During a shortened season of much uncertainty, the Red Sox failed to reach the expanded 16-team playoffs for 2020 with a final record of 24-36 (.400). This will serve as the Red Sox’ worst winning percentage since 1965, and the first time they have missed the playoffs since 2015. Ron Roenicke, who stepped up as manager after the firing of Alex Cora, was also let go near the end of the season. He expressed his desire to coach for only one more year prior to Cora’s firing, and while the team’s performance under his direction was lackluster, Boston’s front office did not place any blame on the 64-year-old Roenicke. It appears that the decision was a result of new management (specifically newcomer Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom) hoping for a fresh start, and Roenicke, in his own words, was not “the guy for the future.” Veteran J.D. Martinez had a down year, batting .213 with 7 HR and 27 RBI, good for only 19 HR and 73 RBI in a 162-game season, much lower than recent years. Andrew Benintendi looked particularly dreadful before his season-ending rib injury, batting a measly .103 with almost no offensive production. On the bright side, Alex Verdugo shined after being traded in the Mookie Betts and David Price deal, showing great fielding prowess while batting over .300 for the first time in his young career. In general, the Red Sox struggled mightily on the mound, but found decent success at the plate. Boston placed in the top half of the league in most offensive categories, including third in batting average, but finished in the bottom three in pitching statistics H, R, ERA, HR, BB, and WHIP.
Will: For the foreseeable future, I would expect the Red Sox front office to build around core position pieces Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and the explosive Alex Verdugo, while focusing on eliminating excess salary and attempting to manage a low payroll the way Chaim Bloom did with the Rays years prior. The obvious hole in this team’s roster is their abysmal starting rotation, but the 2021 free agent pool will not provide much relief. Bloom may have to part from Benintendi or Chavis, notable offensive players that could be flipped for solid pitching talent. Expect Jackie Bradley Jr. to walk if not offered a long-term deal, as it is unlikely the Sox will cough up next year’s $18 million qualifying offer. The Red Sox farm system ranks near-last according to many media outlets, depleted as a result of Dombrowski’s wheeling-and-dealing for stars to help bolster the 2018 championship roster. Chaim Bloom has a lot of work to do and the ever-restless Boston fans will have to be patient as this franchise rebuilds in the next few years. Don’t get your hopes up for a worst-to-first reversal as seen in 2013.
The potential coaching pool is massive, with candidates ranging from Cora to fan favorite Jason Varitek and anyone in between. It appears Bloom is looking for someone young and with similar values of player management as him; in this case, my best bet would be current Phillies integrative baseball performance director Sam Fuld. The 38-year-old New Hampshire native played for the Rays during Bloom’s tenure down south and is viewed as one the brightest young minds in the game. Although it is entirely possible Cora returns to Boston, there has not been any proven interest in either direction and the move would not necessarily be a “fresh turn of the page” for a rebuilding franchise.
Tyler: While 2020 might be an unforgettable year as a whole, I am looking to move on from the “season” the Boston Red Sox just wrapped up. After firing manager Ron Roenicke, the Sox will look to replace their manager for the 2021 season. It is unclear if former manager Alex Cora will be able to step up and return to the Sox after being suspended this season for his role in the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal in 2017. Cora led the Sox to a 192-132 record in two seasons and a World Series championship in 2018. However, the team has faced significant changes since then, with notable losses such as Mookie Betts, David Price, and Joe Kelly, all of whom now play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite the dismal season Boston just had, there is still a lot of potential with the current team. I think the majority of everyday players will remain on the squad next season; Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, and J.D. Martinez are still very much part of the team’s core. I am hopeful that Chris Sale will be healthy enough to pitch next season, as solid pitching is something the team desperately needs. One player who I think may not return next year is Jackie Bradley Jr. I expected JBJ to be traded a while ago, and with his upcoming free agency, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we never see him in a Red Sox uniform again.
While the organization has not announced which candidates they are considering for the managerial position, there are some names that have been tossed around. Perhaps the most intriguing is Jason Varitek, former Red Sox catcher and captain. There has been an increasing trend of former players coming back to manage their old teams, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Varitek was chosen for the role. Varitek is also familiar with the current team, having served as a special assistant this past season. However, he has not expressed a ton of interest in managing at the moment, so we may not see him in that role quite yet. Former Sox player and current Athletics coach Mark Kotsay is another favorable option. Other notable potential candidates could include former player Sam Fuld, current Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro, and former All-Star Sandy Alomar Jr. While there are a lot of decent options for the next manager position, Cora is the only one who has proven himself as a truly successful manager. Cora not only led the team to a World Series title, but broke the franchise’s single-season record with 108 wins. My prediction is that Cora will be welcomed back with open arms for the 2021 season.
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