FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — It took Ron Roenicke almost five years to get another chance as a major league manager.
He’ll need to wait at least until next week for “permanency.”
The Red Sox made Roenicke their interim manager Tuesday, promoting the former Brewers skipper to replace Alex Cora on the day Boston’s pitchers and catchers reported for the start of spring training.
Although there is no expiration date on Roenicke’s tenure, the interim tag will stay until Major League Baseball completes its investigation into whether the Red Sox engaged in illegal sign-stealing during their 2018 World Series championship season.
If the probe clears Roenicke, who has denied being part of any rules violations, he is expected to remain in the position.
“We felt that naming Ron our interim manager was the best way to respect the investigation that’s ongoing into our 2018 club. But we feel very strongly about Ron’s ability to lead this group and how well-suited he is for this task,” Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said in a news conference on the eve of the team’s first formal workout.