Chad Tracy Was the Only Man For Red Sox's Manager Job

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When the Boston Red Sox relieved Alex Cora of his duties as manager, the team needed someone who could help right the ship and lead a team that was filled with youthful players. The team turned to Chad Tracy, the manager of Triple-A Worcester at the time, giving him the reins to oversee at least the remainder of the season.

Now, he’s the official manager of the Boston Red Sox as the team signed him to a contract through the 2029 season with a contract option for 2030. Tracy, a veteran manager in the minor leagues where he accumulated 499 wins, oversaw a historic turnaround that saw the team clinch a playoff spot on September 21. Handed a team that had a 10-17 record and that would lose stars Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet shortly after being named interim manager, Tracy's Red Sox dropped all the way to 32-46 on June 24.

Despite that, he never lost faith in his players and appeared to know which buttons to press. With a roster that get huge contributions from Triple-A arrivals, Tracy oversaw a ridiculous 32-5 over their next 37 games to vault them near the top of the American League.

Now, he’ll be around for the foreseeable future.

In all honesty it should have been a no-brainer. Tracy showcased throughout the summer he could handle the pressure of managing in Boston, especially as the team stumbled and faced hardships through most of the season. Despite slip-ups or mistakes made on the field by his players, Tracy was ready to defend them from the media. Never once did he throw a player under the bus or outright say a loss was due to someone’s performance. Even when there were disputes between players that were caught during games or in media sessions, the skipper knew how to keep the heat off his players and kept those issues in-house.

The Red Sox couldn’t have asked for a better manager following Alex Cora's run with the franchise. Both managers have their strengths, but between them, it seems like the current manager is the one best suited to handle a young core.

A young core that he’s already worked with and built relationships with during his time with Worcester, mind you. Of the current active roster, Tracy either managed or oversaw rehab appearances of 16 players (not to mention working with plenty of others in spring training). He’s shown an ability to get the most out of his players and in return the players have given him everything they’re capable of on the field.

For that, Red Sox fans should be happy he’ll be the helmsman of the ship. A guiding hand for the youth on the team while relying on his veterans to support the team in ways only they can.

With playoffs just a week away, it’ll be Tracy's second major test of the season, one that fans may hold as more importance than his ability to turn what once looked like a lost season around. Anyone who’s followed baseball knows that things are different once October rolls around; every decision will be placed under a microscope and sometimes what helped you win in the regular season could make or break championship ambitions.

Heading to New York for a Wild Card series will make things just as rough. Boston lost to the Yankees in three games last season and everyone from the organization to the fan base will be looking for revenge this year. It’ll be Tracy's decisions that could very likely make or break it.

Despite that, fans shouldn’t be too worried about the extension coming without any proven success in the playoffs. After all, previous managers Terry Francona and John Farrell didn’t have success in the playoffs before leading Boston. And Cora’s first managerial experience came in 2018 with the Red Sox, and we all know how that turned out.

Tracy got them here without Roman Anthony or Garrett Crochet for the majority of the season, after all. He’ll face some hardships as manager—every great one does—but he’s shown an ability to remain calm under pressure and push the right buttons to give his team an edge. And for that, Red Sox fans should be excited for the Chad Tracy era to continue.