Red Sox News: Ron Roenicke will not return for 2021 season

Ron Roenicke will not return as Red Sox manager for 2021.

The Boston Red Sox will make a managerial change for the 2021 season as the team announced that Ron Roenicke will not return. Roenicke has an extensive history as a major and minor league coach and manager including five seasons at the helm of the Brewers.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom released a statement on the decision in an official press release, per MLB Trade Rumors.

"“Throughout this difficult season, Ron’s consistency and professionalism kept the environment in our clubhouse productive and gave all of our players room to grow and develop. While we believe that, moving forward, we will benefit from new leadership and new energy, that does not diminish how strongly we feel about Ron. He is a man of the highest character who cares about our players and the Red Sox organization. As bench coach, he helped this team win a world championship. As manager, he showed poise and leadership in navigating an extremely challenging year. We are grateful for all of his contributions in our uniform.”"

With the Red Sox, Roenicke served as bench coach for manager Alex Cora and was elevated to the managerial slot when Cora was dismissed. Initially, the 64-year-old was designated interim manager, but that designated was removed in April.

Roenicke has had at best a trying season with the loss of Mookie Betts in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the pitching staff’s two most notable arms – Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez – sidelined with injuries. Add on the COVID-19 situation and a roster in flux and the result is a last-place team.

The Red Sox entered the final day of the regular season with the third-worst record in the majors at 23-36. The blame can’t entirely be pinned on Roenicke but it certainly makes it easier to fire the manager in the wake of one of the most dismal seasons in franchise history.

Speculation will now center on Bloom ferreting out a replacement and most certainly Cora will be mentioned as a possible return. Will Bloom look to Tampa and Kevin Cash? Is a former Red Sox in the mix? David Ortiz or Jason Varitek?

It will be interesting to see the pace at which the Red Sox conduct their managerial search. They aren’t allowed to speak to the suspended Cora until after the World Series so if a decision still hasn’t been reached heading into November, speculation of a reunion with the manager who led the team to championship glory will escalate.

Regardless of who takes over next year, the Red Sox will be looking for a fresh start to wash away the bitter taste of this 2020 season.