Jason Varitek has an ‘an open invitation’ to remain with Boston Red Sox

While sources have indicated that Jason Varitek is not returning to the Boston Red Sox, the team’s chief of baseball operations reiterated Tuesday night that the former captain has a place with the team if he wants it.

“Tek has meant and means so much to this organization,” Craig Breslow said during NESN’s pregame show. “There will be an open invitation for him to remain in this organization for as long as he wants.

“I think those conversations will take place kind of in a private setting with Sam (Kennedy), and Tek and I. And obviously confident and hopeful that we can work through that, but also want to respect the time right now.”

The comments were similar to what Breslow said last week while speaking on The Greg Hill Show.

When the Red Sox fired Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff, the team also announced that they reassigned Varitek from his role as the game planning and run prevention coach. The team also said in the statement, though, that details of the reassignment would be announced at a later date.

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In the hours following his reassignment, Varitek posed for a photo with the other fired coaches giving a thumbs-down. His wife, Catherine, also posted a farewell to X thanking Red Sox nation for the support Jason Varitek received over three decades.

A source told MassLive that Varitek “was not actually reassigned,” but Varitek has not spoken publicly since the series of shocking firings.

Varitek’s absence was felt over the weekend as the Red Sox celebrated the 125th anniversary of the team’s first home game. The former catcher’s battery mate, Pedro Martinez, said he missed seeing Varitek on the field.

“To be honest, I’m not gonna go into details without knowing why because I haven’t really been inside the offices,” Martinez said. “I’m pretty sure they’re gonna let me know. There’s gotta be a reason because Tek means so much to this city just like every one of us. Like David, all of us that won it in ‘04 and all the legends that were out there.

“To me, Tek is a legend here,” Martinez added. “And I’m not gonna go into details because I don’t know. If I knew, I’ll tell you straight up, too. I’ll tell you why, but I don’t know.”

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