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Home , 2020 World Series, Alex Cora, David Ortiz, Don Kelly (baseball), Emmanuel Clase, George Lombard

The Wednesday, October 28, 2020

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With the over, the watch has officially begun

Alex Speier

The Alex Cora watch is officially underway.

With the World Series over, Cora’s yearlong suspension for his participation in a sign-stealing scheme by the 2017 Astros has concluded. The former Red Sox , who’d been on MLB’s restricted list, is now able to interview with teams for the 2021 season and beyond.

The conclusion of Cora’s suspension comes at a time when the Red Sox are looking to fill the very managerial role he vacated was his nine months ago. Curiosity is running high in the industry — including in many corners of the Red Sox organization — about whether Cora and the Red Sox will pursue a reunion.

The Red Sox have already interviewed at least seven managerial candidates — none with major league managing experience. While many see Cora as a presumptive favorite to be rehired based on the strong relationships he has with many members of his former team, the Red Sox front office was meticulously noncommittal as to whether they will consider him as a candidate for his former position.

“I don’t want to get into the business of saying a lot of things about him that I haven’t had a chance to say to him,” chief officer said at the end of September. “So I don’t want to get into any more detail that that.”

Cora left the Red Sox organization Jan. 14 after MLB released its findings from an investigation into the illegal sign-stealing practices of the 2017 Astros. The report concluded that Cora, then Houston’s bench , played a central role in devising a plan to use a closed-circuit camera to steal signs and then bang a trash can from the clubhouse to convey pitch types to hitters.

While Cora wasn’t initially punished at the conclusion of that investigation — MLB was withholding his penalty until the completion of a separate investigation into sign-sequence stealing by the 2018 Red Sox — the Red Sox and Cora agreed to part ways amidst the exploding controversy.

“We all agreed that it was wrong and that we had a responsibility as stewards . . . to have a standard here where that sort of behavior is not acceptable,” Red Sox chairman said in January.

“I don’t know if you would call it a logical conclusion,” Red Sox principal owner (and Globe owner) John Henry said in the same news conference, “but . . . this was the right decision.”

In April, MLB concluded that the Red Sox had illegally used their video room to steal sign sequences in 2018 — a less elaborate scheme than the one used in Houston — but that Cora had been unaware of the behavior. With that conclusion, the league suspended Cora for the duration of the 2020 season — a judgment rendered solely for his role in the Astros' transgressions.

Even so, the Red Sox suggested both at the time of the news conference and subsequently in 2020 that Cora’s role in the rules violations by the Astros had been sufficient to produce the conclusion that he should leave the Red Sox rather than riding the proverbial storm.

“At the time that we parted ways with Alex we were clear that that was a result of his role and what happened with the Astros and everything the investigation over there revealed. It had nothing to do with what may or may not have occurred in Boston,” Bloom said in April. “That’s still the case. All the reasons we parted ways then are still the case.”

Bloom and others in the organization repeated that line of thinking multiple times in 2020.

But the organization also repeatedly expressed its affinity for Cora and its view that he is an exceptional manager.

“We all have such respect for Alex,” Werner said in January. “He admitted that what he did was wrong, but that doesn’t mitigate in our opinion the extraordinary talent that he has. We continue to be very fond of Alex.”

Despite that fondness, questions loom. To what degree should Cora’s transgressions with the Astros affect his candidacy with the Red Sox? Does Bloom — who joined the Red Sox last October, and has never worked with Cora on a day-to-day basis during a season — see the former manager as the right fit? Would he rather the Red Sox move forward with a new hire? And does Cora want to return to the Red Sox, at a time when there are also managerial vacancies with the and ?

The questions have lingered for months. Now, with the World Series concluded and Cora’s suspension completed, it’s possible to start formulating answers.

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox prospect Thaddeus Ward has topped out at 97 mph, has action to sinker similar to , Lance McCullers Jr. (minor league notebook)

Christopher Smith

Red Sox prospect Thaddeus Ward topped out at 97 mph during a 2019 Carolina League semifinal game. It marked his fastest pitch ever, and it capped a season of impressive two-seam velocity after he sat in the low-90s at the University of Central Florida.

As explained, “Ward showed unexpected velocity in 2019, working at 93-96 mph with his sinker.”

The 6-foot-3 righty’s two-seamer also had different action to it.

“The two-seam doesn’t really sink as much as it used to,” Ward told MassLive.com on Tuesday. “The action we’re looking for is more like how Corey Kluber throws his two-seam and Lance McCullers (Jr.), that action where it just kind of darts back. And that’s kind of the action we’re looking more for, not as much just true sink anymore. That was something I kind of adjusted last year. Last , they (the coaching and development staff) made that observation. They wanted to see what the difference would be. It worked for me. I felt comfortable with it. So that was my primary two-seam from then on.”

The 23-year-old is part of a fascinating core of Red Sox pitching prospects not too far behind who pitched so well in his three big league starts during September.

Baseball America has projected 2023 lineups and pitching rotations for all 30 clubs. It projects Ward as the No. 4 starter in the same 2023 rotation with , Eduardo Rodriguez, Bryan Mata and .

Ward posted a 2.14 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and outstanding .198 batting average against in 25 starts (13 with Low-A Greenville, 12 with High-A Salem) during 2019. He averaged 11.2 and 4.1 walks per nine .

Ward is at the JetBlue Park complex participating in Boston’s six-week fall instructional camp after working out this summer on his own because of no minor league season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Red Sox have plenty of pitching talent in the system. Baseball America has Mata (No. 4), Darwinzon Hernandez (No. 6), Ward (No. 7), Groome (No. 8) and Noah Song (No. 10) ahead of Houck (No. 11) in the organizational rankings.

