Having Alex Cora in charge may not have been the Boston Red Sox's only problem at the beginning of this season, but since his firing on April 25, things have changed for Boston.
Since April 26, the Red Sox have hovered around .500 (which doesn't sound like much, but as of this writing, only five teams in the American League have winning records). Red Sox starters have a combined 2.76 ERA. Boston's offense still isn't perfect, but it looks more lively, possibly due to interim manager (former Triple-A Worcester manager) Chad Tracy's leadership. On May 3, Willson Contreras spoke on the team feeling the difference with Cora out of the dugout.
"After Cora got released or fired, the guys got loose a little more, because I feel like the tension was gone," Contreras said to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. "...When Alex wasn't in the dugout, the team, was like [exhale noise], like loose. But it doesn't matter. We have to play better."
Tracy's influence in the dugout is palpable, even to players he hadn't previously managed — he'd crossed paths with most of the Red Sox's young core during their stints in Triple-A, and even some of Boston's veterans on rehab assignments. Fans have also relished Tracy as a breath of fresh air in press conferences and other appearances, further demonstrating improvements in the team's comunication.
Athletic columnist endorses Chad Tracy for permanent managerial job, with Red Sox or elsewhere
Steve Buckley of The Athletic profiled Tracy's transition into the big league skipper he's been forced to become, and his calm collectedness has brought a different energy to Boston's clubhouse. He thinks it could help him stick around in the majors.
"And if the early vibes offer any clues, there absolutely will be a permanent managerial job for Tracy. If not with the Red Sox, then somebody else," Buckley wrote (subscription required).
Buckley suggests that Tracy's casual nature since his promotion to Red Sox manager shows that he can handle the hectic way of life in the big leagues. If Boston stays on an upward trajectory and Tracy continues being himself, could he land himself a permanent job with the Sox? Buckley theorizes that Tracy may need someone with big league experience on his future coaching staff — maybe another former Red Sox player is in the cards — which could help Boston justify keeping him around into the future.
Even before Tracy arrived in the major leagues, seemingly no one in the Red Sox organization, from players to other coaches, and even Red Sox media, had anything less than resoundingly positive comments to offer of him. Other teams might see that, coupled with his ability to rally the Red Sox into a winning record since he took over, and consider him for a permanent big league manager job.
He's lived up to the hype in the early days of the Red Sox's attempt to save their season, but he'll have to continue his success to be considered an option for a team desperate to reassert its relevance as a playoff team in the AL.
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