MLB Rumors: Red Sox Interviewed Two Internal Candidates For Manager Job

The Red Sox reportedly are considering at least two internal candidates in their search for a new skipper.

Boston, which mutually parted ways with Alex Cora three weeks ago, has interviewed third base coach Carlos Febles and bench coach Ron Roenicke for its vacant managerial position, according to multiple reports.

MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo was the first to report Tuesday that Febles and Roenicke formally interviewed for the manager’s job.

The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams since has confirmed Cotillo’s report.

Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta and Oakland Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay (who played for the Red Sox in 2008-09) reportedly have interviewed, as well, although the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported Tuesday that Kotsay no longer is in the running for the gig.

McWilliams confirmed Sussler’s report that Kotsay no longer is a candidate.

The Red Sox mutually parted ways with Cora on Jan. 14 after his name was mentioned several times in Major League Baseball’s ruling on the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Cora, who was Houston’s bench coach in 2017, has yet to be punished by MLB, which stated in its ruling the appropriate discipline would be handed down once the league concludes its investigation into separate sign-stealing allegations against the Red Sox.

Roenicke, 63, has spent the past two seasons as Boston’s bench coach under Cora. He managed the Brewers for parts of five seasons (2011-15), guiding Milwaukee to a 342-331 overall record and a National League Central title in 2011.

Febles, 43, has been a coach in the Red Sox organization since 2007. He managed Short-Season Lowell in 2011, Low-A Greenville in 2012 and 2013, High-A Salem in 2014 and 2015 and Double-A Portland in 2016 and 2017 before joining Cora’s staff as Boston’s third base coach in 2018.

The Red Sox are the only team in MLB without a manager right now. The Astros fired AJ Hinch and the Mets mutually parted ways with Carlos Beltran in wake of MLB’s aforementioned ruling, but Houston and New York since have hired Dusty Baker and Luis Rojas, respectively.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Red Sox spring training next Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout set for Feb. 17.