Tag: Baseball

Red Sox decline James Paxton’s two-year club option; left-hander could still pick up $4 million player option for 2023

The Red Sox are declining the two-year, $26 million club option they hold over James Paxton, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier) at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas on Monday. The veteran left-hander now has the ability to trigger a $4 million player option for the 2023 season.

Paxton, who turned 34 on Sunday, originally signed a uniquely-structured one-year, $6 million contract with the Red Sox last November. The deal included a dual option for 2022 since the southpaw was still rehabbing from the Tommy John Surgery he underwent that April.

There was optimism that Paxton would be able to return to action before the All-Star break this season. But his recovery was slowed in early May due to posterior elbow soreness. Approximately three months later, he began a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League.

Just two batters into his August 18 start against the FCL Rays at JetBlue Park, however, Paxton was forced to exit the contest with left lat (latissimus dorsi muscle on the back) tightness. That was later diagnosed as a Grade 2 lat tear, which ended Paxton’s season before it really even started.

Given that Paxton has been limited to just 1 1/3 innings pitched with the Mariners since last April, the Red Sox elected to not lock in the Boras Corp. client for $13 million in each of the next two season.

Paxton now has until Tuesday to decide if he will exercise his $4 million player option for the 2023 campaign. If he declines, the British Columbia native will forgo that sum and become a free agent for the second time in as many winters.

(Picture of James Paxton: Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images)

Red Sox have 0.8 percent chance to land No. 1 pick in 2023 MLB Draft

The Red Sox did not finish with the worst record in baseball this season, yet they will have a chance to pick first in next year’s amateur draft.

On Monday, Major League Baseball announced that the first-ever draft lottery will take place during next month’s Winter Meetings in San Diego. Thanks to the newly-implemented collective bargaining agreement, the first six picks of the 2023 draft will now be determined via lottery as opposed to the reverse order of the previous year’s standings.

Coming off a 78-84 2022 campaign that saw them fall short of the postseason, the Red Sox would be in line to receive the 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft under the old collective bargaining agreement. They now have the 14th-best odds to obtain the No. 1 pick next July.

Boston will be in the mix with the 17 other non-playoff teams for the top overall selection. The teams with the three worst records in 2022 — the 55-107 Nationals, the 60-102 Athletics, and 62-100 Pirates — have the best chance (16.5) to win the top pick in the lottery.

From there, the Reds (13.2 percent) have the fourth-best, the Royals (10.0 percent) have the fifth-best, the Tigers (7.5 percent) have the sixth-best, the Rangers (5.5 percent) have the seventh-best, the Rockies (3.9 percent) have the eighth-best, the Marlins (2.7 percent) have the ninth-best, the Angels (1.8 percent) have the 10th-best, the Diamondbacks (1.4 percent) have the 11th-best, the Cubs (1.1 percent) have the 12th-best, the Twins (0.9 percent) have the 13th-best, the Red Sox (0.8 percent), have the 14th-best, the White Sox (0.6 percent) have the 15th-best, the Giants (0.5 percent) have the 16th-best, the Orioles (0.4 percent) have the 17th-best, and the Brewers (0.2 percent) possess the 18th-best odds.

In addition to having a 0.8 percent chance to land the top pick, the Red Sox have a 0.9 percent chance to pick second, a 1.0 percent chance to pick third, a 1.2 percent chance to pick fourth, a 1.4 percent chance to pick fifth, and a 1.7 percent chance to pick sixth, according to Tankathon.com.

If Boston’s No. 1 selection falls out of the top six in the lottery, it would pick 14th overall. Tankathon.com relays that the Sox have a 78.9 percent chance to pick 14th, a 13.6 percent chance to pick 15th, and a 0.6 percent chance to pick 16th.

While it is extremely unlikely the Red Sox come away with the top overall pick (something that has never happened in franchise history) on December 6, they have been able to use the first round of past drafts to strengthen their improving farm system.

Under chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and vice president of player development and amateur scouting Toboni, Boston has taken infielders Mikey Romero, Marcelo Mayer, and Nick Yorke with its first pick in each of the last three drafts. All three Californians currently sit within the top 12 of Baseball America’s Red Sox prospects rankings.

(Picture of Mikey Romero: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox decline Tommy Pham’s option, making outfielder a free agent

The Red Sox have declined their end of Tommy Pham’s $12 million mutual option for the 2023 season, according to The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams. The veteran outfielder will receive a $1.5 million buyout as he heads for free agency.

Pham, 34, was acquired from the Reds in exchange for minor-league infielder Nick Northcut on August 1. The right-handed hitter initially got off to a promising start with the Red Sox but ended his season in an 0-for-18 slump at the plate.

All told, Pham batted just .234/.298/.374 with 12 doubles, six home runs, 24 RBIs, 32 runs scored, one stolen base, 14 walks, and 67 strikeouts over 53 games (235 plate appearances) with the Sox. He was used exclusively as a left fielder and finished tied for the team lead in outfield assists with eight.

A former 16th-round draft pick of the Cardinals out of Durango High School in 2006, Pham first broke in with St. Louis towards the end of the 2014 season. The Las Vegas-area native then put himself on the map when he finished 11th in National League MVP voting in 2017.

The following July, the Cardinals traded Pham to the Rays. After 1 1/2 years in Tampa Bay, where he got to know current Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, Pham was dealt to the Padres in December 2019. He spent two seasons with San Diego before hitting free agency for the first time last November.

It took until March because of the lockout, but Pham ultimately signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Reds that came with the aforementioned mutual option for 2023. Prior to being traded over the summer, Pham made headlines in late May when he slapped Giants outfielder Joc Pederson across the face during batting practice at Great American Ballpark because of a dispute centered around fantasy football.

Between Cincinnati and Boston, Pham slashed .236/.312/.374 with 23 doubles, one triple, 17 homers, 63 runs driven in, 89 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 56 walks, and 67 strikeouts across 144 total games (622 plate appearances). His 15 outfield assists were the most in all of baseball.

Pham, who turns 35 next March, has expressed interest in returning to the Red Sox as he enjoyed playing in Boston. For their part, the Red Sox could also be interested in a reunion since they are expected to bolster their outfield depth this winter.

With the Pham decision made, the Red Sox still have two more option calls due this week. While Chris Sale has opted in and Xander Bogaerts has opted out, Boston is still waiting on Eric Hosmer, who is expected to opt in. James Paxton, meanwhile has the ability to exercise a $4 million player option for 2023 if his two-year, $26 million club optioned is declined. Those decisions are due by Thursday.

(Picture of Tommy Pham: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Xander Bogaerts officially becomes free agent after opting out of Red Sox contract

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has officially opted out of his contract and is now a free agent, the Major League Baseball Players Association announced earlier Monday morning.

Bogaerts had until Tuesday to decide if he would opt out of the remaining three years and $60 million of the six-year, $120 million extension he originally signed in April 2019. The Boras Corp. client was expected to opt out and the Red Sox will now extend him a $19.65 million qualifying offer within the next three days.

In the same way that he declined to opt in to his deal, