Red Sox Made Obvious Choice With Chad Tracy, And It Wasn’t Close

BOSTON, Mass. - The Boston Red Sox did not need a prolonged managerial search. They did not need to chase a famous name, manufacture suspense or convince themselves that a more experienced outsider could improve what was already working.

Chad Tracy earned the job. More importantly, he proved he was the best man for it.

The Red Sox officially removed Tracy's interim label Tuesday, naming him the 49th manager in franchise history. His three-year contract runs through the 2029 season and includes a club option for 2030. Boston also exercised its 2029 and 2030 options on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

The club announced both decisions Tuesday.

It was the right decision, and there was no legitimate reason for the Red Sox to make another one.

Tracy Earned This Opportunity

Tracy inherited a team that was 10-17, sitting at the bottom of the American League East and rapidly losing control of its season. Boston enters the final week with an 84-72 record and a postseason berth secured. That makes the Red Sox 74-55 since Tracy replaced Alex Cora in April.

That is not surviving an interim assignment. That is transforming a season.

The Red Sox fell 14 games below .500 before producing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in franchise history. They ripped off a 15-game winning streak, tying the franchise record established by the 1946 team. At one point, Boston won 32 of 37 games.

Tracy kept the Red Sox together when their season could have disintegrated. There were injuries. There were prolonged offensive struggles. There were questions about whether Breslow should sell at the trade deadline. Tracy never appeared overwhelmed by the circumstances or desperate to prove that he was the smartest person in the room.

He remained steady, and his team eventually followed. A manager cannot hit a home run, execute a sacrifice bunt or record the final out of a close game. He can establish expectations, define roles and prevent adversity from consuming a clubhouse.

Tracy did all three.

Red Sox Didn't Need An Outside Savior

There will always be an argument for conducting an extensive search. Teams want to interview several candidates, hear different philosophies and demonstrate that every possible option was considered. That process would have been unnecessary in this case.

What exactly would the Red Sox have been searching for? They already had a manager who knew the organization, understood its young players, commanded the clubhouse and guided a 10-17 team into the postseason. Any outside candidate would have entered Boston promising to build the credibility Tracy had already earned.

Hiring Tracy also should not be dismissed as the comfortable or convenient choice. He spent five seasons managing Triple-A Worcester, compiling a 324-296 record before receiving his major league opportunity. That experience gave him relationships with many of the players Boston expects to build around.

Tracy knows the organization from the bottom up. He understands the personalities in the clubhouse. He has managed under the pressure that accompanies a disappointing start, an in-season firing and a demanding baseball market. Most managerial candidates would have to convince Breslow that they could handle those challenges.

Tracy already did it.

Breslow Finally Got This One Right

Exercising Breslow's contract options will invite more debate. The chief baseball officer built much of this roster, but he also presided over the disastrous beginning that led to Cora's dismissal. Boston's turnaround does not erase every questionable decision made along the way.

Keeping Tracy, however, was not complicated.

Breslow could have allowed ego to interfere. He could have chased his own managerial hire during the offseason or attempted to put a different face on the organization. Instead, he recognized the obvious.

Tracy took control of a broken season and helped turn it into a playoff season. He restored order without demanding attention. He earned the trust of the clubhouse before receiving long-term security from the organization.

Now the Red Sox have stability entering October and beyond. There will be difficult decisions ahead. Tracy will be criticized for lineups, pitching changes and postseason strategy because that comes with managing in Boston.

But he belongs in that position.

The Red Sox did not hand Chad Tracy a job Tuesday. They officially gave him the job he had already won.

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