. Cora's team won eight of their last ten games after defeating the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Even though the team faces a murky future, Marcelo Mayer has helped fuel the Red Sox to wins.
Teams across Major League Baseball handle hundreds of job applications for each position. However, the use of AI puts people like Breslow and Kennedy in a bad spot. Boston is known as one of the better-run organizations in the league. Even though shade is being thrown at them, the team maintains their stance on the issue.
As the front office continues to deal with the hate thrown their way, Cora's focus remains on the team. The Red Sox's winning streak has them back in the American League East conversation.
It would take a big effort for them to surpass the New York Yankees at the top, though. Boston sent a big message to their arch rivals last week.
Breslow, Kennedy, and the rest of the Red Sox organization hope to put this latest issue behind them. Unfortunately, the opinion against them might not change anytime soon.
