Should the Boston Red Sox Permanently Appoint Chad Tracy as Manager?

It has been 45 days since the Boston Red Sox made the surprising choice to dismiss manager Alex Cora along with six members of his coaching team. As interim manager Chad Tracy and his staff adjust to their new roles, the question remains: should they have their interim titles removed?

After the firings, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and President Sam Kennedy addressed the media but did not commit to Tracy's future. “We believe Chad is the right guy to handle this transition, and we’re gonna put all of our effort into supporting him to do that and see where that leads us,” Breslow stated. He added that while they are backing Tracy, they are also open to the possibility of hiring an external manager during the season.

ESPN’s Buster Olney weighed in on the situation, noting the negative atmosphere within the organization due to the interim status of the coaching staff. “It’s not hard to tap into unhappiness in that organization…can you imagine being a coach essentially on an NBA 10-day contract?” he remarked during an appearance on WEEI. Olney suggested that securing the staff for the rest of the season could cost the team as little as $1.2 million.

In response to Olney’s comments, Tracy defended the environment within the team. “I can only comment on the environment within our locker room, and it’s fine,” he asserted, though he acknowledged that he and his staff remain without guarantees for the remainder of the season.

Since taking over, Tracy has led the Red Sox to a 17-20 record. The team's pitching staff has excelled, achieving a 3.46 ERA, ranking seventh in Major League Baseball, even in the absence of star pitcher Garrett Crochet. Meanwhile, the offense has shown signs of improvement compared to the start of the season, although they still struggle to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Despite the progress under Tracy, the Red Sox find themselves in a familiar position, sitting last in the American League East with a 27-37 record. While they have not transformed into the playoff contenders Breslow envisioned, Tracy has managed a challenging roster effectively. Given Olney's assessment of the costs involved, it could be wise for the Red Sox to consider removing the interim tags from Tracy and his staff, leaving the door open for changes at the end of the season based on their performance.