BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Ron Roenicke will not return as the Red Sox manager for the 2021 season. In a statement released Sunday, Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said the search for a new manager will begin "immediately."
64-year-old Roenicke, who just finished his third season in the Red Sox organization, was named interim manager on February 11, 2020 and had the interim title removed in late April. In his only year managing the club, Boston played to a 23-36 (.390) record in the American League East division.
Bloom said Sunday the team is grateful for all Roenicke's contributions while in the Red Sox uniform.
"Throughout this difficult season, Ron’s consistency and professionalism kept the environment in our clubhouse productive and gave all of our players room to grow and develop,” said Bloom. “While we believe that, moving forward, we will benefit from new leadership and new energy, that does not diminish how strongly we feel about Ron. He is a man of the highest character who cares about our players and the Red Sox organization. As bench coach, he helped this team win a world championship. As manager, he showed poise and leadership in navigating an extremely challenging year.”
From 2018-19, Roenicke served as Red Sox’ bench coach, helping guide the club to a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins and a World Series championship in 2018, followed by another winning season in 2019 (84-78).
The Red Sox position marked Roenicke’s second stint as a major league manager after having led the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011-14 and part of the 2015 season. Overall, in his six seasons managing between Milwaukee and Boston, his teams have gone 365-367 (.499).
In a coaching and managing career that includes 30 years of experience between the minor league and major league levels, Roenicke has also worked with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a coach (1992-93) and third base coach (2015), as well as the Los Angeles Angels as a third base coach (2000-05, ’16-17) and bench coach (2006-10). The Southern California native won a World Series title with the Angels in 2002.
Signed by the Dodgers as the 17th overall pick in the 1977 June Draft, Roenicke appeared in 527 career games over eight major league seasons as an outfielder with the Dodgers (1981-83), Seattle Mariners (1983), San Diego Padres (1984), San Francisco Giants (1985), Philadelphia Phillies (1986-87), and Cincinnati Reds (1988). He helped the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series and reached the Fall Classic with the Padres in 1984.
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