Farrell to return as Red Sox manager in 2017
BOSTON - Dave Dombrowski was on his way to a news conference to discuss the end of the Boston Red Sox season when he passed manager John Farrell, who had just finished meeting the media.
Seemed like as good a time as any to tell Farrell he still has a job.
"John Farrell will be our manager for 2017," Dombrowski said Tuesday, a day after the Red Sox were swept out of the AL Division Series by the Cleveland Indians. "He is all set, and his whole staff will be invited back."
Farrell guided the Red Sox to the World Series title in 2013, his first season as Boston manager, but followed with a pair of last-place finishes. In 2015, the Red Sox were stumbling along in fifth place when Farrell was diagnosed with cancer and replaced on the bench temporarily by Torey Lovullo; Dombrowski was hired a week later as president of baseball operations.
This season, the Red Sox went from worst to first, taking the AL East title thanks to an 11-game winning streak in September. But they lost five of their last six games in the regular season, costing them a chance at home-field advantage in the playoffs, and then three in a row to Cleveland.
Speaking 30 minutes before Dombrowski, Farrell said they hadn't yet discussed his future or his coaching staff. On his way back down to the clubhouse, that changed.
"There are some decisions you need to address as quickly as you can because you know how important they are," Dombrowski said, explaining that he anticipated the question. "He's our leader going forward. He's very well-respected and it gives him the clear mind he needs going forward."
The Red Sox have an option on Farrell's contract for 2018. Dombrowski said he will discuss that with owners before making a decision.