But Ward and his peers face a major challenge in 2021, returning to minor league game acton for time since early September 2019.

“I think it is going to be difficult for everybody,” Ward said. “But at the same time, I do have the confidence that I put in the work. I really committed to making sure I stayed on top of myself, made sure I kept doing what I was supposed to be doing and not let circumstances dictate if I get better or not. ... I’ve got to be better at the end of the day than when I woke up. That’s how I approached every single day. So hopefully when we get back into the games come spring training, or next season, whatever, hopefully I’ll be ready for it.”

Boston drafted Ward in the fifth round in 2018. He then showed first-round raw stuff. He features a plus slider and he added a cutter during the final two weeks of spring training 2019 that became a primary pitch for him, as he explained to MassLive.com last year.

According to his Baseball America scouting report, the cutter “tunneled off his two-seamer and mid-80s slider" and "allowed Ward to induce weak contact in the strike zone as well as chases outside of it.”

He also throws a four-seamer, and changeup.

He wasn’t pleased with his changeup at the beginning of 2019 because of the lack of separation between his fastball and changeup — only about a 2 mph difference, he said.

“So I got rid of it for the time being to focus more on the cutter,” he said. "And then toward the end of the season last year I kind worked back into the changeup again. So aside from that cutter, nothing’s been added or taken away. It’s been more learning about the selection of pitches and the sequencing and tunneling of it.”

He also has made some slight mechanical adjustments while in the Red Sox organization.

“Now I’m starting to step more across my body, than I had been,” Ward said. “A third of the way through the season last year they made that observation and so I gave it a try. Now I’m stepping across my body, which kind of helped the action on my pitches play up a little bit more.”

The Red Sox provided Ward and other minor league both a throwing schedule and workout (including lifting weights) schedule this summer. Red Sox minor league Austin Rei caught Ward’s sessions.

He also threw with Cubs minor leaguer Jeffrey Passantino, his former teammate at Bishop Verot High in Fort Myers.

“I was throwing twice a week,” Ward said. “And then the throwing days in between were a little bit more up to my discretion on how intense I would make them.”

How was he able to increase velocity?

“It was more just sticking to my routines,” he said. “Making sure I did the same things day in, day out. I worked really well with the strength trainers, whichever levels I was at. Communicated a lot with them. Worked a lot with our medical staff to make sure my body stayed healthy and make sure my arm stayed healthy. And those are kind of the most important things because if you’re not healthy, you can’t really build on anything. So that was really how I ended up making pretty good strides on velocity. Just staying on my routines, staying healthy and continuing with my lifting and long tossing.”

HEY,

Ward grew up in Fort Myers and attended many Red Sox spring training games as a kid. He was a Red Sox fan who even had a Fathead on his bedroom wall.

He said working with Keith Foulke, who closed out the , has been awesome.

“The first time I worked with him, I wasn’t really expecting it,” Ward said. “I was just out there doing dry work during the offseason. And he walked out there and he started talking to me and just kind of gave me a couple pointers on different things.."

RED SOX VS. RAYS

Red Sox minor leaguers finally competed against players other than their teammates.

Red Sox and Rays minor leaguers played against each other earlier this week at instructional camp. Most games will be intrasquad scrimmages.

‘THE INFIELD IS GREEN’

Construction on Polar Park is coming together quite nicely.

STARTING ROTATION AT WORCESTER?

Houck isn’t a lock to begin the 2021 season at Boston despite how well he pitched in September. Houck and top pitching prospect Bryan Mata could be the top two pitchers in the Worcester starting rotation.

Alex Cora’s suspension now over; Boston Red Sox can speak with him about manager job

Chris Cotillo

Alex Cora Watch™ has officially started.

With the World Series now over, Cora’s one-year suspension for his role in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal has been served. As of Wednesday, Cora is free to speak with teams about potential jobs and might even start interviewing by the end of the week.

There are three managerial openings, with the Tigers and White Sox joining the Red Sox on the interview circuit this fall. Detroit has publicly expressed his interest in Cora and Chicago could bring him in as well if their pursuit of Hall of Famer goes south. Those possibilities, of course, would seem remote if the Red Sox are intent on seriously considering a Cora reunion.

Boston has interviewed at least seven candidates (Mike Bell, , Carlos Mendoza, , Skip Schumaker, Luis Urueta and ) so far and likely will speak to more, with Dodgers first base coach among the possibilities. But the consensus in baseball circles is that Cora will at least get a shot, even if team executives have been noncommittal about his chances in recent weeks.

Cora has spoken publicly just a couple times since the Red Sox parted ways with him in mid-January, keeping a relatively low profile while spending time with family at his home in . He has stoked the fire about a potential reunion with a couple of cryptic posts, but the reality is that he hasn’t spoken to anyone with the Red Sox -- especially in an official capacity. It is clear, based on Chaim Bloom’s comments about Cora on the last day of the season, that Bloom does plan on having some sort of conversation with Cora.

Logically, that conversation will take place at some point over the next couple of days. The only two outcomes from that call? Either Bloom invites Cora to interview for his old job (it remains to be seen if he’d even need to interview to get the job) or tell him that he’s not a candidate.

Either way, some answers should start coming out of the offices at Jersey Street in the coming days.

Alex Cora’s potential return to Boston Red Sox would get backlash from some in baseball: ‘There is a huge underbelly in the game that’s got a big problem with this’ (report)

Chris Cotillo

If the Red Sox re-hire Alex Cora as their manager this fall, the decision will likely be met with some skepticism from those around baseball. According to a report from , the industry is divided when it comes to whether Cora and former Astros manager A.J. Hinch deserve second chances in the dugout this soon after being implicated in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal that rocked baseball.

