Red Sox: Candidates to replace Ron Roenicke as manager
By Sean Penney
Exploring the potential candidates for the next Red Sox manager.
The Boston Red Sox will have a new manager next year. The club announced prior to Sunday’s season finale that Ron Roenicke will not be returning in 2021, ending his tenure as the team’s manager after one abbreviated season.
Roenicke served as the bench coach for Alex Cora but was elevated to the manager’s seat when his predecessor was suspended for his role in the Houston Astros sign-stealing investigation and later parted ways with the organization.
It felt from the start that Roenicke was a temporary solution, even after the interim tag was removed from his title last spring. Roenicke was put in an impossible situation, inheriting a team that traded away the face of the franchise and a starting rotation that crumbled with the loss of their top pitchers. The outcome of this miserable season can’t be blamed on Roenicke but it’s easier to move on from a manager following a last-place finish.
The writing was on the wall for Roenicke with the team expected to go in one of two directions. Either the plan all along has been to welcome Cora back once his suspension is lifted or chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom will look for a fresh start with a candidate of his own choosing.
Let’s break down the leading candidates who the Red Sox should consider, starting with the obvious option of Cora.