By Brendan Campbell
Special to Boston Sports Journal
Even without a new head of baseball operations in place, the Red Sox have still been conducting their usual offseason business in recent weeks. Most notably, it was revealed this past Monday that as part of a shakeup of sorts, the club had parted ways with pitching coach Dave Bush and third base/infield coach Carlos Febles.
Bush, 44 next month, first joined the Red Sox organization as a pitching development analyst in 2016. He spent three seasons in that role and another as the club’s performance pitching coordinator before being named major-league pitching coach, and therefore replacing the recently-fired Dana LeVangie, in October 2019. Bush first served under interim manager Ron Roenicke in 2020 and had been working under present-day manager Alex Cora for the last three seasons.
Under Bush’s guidance, Boston pitchers struggled this past season. In the process of going 78-84 and finishing in the basement of the American League East for the second year in a row, the Red Sox as a staff ranked 21st in team ERA (4.52), 20th in FIP (4.32), 24th in opponents’ batting average (.253), 20th in WHIP (1.34), and 20th in fWAR (13.8), per FanGraphs. Boston starters also threw just 774 ⅓ innings, which was good for the fourth-lowest mark in baseball.
In an interview with MassLive shortly after the news of his firing broke, Bush explained that he was informed of the Red Sox’ decision to move on in the days following the conclusion of the regular season.
“Disappointed is probably the best way to put it,” Bush said. “I wish we had played better, wish we had pitched better. That’s the end story. We just weren’t good enough. The expectations are always high here. That’s what makes Boston so special. That’s what made the run in ‘21 so enjoyable. When you don’t produce and perform, this is what happens. I knew that when I signed up for it and it’s still worth it. I still loved every minute of it. But this is where we are now and it’s the way it goes.
“The opportunity was great,” he added. “ In the end, the performance is what matters most and we weren’t good enough. And I think it’s as simple as that.”
The 47-year-old Febles initially joined the Red Sox organization in a coaching capacity in 2007. After either coaching or managing at four different minor-league levels from 2007-2017, Febles was named to Cora’s staff as third base coach and infield instructor for the 2018 campaign. He served in that role for the last six seasons and built strong relationships with those around him, but it is worth mentioning that the Red Sox – as a whole – endured their fair share of defensive struggles in 2022 and 2023. As such, the club elected to move on from another well-liked figure in Febles.
With the departures of Bush and Febles, the Red Sox have two key vacancies to fill on their coaching staff. On the minor-league side of things, Boston has also parted ways with Triple-A Worcester’s longtime pitching coach Paul Abbott and assistant hitting coach Mike Montville, as was first reported by The Boston Globe.
Latest on GM search
Saturday marked the one-month anniversary of the Red Sox firing chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. The search for Bloom’s replacement remains ongoing, but more details about that process have been coming to light as of late.
For starters, the Sox have interviewed at least one candidate in assistant general manager Eddie Romero, according to multiple reports. Romero, who has been with the organization in some capacity since February 2006, is believed to be the top internal candidate to take over for Bloom, per MassLive.
MassLive.com also reported the Red Sox “have been met with a number of rejections by some targeted candidates'' on account of “the level of turnover that’s taken place in the baseball operations department over the last dozen years or so.” Boston is, of course, looking for its fourth head of baseball operations since former general manager Theo Epstein left the club for the Cubs in October 2011.
Michael Hill (former Marlins president of baseball operations) and Josh Byrnes (current Dodgers executives) are believed to be top external candidates for the job, but WEEI.com reported on Friday that one potential contender from outside has already taken their name out of the running. Former Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels was said to be “initially excited about all that went with the job." But he declined to further pursue the opportunity “due to the desire to keep his family – which includes his wife and three children – rooted in Texas.”
Daniels, 46, led Texas’ front office (first as general manager, then as president of baseball operations) from Oct. 2005 until last August, when he was fired. He spent the 2023 season as a senior advisor within the Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball operations department under leading man Erik Neander.
With less than a month to go until the general managers meetings commence in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Red Sox – as meticulous as they may be – would be better off identifying Bloom’s successor sooner rather than later.
Ort claimed by Mariners
In roster-related news, the Red Sox lost reliever Kaleb Ort on waivers to the Mariners on Friday. The right-hander had been placed on outright waivers as a means for Boston to remove him from its 40-man roster.
Ort, who turns 32 in February, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the minor-league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. Having spent the previous three-plus years in the Yankees organization, the Michigan native emerged as an intriguing back-end of the bullpen option with Worcester in 2021 and later made his major-league debut (in Seattle, of all places) that September as a COVID-related substitute.
For the better part of the last two seasons, Ort was shuttled between Boston and Worcester. The hard-throwing righty made 25 relief appearances at the big-league level in 2022, posting a 6.35 ERA (4.84 FIP with 27 strikeouts to 15 walks over 28 ⅓ innings. This year, he made the Sox’ Opening Day roster and logged a 6.26 ERA (5.86 FIP) with 24 strikeouts to nine walks across 21 outings (two starts) spanning 23 innings of work.
While a career 6.27 ERA in the majors is far from encouraging, Ort has fared far better at Triple-A, forging a 3.09 ERA over 131 career innings. He spent the final three months of the 2023 campaign on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Despite making three rehab appearances for the WooSox in late September, he was unable to make it back to Boston before season’s end.
Chang elects free agency
Yu Chang elected to become a free agent on Friday, according to the MiLB.com transactions log. The 28-year-old infielder had spent parts of the last two seasons with the Red Sox after originally being claimed off waivers from the Rays last September.
Chang appeared in 11 games for Boston down the stretch in 2022 but was non-tendered in November. He then re-upped with the club by signing a one-year, $850,000 deal in February. After dominating for Team Chinese Taipei in the early stages of the World Baseball Classic, the Taiwan native returned stateside and made the Sox’ Opening Day roster out of spring training.
In late April, however, Chang fractured the hamate bone in his left wrist on an awkward swing in Baltimore and underwent hand surgery as a result. He was sidelined until early July and – after struggling to get anything going offensively – was designated for assignment a month later when fellow infielder Trevor Story was ready to return from the injured list.
Chang cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Worcester on August 11. The right-handed hitter appeared in 12 games with the WooSox before suffering a season-ending concussion as a result of a collision at first base at Polar Park in early September.
All told, Chang batted just .162/.200/.352 with two doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs, 12 runs scored, four stolen bases, three walks, and 34 strikeouts in 39 games (112 plate appearances) with Boston this season while seeing playing time at first base, second base, third base, and shortstop. He joins right-hander Kyle Barraclough, catcher Caleb Hamilton, and second baseman Christian Arroyo as members of the 2023 Red Sox who were outrighted off the 40-man roster during the regular season and have since opted for free agency.
Bonaci placed on restricted list
Red Sox infield prospect Brainer Bonaci was placed on MLB’s restricted list earlier this month for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, as was first reported by The Globe.
Bonaci, the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system according to MLB Pipeline, was sent home from the Arizona Fall League after appearing in just two games for the Glendale Desert Dogs. As noted by Speier, it is not yet known how Bonaci violated the joint policy; nor is it known how much time the 21-year-old Venezuelan will spend on the restricted list before a potential resolution is reached.