Both Cora and Hinch are going to become eligible to speak to teams about open positions at the conclusion of the World Series (which will come this week) and both are considered likely to be in the mix for open managerial jobs. Both the Tigers and White Sox reportedly view Hinch as one of their top choices and Cora is still considered a favorite for the Red Sox while also being linked to the Detroit opening.

In interviews with 20 players, coaches, executives and agents, The Athletic found that some baseball insiders will not be happy if Hinch and/or Cora land managerial jobs this winter. Some of the negative comments included:

* From a player (who thought Cora and Hinch would be hired to work in front offices at first): “To think that they could be sitting in a dugout, managing games next year, was, to me, insane."

* From an executive: “The public comments from their friends will be very supportive: ‘They paid their dues. But there is a huge underbelly in the game that’s got a big problem with this.”

* From an executive: “I was really shocked when I saw that even Boston would be interested in bringing Cora back so soon. It’s almost like as an ownership group, they didn’t think he did anything wrong. It was almost like they were like, ‘Go sit in the corner for 15 minutes, and we’ll bring you back.’”

By suspending Cora, Hinch and former Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, MLB commissioner made it clear that he felt any of the involved parties should be able to return to the game in 2021. All three men were let go by their teams after being implicated in the league’s investigation into the scandal; only Cora received his suspension after losing his job.

Though Cora’s return to the Red Sox isn’t a foregone conclusion, the Red Sox will clearly have to weigh any potential backlash -- both from the public and from those inside baseball -- in their decision. While it’s clear Cora has support from the team’s owners and players he managed, the team must be conscious that re- hiring him could be met with resistance from some around baseball.

Boston Red Sox manager search: Alex Cora clearly stands out as best option over 7 unknown candidates club has interviewed

Chris Cotillo

Mike Bell. Don Kelly. Carlos Mendoza. James Rowson. Skip Schumaker. Luis Urueta. Will Venable.

That’s the list of candidates the Red Sox are known to have interviewed for their managerial opening. There may have been more, and there may still be more to come (including Dodgers first base coach George Lombard) once the World Series concludes.

But for now, those are the names we know. Five bench coaches, an “associate manager” (whatever that means) and a third-base coach. Seven men between the ages of 38 (once Venable celebrates his birthday on Thursday) and 45. Zero candidates with big-league managerial experience, time spent in the Red Sox' organization or previous time spent working with Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.

I’m sure all seven known candidates are nice, qualified guys who would do a fine job replacing . But it’s hard to imagine any of them -- with little familiarity with Bloom or any of Boston’s other decision-makers -- doing enough in the course of a couple interviews to unseat Alex Cora as the favorite for the gig.

Cora, as has been well-documented, isn’t eligible to speak with the Red Sox (or anyone else) about a return to baseball until his one-year suspension concludes at the end of the World Series, so he hasn’t interviewed yet. But his success in Boston, rapport with the players and strong relationships with the Sox' ownership group have cast him as the heavy frontrunner, a figure lurking in the shadows even as the Red Sox hold interviews with candidates located everywhere from the Bronx to San Diego.

With any of those seven candidates, the Red Sox would be looking for their next version of Cora -- a bright, young mind with playing and coaching experience who might become a successful big-league manager. In that case, why not bring back the man himself?

Though it’s still unclear exactly how Bloom and his lieutenants on Jersey Street view Cora’s potential candidacy, one thing is clear: there’s no one available this fall who stands out as a legitimate, surefire upgrade.

Jason Varitek doesn’t seem to have a shot and the Sox don’t have a bench coach, so there don’t seem to be any strong internal candidates vying for the job. A group of successful, experienced managers -- including , , and -- were hired in last year’s cycle, leaving the cupboard bare for clubs looking for proven options. And perhaps the most likely path to someone other than Cora being hired has been extinguished, as Bloom reportedly can’t poach anyone from the Rays until Oct. 2021.

Both last winter and now, the two candidates who seemed to make the most sense for the Red Sox were Rays bench coach and Phillies player information coordinator , who each knew Bloom from St. Petersburg. For the second straight cycle, neither seems to be involved in the process: Quatraro is disqualified because of the poaching agreement between the Sox and Rays and Fuld has previously rebuffed managerial inquiries and doesn’t seem to have budged on his position.

Of the known candidates, one could be Urueta, the 39-year-old Diamondbacks bench coach who interviewed over the winter and was brought back for a second go-around this fall. (If the Red Sox want references on him, there are plenty of familiar folks in Arizona -- general manager Mike Hazen, assistant GMs Jared Porter and Amiel Sawdaye and manager among them -- to call.) Otherwise, the field is largely filled with coaches who are largely unknown to both the Red Sox and the baseball world at large.

Even if Bloom wants to bring in some new blood, would he really feel comfortable presenting a fresh, unproven face to John Henry and the ownership group? Though team president and CEO Sam Kennedy said in September that Bloom would make the ultimate decision on the next manager, Henry will obviously have a say and is known to be a huge fan of Cora.

The Red Sox' search may end up pitting seven strangers against the guy who, as of a year ago, looked like he had a chance to become one of the greatest managers in franchise history. It’s hard to envision one of those strangers beating out Cora for the job.

Boston Red Sox free agency: Chaim Bloom’s market for potential targets will become clearer within the next week

Christopher Smith

The Dodgers have a chance to win the World Series tonight (Tuesday). That means MLB free agency could begin as early at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

A five-day quiet period begins free agency when teams have exclusive rights to negotiate with their own free agents. During this quiet period, MLB teams can extend one-year, $18.9-million qualifying offers to their own free agents.

Clubs also have five days after the World Series ends to exercise or decline 2021 options. Boston will announce its decision on Martin Perez’s $6.25 million team option.

