Red Sox’ Jason Varitek should be a strong managerial candidate this offseason; one coach is not returning to Alex Cora’s staff in '26

For the last handful of years, Jason Varitek has quietly gone about his work in the Red Sox dugout — a trusted voice, a steady presence, and a bridge between Boston’s past glory and its next chapter.

Varitek has been the club's game planning and run prevention coach while also serving as the game-planning coordinator in the past. He just completed a three-year deal, which he signed back at the end of the 2022 regular season, and unless he's hired as a manager for another club, he is expected back in his current role with the Red Sox.

Since his retirement, Varitek has been a constant presence in the Sox’ organization, serving in a hybrid role between the front office and coaching staff as a special assistant from 2012 to 2020 before joining the coaching staff full-time, back in 2021.

Varitek has expressed his desire in the past to move up the coaching ranks and someday lead a team from the dugout. When the Sox were looking for new managers beginning in 2017, he was never a serious candidate for the job in Boston. His current boss, Alex Cora, has said he believes that “the Captain" has a bright future in the game.

“He will manage in the big leagues,” Cora said in an interview back in 2021. “He will. But it’s a process, and we talk about it. I think, with time, somebody’s going to give him a chance, and he’s going to kill it. He’s going to be great.”

There are currently eight managerial vacancies across the game, and at this point, it’s unclear if any of the Red Sox’ current coaches will be candidates for those jobs.

Varitek has interviewed for managerial vacancies before, including in 2015 with the Seattle Mariners and the San Francisco Giants back in October 2023.

The former Sox catcher was grateful for the opportunity to speak with the Giants, who ultimately hired Bob Melvin for the position.

“I understand that the future of where this goes is to be able to have the right fits and right opportunities to lead and manage a team,” Varitek said following his interview with the Giants back in 2023. “Currently, it’s not necessarily about that; it’s about doing the best job that I can with our pitchers and catchers and help them be the best that they can be. If the opportunity fits right, then you have to look and really think hard about it.”

Ironically, the Giants fired Melvin at the end of September and will be looking for a new skipper this offseason.

Buster Posey, who leads the Giants front office, was recently asked if hiring a manager with a pre-existing relationship was important, and he didn’t lean one way or the other, but it’s clear he’s looking for some familiarity.

“I think it can matter,” Posey said on the Section 415 podcast. “I don’t think it’s an absolute for me. One of the benefits of having a team in the front office is that maybe if I hadn’t come across somebody personally, somebody else in the front office had. Or maybe it’s a coach.

"There’s a lot of relationships I’ve made, but there’s also a lot of people in our inner circle who have also made relationships. So I think it’s important to keep an open mind. Would it be nice if there’s some sort of prior connection? Yeah, I think it would be nice, but I don’t think it’s an absolute.”

It's not a guarantee that Varitek will receive another interview with the Giants, but his time as a winning catcher in one of the toughest markets in baseball should bring tremendous value that Posey should consider in his search. 

Another candidate around the league that could emerge as a serious contender for the Giants’ vacancy is Fall River, Mass. native Craig Albernaz. He was a former Giants bullpen and catching coach before moving over to the Cleveland Guardians and joining Stephen Vogt’s staff as his bench coach, and then later served as an associate manager. Former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and former Cubs skipper David Ross are both expected to be in the mix, according to multiple reports out of the Bay Area. 

A potential favorite to land the job is former big league catcher, Nick Huntley, who is serving as a special assistant in the Rangers front office. 

Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey spent four years as the Giants' pitching coach before moving to Boston, following Craig Breslow's hiring as chief baseball officer. He’s been instrumental with helping to overhaul the Red Sox pitching program and could be seen as someone who could lead a team in the future. Bailey's only link to the Giants is that he used to work for them.

Around the league, other teams such as the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres are looking for a new dugout leader. Varitek's pedigree as a former captain of two Red Sox championship teams gives him instant credibility, and his adaptability and commitment to modern strategies make him especially intriguing for any vacancy in baseball.

CORA’S STAFF FOR ’26

Boston is expected to retain most of their coaches heading into next season with the exception of assistant hitting coach Ben Rosenthal. He will not return to the Sox after spending the last four seasons with the organization.

According to WEEI's Rob Bradford, all other coaches will return, barring their being hired for one of the league's open managerial vacancies. That will include hitting coach Pete Fatse, Bailey, third base coach Kyle Hudson, first base coach Jose Flores, bullpen coach Chris Holt, assistant hitting coach Dillion Lawson, catching instructor Parker Quinn, and bench coach Ramon Vazquez.

If the Red Sox want to add another assistant hitting coach to the mix, one name to watch is Alex Cintrón, who was let go by the Astros this week.

Cintrón had been with Houston’s organization since 2018 and shared hitting coach duties for the past seven years with Troy Snitker, who was also let go.

Cora and Cintrón are close friends and worked together in Houston at one point. The Sox’ skipper believes that Cintrón will be a manager one day in the game. There has been no specific connection between the Sox and Cintrón apart from his relationship with Cora.

MLB NOTES

- Sandy Alomar Sr., the father of former big league stars Sandy Alomar Jr. and Roberto Alomar, has died at 81, MLB announced on its social media channels on Monday. Alomar played 15 years in the big leagues, from 1964 to 1978.

“The baseball world suffered a great loss today with the passing of Sandy Alomar Sr., whose impact spanned more than five decades as a player, manager, coach, and beloved ambassador for the game in his native Puerto Rico,” Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark said in a statement. “We remember Sandy for his achievements on the field, his lifelong commitment to the game, and a proud family legacy that was represented with distinction by his sons Sandy Jr. and Roberto.

“The MLBPA and the community of Players extend our sympathies to the Alomar family, Sandy’s legion of friends throughout baseball, and to all his fans and admirers in Puerto Rico who are grieving his loss.”

- Former Angels and Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks is expected to retire.

- Phillies manager Rob Thompson is considered “safe” and will return to his role next season, according to Jon Heyman.

- Albert Pujols has been on the Angels' shortlist to become their next manager. He’s not considered a front-runner and he isn’t the only former Angel to be a candidate. Former outfielder Torii Hunter is also on the Angels’ wishlist.