BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston Red Sox promoted bench coach Ron Roenicke to the role of interim manager Tuesday.
The team is currently under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegations of sign-stealing during the 2018 season, but Red Sox management do not believe that Roenicke will be implicated when MLB releases its findings.
(Getty Images)
"We felt that naming Ron our interim manager was the best way to respect the investigation that’s ongoing into our 2018 club," said Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom at Tuesday's press conference. "We have no reason to think that there’s anything that would cause an adverse result for Ron in this investigation, but of course the investigation is not complete."
If the MLB probe clears Roenicke, he is expected to drop the interim tag and become the permanent manager of the team.
The elevation comes in the wake of former manager Alex Cora's departure over his involvement in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, as well as Monday's monumental trade which sent Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I think going through that process made us feel very strongly that Ron is the right guy to lead our group forward right now," said Bloom.
The 63-year-old Roenicke played in MLB from 1981 to 1988, then transitioned into being a coach for nearly three decades. He was the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011 to 2015, and joined the Red Sox in 2018.
"We’re very excited to have Ron lead our group going forward," said general manager Brian O'Halloran. "He’s been a significant contributor to the Red Sox for the last couple of years. I know that he’s going to be a terrific partner for Chaim and me as we go forward and he’s the right guy to lead this group of players and staff in 2020 and going forward."
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