Red Sox fans should keep an eye out for which free agents receive qualifying offers and which starting pitchers, relievers and become free agents when their options are declined.

Boston would forfeit its second-highest pick and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool money if it signs a qualified free agent.

Trevor Bauer, , J.T. Realmuto and DJ LeMahieu are expected to receive qualifying offers.

Players to watch this week:

Michael Brantley, OF: It should be fascinating to see if the Astros extend Brantley an $18.9 million qualifying offer. He certainly could become a Red Sox free agent target if he hits the market unattached to a qualifying offer.

Houston George Springer, another impending free agent, almost always gets linked to the Red Sox. But Springer almost certainly will receive a qualifying offer. And so Boston instead might see Brantley as a better option, even though Springer is a better player and two years younger than Brantley.

Marcell Ozuna also could emerge as a Sox free agent target. The Braves can’t extend Ozuna a qualifying offer because he already received one from the Cardinals last offseason. A player can receive just one qualifying offer during his career.

Yasiel Puig, who did not play in 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19, also is a free agent.

DJ LeMahieu, 2B: The Yankees almost certainly will offer LeMahieu a qualifying offer. And they obviously will be the favorites to re-sign him if he declines it. But the Red Sox also might show interest after ranking 20th in both on-base percentage (.295) and (.356) from the second base position in 2020.

Jedd Gyorko, 2B/3B: He has a $4.5 million team option and $1 million buyout for 2021. Again, the Red Sox need to improve their second base production. Gyorko is another possibility if the Brewers decline his option.

Liam Hendricks, : It seems unlikely Hendricks will receive a qualifying offer from the who always are on a tight budget. The A’s should be on an even stricter budget this offseason because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But don’t rule it out. The Athletics also must decide whether to extend Marcus Semien a qualifying offer.

Hendricks was named 2020 Reliever of the Year after converting 14-of- 15 opportunities, and posting a 1.78 ERA, .161 batting average against and 0.67 WHIP in 24 outings.

The Red Sox need a closer. Hendricks is a potential option if the Athletics don’t extend him a qualifying offer, as expected.

Brad Hand, closer: Hand seems like a perfect fit for the Red Sox if the Indians decline his $10 million team option for 2021. Cleveland could buy him out for $1 million.

Hand converted 16-of-16 save opportunities and posted a 2.05 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 1.37 FIP and .169 batting average against in 23 outings this season.

Why would the Indians decline his option though?

Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes wrote, “It’s easy for me to say I’d exercise his option, but I don’t own the team. Paul Dolan, like every MLB owner, has suffered big losses because of the pandemic, shortened season and no attendance. So exercising Hand’s option is far from a done deal. Especially when the Indians have younger (and cheaper) options in and possibly Emmanuel Clase.”

Blake Treinen, who closed out Game 5 of the World Series and finished sixth for the 2018 AL , also will be a free agent.

So will Alex Colomé, who converted 12-of-13 save chances and posted a 0.81 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and .163 batting average against for the White Sox in 2020. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom is quite familiar with Colomé who spent six years pitching for the Rays.

Corey Kluber, starting : The righty, who lives in Massachusetts during the offseason, also might be an interesting free agent option if the Rangers decline his $18 million option and buy him out for $1 million as expected.

He didn’t pitch in 2020 because of a shoulder injury. But he certainly has the potential to bounce back in 2021. The two-time AL Cy Young winner finished in the top three for the Cy Young four times from 2014- 18.

Jon Lester, Starting Pitcher: He has a 4.64 ERA in 43 starts the past two years. So it’s unlikely the Cubs will exercise his $25 million team option. He has a $10 million buyout.

There will be plenty of better free agent options, including Trevor Bauer, Taijuan Walker, Kevin Gausman, Mike Minor and Jake Odorizzi, available.

But Lester told WEEI.com in May, “absolutely it would be cool to go back and finish my career where it all started.”

Mookie Betts to David Ortiz: ‘I thought I was a Red Sox for life’

Matt Vautour

Mookie Betts is a win away from helping to lead the to the Championship. He never thought he’d be here.

Betts, who helped beat the Dodgers in the when he was still a member of the Red Sox told David Ortiz in a virtual interview that Betts posted on Instagram that he never expected to leave Boston.

After Ortiz suggested Betts' popularity could rival that of LeBron James in Los Angeles, Ortiz shifted topics.

“I got to tell you Moo, it’s hard for me to see you in a Dodgers uniform, but you look good in a Dodgers uniform,” Ortiz said. “Did you ever think you were going to spend the next 12 years wearing a Dodgers uniform?”

Betts answered: “No I initially thought I was going to be a Red Sox for life. But God always has a plan for things. I was just following what he was telling me to do.

The Red Sox traded Betts and , the pitching hero of the 2018 World Series for and prospects Jeter Downs, an infielder and , a catcher.

While he was in Boston, Bettshad indicated a strong desire to test the free agent market, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed the financial picture in . Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million contract with the Dodgers that will likely take the 28-year-old outfielder to retirement.

The Red Sox were facing two concerns when they traded Betts.

1. They wanted to avoid penalties that would have come from having a payroll being over the Competitive Balance Threshold again. The Dodgers took on a chunk of David Price’s remaining salary to get Betts.

2. They didn’t want to risk losing Betts as a free agent and get nothing back.

Betts has .284 in the postseason with a home , seven RBIs and six stolen bases. He hit .292 with 16 home runs and 39 RBIs in the shortened regular season.

Verdugo, 24, led the Red Sox with a .308 average and hit six home runs with 15 RBIs in 53 games.

* WEEI.com

Mookie Betts: 'I had initially thought I was going to be a Red Sox for life'

Rob Bradford

So, this was interesting.

In a sit-down with David Ortiz prior to Game 5 of the World Series Mookie Betts made a quick comment that should have been of some interest to Red Sox fans.

Ortiz: Did you ever thought you were going to spend the next 12 years in a Dodgers uniform?

Betts: No, I had initially thought I was going to be a Red Sox for life. God always has a plan for things and I was just kind of following what he was telling me to do.

What does the comment mean?

Well, it depends on when Betts last had this feeling and when it went away. Was it heading into the 2019 season? Was it coming out of the 2019 season? Perhaps it was simply when the outfielder was coming up through the ranks and and couldn’t fathom the end of his Red Sox-controlled contracts.

What we do know is that at some point Betts had absolutely no problem staying in Boston.

It is somewhat of a peek into how many players view their original organizations, embracing the security of what they know. It was the case for before he went to Oakland at the 2014 non-waiver deadline, making the idea of signing with another team (in his case, it was the Cubs) not quite so jarring.

Betts obviously had that same experience before committing to a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Dodgers after his introduction to Los Angeles organization.

The Dodgers star’s conversation with Ortiz went on to talk about what it would mean to win a World Series with Los Angeles, something that can become a reality with a win Tuesday night in of the World Series.

* NBC Sports Boston

Searching for the next Red Sox manager: Getting to know the candidates

Dave Green

It's been exactly one month since the Red Sox announced that Ron Roenicke wouldn't return as manager in 2021. But who will replace him? Here's a closer look at candidates who have either interviewed or are reported to be in the running.

Mike Bell Age: 45

Managerial/coaching experience: Bench coach, (2020); Manager, Class-A short-season Yakima (2007); Manager, Class-A Visalia (2007-08)

Other experience: Diamondbacks minor league field coordinator (2010), Diamondbacks farm director (2011-16), Diamondbacks VP of player development (2017-19)

Baseball background: Bell has three generations of baseball experience, as he's the younger brother of Reds skipper , the son of former MLB manager Buddy Bell, and the grandson of Gus Bell, who played from 1950-1964. A long-time minor-league player, Bell only played 19 games in the majors with the 2000 Reds, but rose through the ranks during 13 years in the Diamondbacks organization.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per the Boston Globe's Alex Speier & Peter Abraham.

Don Kelly Age: 40

Managerial/coaching experience: Bench coach, Pirates (2020); First base coach, (2019)

Other experience: Scout, player development assistant, Detroit Tigers (2017), Major league scout, Detroit Tigers (2017-18)

Baseball background: Kelly played nine major-league seasons with the Pirates, Tigers, and Marlins, predominantly in the and at third base. Seen as a future MLB manager despite a lack of coaching experience, Kelly has also interviewed for the Tigers' opening this offseason.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per the Boston Globe and MLB.com.

Carlos Mendoza Age: 40

Managerial/coaching experience: Coach, Staten Island Yankees (2009); Coach, Charleston RiverDogs (2010, 2012); Manager, Gulf Coast Yankees (2011); Manager, Scottsdale Scorpions (2012, 2016); Quality control & infield coach, (2018-19); Bench coach, New York Yankees (2020)

Other experience: Roving defensive instructor, Yankees organization

Baseball background: After a 13-year minor-league career as a player, Mendoza has spent 12 seasons in the Yankees organization, serving in a variety of roles. Like Kelly, Mendoza has also reportedly interviewed for the Tigers' managerial opening.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per the 's George King.

James Rowson Age: 44

Managerial/coaching experience: Hitting coach, (2012-13); Hitting coach, Minnesota Twins (2017-19); Bench coach & offensive coordinator, Marlins (2020)

Other experience: Minor league hitting coordinator, New York Yankees (two stints for six seasons)

Baseball background: Selected in the ninth round in 1994, Rowson never reached the majors as a player, but as a coach, he has helped develop some impressive hitters, including , Gary Sanchez, , Miguel Sano and Max Kepler.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

Skip Schumaker Age: 40

Managerial/coaching experience: First base coach, (2018-19); Associate manager, San Diego Padres (2020)

Other experience: Assistant to baseball operations and player development, San Diego Padres (2016-17)

Baseball background: Schumaker played for the Cardinals, Dodgers and Reds over an 11-year career from 2005 to 2015 before shifting into player development and coaching. Here's how former Padres manager described Schumaker to the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2018: “I always knew [Schumaker] was wired to be impactful. Over the last two years, he was a guy I called on all the time. I’d listen to his takes and realize how great his baseball insight and knowledge was and, honestly, his edge was.”

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

Luis Urueta Age: 39

Managerial/coaching experience: Coach, South Bend Silver Hawks (2012); Coach, Colombia (2013 WBC); Manager, Arizona League Diamondbacks (2013-14); Coach, Reno Aces (2015); Manager, Colombia (2017 WBC); Coach, (2017-19); Bench coach, Arizona Diamondbacks (2020)

Other experience: Short-season field coordinator, Arizona Diamondbacks (2008-12, 2016); Minor league field coordinator, Arizona Diamondbacks (2017); has also coached and managed in the Dominican Winter League

Baseball background: Urueta, who played three years in the Diamondbacks' minor-league system, also interviewed with the Red Sox earlier this year before the team opted to go with Ron Roenicke for the 2020 season.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per ESPN's Enrique Rojas.

Will Venable Age: 37

Managerial/coaching experience: First base coach, Chicago Cubs (2018-19); Third base coach, Chicago Cubs (2020)

Other experience: Special assistant to , Chicago Cubs (2017-18)

Baseball background: A two-sport star at Princeton, where he starred in both baseball and basketball, Venable played for the Padres, Rangers, and Dodgers over a 9-year MLB career. Though more inexperienced (and younger) than most of the other candidates, Venable is a manager on the rise and has interviewed for managerial openings in each of the last two seasons.

Status: Has interviewed with the Red Sox, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

George Lombard Age: 45

Managerial/coaching experience: Hitting coach, (2010); Manager, Gulf Coast Red Sox (2011-12); First base coach, Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-20)

Other experience: Roving outfield and baserunning coordinator, Red Sox farm system (2013-15)

Baseball background: Lombard, who once committed to play football at the University of Georgia, played for the Braves, Tigers, Devil Rays and Nationals, batting .220 in 350 major league at-bats. Lombard has ties to the Red Sox organization, spending five seasons coaching in the minor league system.

Status: Rumored to be in the mix, but hasn't interviewed with the Red Sox with the Dodgers playing in the World Series -- though he did reportedly interview with the Tigers earlier this month.

Alex Cora Age: 45

Managerial/coaching experience: Bench coach, Houston Astros (2016-17); Manager, Boston Red Sox (2018-19)

Other experience: General manager, Puerto Rican national team

Baseball background: After a 14-year playing career for six teams (including the Red Sox from 2005-08), Cora spent several years as a television analyst for ESPN. Following two seasons in Houston, Cora signed a three-year contract with the Red Sox and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and the World Series in 2018, signing an extension through 2021 with a club option for 2022 after the season. But just 14 months later, Cora and the Sox agreed to part ways -- and a couple of months after that, commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Cora for the 2020 season.

Status: In the final days of his one-year suspension from MLB due to his roles in sign-stealing scandals. Cora is seen in some circles as the favorite in Boston, but will Chaim Bloom opt for his own choice or bring back the manager who is still beloved by Boston players and fans?

Mookie Betts thought he would be a Red Sox for life

Justin Leger

As Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers compete for a World Series title, Boston Red Sox fans are left lamenting the deal that sent Betts to Los Angeles eight months ago.

Betts in is a sight Boston will have to get used to. The former American League MVP signed a 12-year, $365 million contract extension with L.A. over the summer.

In a sit-down with Betts prior to Game 5 of the World Series, Red Sox legend David Ortiz asked if he ever thought he'd spend the next 12 years in a Dodgers uniform.

"No, I had initially thought I was going to be a Red Sox for life," Betts said. "God always has a plan for things and I was just kind of following what he was telling me to do."

You can watch the full interview here.

Obviously, that statement won't make Red Sox fans feel any better with the way things went down last winter. Boston reportedly offered Betts a $300 million contract extension, but he wanted closer to $420 million. The Red Sox then shipped the superstar outfielder to L.A. to slip under the luxury tax threshold.

Betts will have a shot to win his second World Series title Tuesday night when the Dodgers and face off in Game 6.

Should Sox pursue Springer, who reportedly wants out of Houston?

Darren Hartwell

One of the most talented outfielders in baseball could hit the open market, after all.

Astros veteran George Springer, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, doesn't want to return to Houston in 2021, ESPN 97.5's Patrick Creighton reported Tuesday.

Astros owner Jim Crane said prior to the 2020 season that re-signing Springer was a top priority, and reports this year suggested the team planned to offer their homegrown star a contract extension.

That extension still hasn't come, however, and it sounds like Springer's patience has run out.

The Athletic's recently mused about the possibility of the Red Sox signing Springer, a Connecticut native who grew up a Boston fan. The fit makes some sense on paper -- especially if Jackie Bradley Jr. departs in free agency -- as Springer would jump-start a team that tied for the fifth-worst record in baseball this season.

But as our John Tomase points out, the Red Sox would need to give up their second-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft to acquire Springer assuming the Astros extend him a qualifying offer.

The three-time All-Star turned 31 in September, so if Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom is committed to a rebuild, he may be wary of giving up future assets to add a high-salary player to a club that may not contend next season.

Springer very well could land on one of Boston's American League competitors, though, so Red Sox fans should still monitor his free agency closely.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Red Sox Notebook: Is Martin Perez’s option suddenly not a slam dunk?; Sox roster shuffling

Sean McAdam

It had been a foregone conclusion that the Red Sox would pick up Martin Perez’s option for 2021.

After all, Perez was the team’s second-best starter on an otherwise underperforming staff. His 4.50 ERA was inflated by a poor final start (six runs allowed over four innings). He had entered his final outing with a more-than-respectable 3.88 ERA and even after the final shelling, still finished with a ERA+ of 104.

Moreover, Perez’s option for $6.5 million was hardly budget-busting. Add Perez to returning starters Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez, fellow holdover and emerging prospect Tanner Houck, and the Red Sox would have the framework of a much more competitive starting rotation in place for 2021.

Right?

Perhaps.

But in recent days, there have been hints that the Sox could be balking about the cost of the option. Perez’s agent, Felix Olivo, conveyed his thoughts:

Perez made clear in the final weeks of the season that he hoped to return to the Sox in 2021. But the pandemic has caused teams to re-examine payroll matters like never before. Some franchises lost more than $100 million in 2020, thanks to the truncated schedule (60 games instead of the standard 162) and the lack of fans (i.e. paying customers) in ballparks.

Worse, there’s no guarantee that 2021 will represent a rosier financial picture for MLB. Multiple clubs are reportedly contemplating cutting payroll for next season.

The Red Sox will have until three days after the completion of the World Series to determine whether they’re going to pick up the option or pay Perez a $500,000 buyout. It’s possible that the Red Sox could decline the option and immediately signal to Perez that they’d be willing to pay him, say, a guarantee of $3 million in base salary with the ability to earn an additional $3 million in incentives.

Of course, passing on the option would immediately make Perez eligible for free agency, and within days, able to listen to offers from other teams. It’s notable that Olivo is referencing the New York Yankees, who have three starting pitchers of their own heading for free agency, two of them, like Perez, lefties — Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and J.A. Happ. ______

It’s that time of year for some roster churn — with plenty more to come.

On Monday afternoon, the Red Sox created some much-needed space on their 40-man roster by outrighting five players. Infielder Tzu-Wei Lin and righthander Robinson Leyer were outrighted from the major league roster, while three others — lefty Mike Kickham, righties Zac Godley and Andrew Triggs — were outrighted, declined the assignment and elected free agency.

Those moves left the Sox with 35 players on the 40-man roster. Shortly after the World Series, the Red Sox will need to create space for players who finished the year on the long-term IL: , Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, Kyle Hart, and Colten Brewer.

Benintendi, Sale, Rodriguez and Brewer will all require roster protection. There could be a debate about the need to protect Hart, whose stint with Boston (15.55 ERA, 3.091 WHIP) was horrible. Hart will soon turn 28 and it’s unlikely there would be any difficulty in outrighting him back to the Pawtucket roster.

The case with Pedroia is more delicate. The former MVP has surely played his last game after a series of unsuccessful major knee surgeries. It’s likely the Sox and Pedroia are currently discussing how to officially end his career, though he has $12 million remaining for 2021 in the final installment of his eight year, $110 million deal.

Eventually, the Red Sox will need additional space to protect a list of players who would otherwise be subjected to December’s Rule 5 draft: Bryan Mata, Jay Groome, , Hudson Potts, Connor Wong, and Jeisson Rosario.

* The Athletic

Chaim Bloom’s swings and misses: 22 moves from Red Sox boss’ first year, ranked

Chad Jennings

The news was a few days old when the Red Sox made it official by introducing Chaim Bloom as their chief baseball officer exactly one year ago on Wednesday. The 12 months that followed were wild and unprecedented, with much of it outside any one person’s control.

Beyond the pandemic, the sign-stealing investigation, and the empty ballpark, though, Bloom had a job to do, and he signed off on more than two dozen major league roster moves during his first year. Those moves ran the gamut, from waiver claims and a Rule 5 pick, to a trade deadline fire sale and a legitimate blockbuster. Bloom’s been busy in every way.

Here, we attempt to rank the additions and subtractions, focusing only on moves that immediately impacted the major league roster. For those players involved in more than one transaction, we’ve lumped the moves together.

Obvious wins 1. Signed and traded

It’s been almost four years since Moreland first joined the Red Sox, so perhaps it’s easy to forget he was a free agent last winter. The Red Sox didn’t re-sign him until late January, and seven months later, he was their best hitter and best trade chip. Bloom flipped him to the Padres for two good prospects: a first-round pick with power (Hudson Potts) and a speedy centerfielder with upside (Jeisson Rosario). Moreland’s brief return was a good move on both ends.

2. Traded and

When it came time to rip the roster apart, Bloom didn’t waste much time. Less than halfway through the season, he sent Workman (in his final season of team control) and Hembree (due to make roughly $2 million in arbitration this winter) to the pitching-strapped Phillies for much-needed rotation depth in and Connor Seabold. Bloom sold high, as each reliever had awful numbers in Philadelphia. The Phillies would have been better off just trying Pivetta and Seabold in their own bullpen. Pivetta wound up giving the Red Sox a couple of good starts in late September.

3. Signed Martín Pérez

This signing was easy to question at the time. Within days of getting a $10 million deal with the Mets, Pérez signed with the Red Sox for $6.5 million. He was coming off a 5.49 ERA the previous two seasons, while Porcello was a familiar Cy Young winner coming off a bad year but with obvious bounce- back potential. Porcello wound up having a rough year in New York while Peréz and Nathan Eovaldi were the Red Sox’ best starters. The bonus: His contract came with an affordable $6.25 million option for 2021.

4. Signed and traded Kevin Pillar

This was perhaps the least of their worries, but after the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts, their projected outfield was entirely left-handed. They needed a right-handed platoon option, and so Pillar was signed at the start of spring training. He became an everyday player when Andrew Benintendi got hurt, had a .795 OPS at the trade deadline, and wound up traded to the Rockies for a promising young reliever (Jacob Wallace) who could move quickly through the system. With Pillar, Bloom filled a short-term need, and turned it into an asset.

5. Traded Sandy Leon, signed

Have to lump these two together because they fit like pieces of a puzzle. The Red Sox didn’t want to pay Leon an arbitration raise, so they traded him to the Indians for a 22-year-old reliever who’s never pitched above rookie ball. The return was beside the point. When the Indians got Leon, they non-tendered Plawecki, whom the Red Sox signed a month later. Plawecki had an .857 OPS with a 0.5 WAR according to Baseball-Reference. Pretty good for a backup catcher. Leon had a .539 OPS and a minus-0.3 WAR. Plawecki is still arbitration-eligible, so the Red Sox can keep him for another year if they’d like.

Worthwhile additions 6. Claimed off waivers

Once a highly-touted infield prospect, Arroyo had bounced through three organizations by the time the Red Sox claimed him in August, and even the Sox immediately waived him to get him off the 40-man roster while they evaluated him at the minor league site. Arroyo did enough to earn a look and had a solid .736 OPS in September. He’s still just 25.

7. Claimed Phillips Valdéz off waivers

Bloom made a ton of additions intended to improve the Red Sox pitching depth, and none worked out better than Valdéz. The 28-year-old became one of the top pitchers in the Red Sox bullpen with a 3.26 ERA and almost a per .

8. Took Jonathan Araúz in the Rule 5 draft

In the previous decade and a half, the only Rule 5 pick the Red Sox had kept was Josh Rutledge (an unusual Rule 5 choice because he was an experienced big leaguer). Last winter, though, the Red Sox took 21-year-old Araúz, who’d barely played above Class-A ball. He held his own as a little-used utility infielder, suggesting he could at least provide some depth the next several years.

9. Claimed off waivers

Another one of the many pitching depth additions, Mazza basically did the job exactly right. He wasn’t great, but he bounced up and down from the minor league site, made some spot starts and pitched long relief as necessary. He held his own with a 4.80 ERA. The Red Sox won three of his six starts. For a team with a losing record, that was pretty good.

No harm done 10. Signed Yairo Muñoz to a minor league deal.

We weren’t planning to list minor league deals, but Muñoz was an unusual case because he bailed on the Cardinals in spring training and had enough versatility and proven ability to fit almost any team’s depth chart. The Red Sox were the ones who got him, and he did play well during his brief time in the majors. That said, can’t give too much credit here. Minor league signings come with nothing to lose. Among the others to play for the Red Sox this season: Jonathan Lucroy, Robinson Leyer, César Puello and Domingo Tapia

11. Claimed Deivy Grullon off waivers

He’s played one game for the Red Sox, but Grullon ranks relatively high because he meets a clear need and fits within Bloom’s approach. As a bat-first catcher, Grullon plays a position where the Red Sox are relatively thin, and if he can improve defensively, he might have some potential.

12. Claimed off waivers, then traded him

We still don’t know what the Red Sox got in return from the Chicago Cubs for Osich, but the 32-year-old was Bloom’s first Red Sox addition — he was claimed just days after Bloom got the job — and Osich wound up traded for a . His Red Sox numbers weren’t great, and the return probably isn’t much, but it’s better than nothing.

13. Signed Collin McHugh

The veteran right-hander never got healthy and wound up opting out of the season. Easy to see why the Red Sox felt he was worth having around just in case. He seems a good choice for unlucky No. 13.

14. Released

We’re using Johnson as a stand-in for the many pitchers and two infielders Red Sox discarded in Bloom’s first year. Trevor Kelley was claimed by the Phillies (and pitched poorly), and Hector Velazquez was claimed by the Orioles (and didn’t pitch in the majors). Johnson, Mike Shawaryn, Denyi Reyes, Bobby Poyner, Stephen Gonzalves, Sam Travis and Marco Hernandez all cleared waivers without being claimed. When Johnson asked for his release, no team signed him. All of this suggests Bloom and Co. were right about the dead weight on their roster, and cleared it effectively. Still can’t help wondering if Johnson or Velazquez might have been better than some of the guys the Red Sox actually used.

Less than ideal 15. Traded for Austin Brice

The former Marlins right-hander had been designated for assignment when the Red Sox got him for a 19- year-old named Angeudis Santos (don’t bother looking for his name on prospect rankings, it’s not there). The cost was minimal, but so was Brice’s impact. He was probably better than his 5.95 ERA suggests — he had a 4.92 FIP — but he never emerged as a strong late-inning option.

16. Traded for

To get Springs from , the Red Sox sent Sam Travis, who’d already cleared waivers. Travis never got in a game for the Rangers and was released in September. Springs, meanwhile, looked good at times and had a ton of strikeouts – more K-per-nine than – but he also got hit often and allowed a ton of runs.

17. Claimed Robert Stock, Andrew Triggs and Stephen Gonzalves off waivers

These were all in-season moves as the Red Sox kept searching for anyone who might help their beleaguered pitching staff. Stock threw hard, Triggs made a couple of starts, and Gonzalves never got out of Pawtucket.

Do-over, please 18. Signed Zac Godley, traded for Dylan Covey

Just before the season started, the Red Sox added these two discarded, veteran starting pitchers. Covey had an ERA over 7.00, and Godley had one over 8.00. The real problem, though, wasn’t Godley and Covey. It was that the Red Sox hadn’t fixed their pitching depth sooner and had to settle for whatever was available.

19. Traded for Matt Hall

It’s hard to come up with a positive analysis for a guy who made the initial rotation but finished the season with an 18.69 ERA. Hall had a good curveball, but just never had a good outing with the Red Sox. They gave up a 25-year-old catcher named Jhon Nunez to get him.

20. Traded away Travis Lakins

An additional downside to the Hall acquisition: to make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated Lakins for assignment and ultimately traded him to the Cubs for catcher Jhonny Pereda. The Cubs then waived Lakins, and the Orioles claimed him. His final numbers in Baltimore this season: 25 1/3 innings with a 2.81 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and almost a strikeout per inning. Lakins wasn’t great, but Baseball- Reference calculated his WAR as higher than any Red Sox reliever, and had it higher than all but . Given the state of the Red Sox pitching staff, Lakins might have been more useful than some of the guys the Red Sox added and/or kept.

21. Signed José Peraza

The thinking was sound. Given a hole at second base, the Red Sox decided not to bring back — who wound up released by the Brewers — and instead took a shot on a 26-year-old with upside. Peraza had been a high-end prospect, and two of his four big league seasons had been pretty good. Of all the second base options on the free-agent market, this was one with the potential for staying power. But it didn’t work. Handed the job out of the gate, Peraza hit just .225 and wound up demoted in favor of a waiver claim in early September.

22. Traded Mookie Betts and David Price

Even Bloom acknowledged this blockbuster would make the Red Sox weaker in the short run, and it certainly did. While Betts became an MVP candidate with a shiny, new contract extension in Los Angeles, the Red Sox suffered one of their worst seasons in history. The trade may very well seem a lot better in years to come — Alex Verdugo did look awfully good in his first Red Sox season — but for now, it remains a tough pill to swallow, and it only got worse every time Betts stole a base, got a big hit or made a great catch this postseason.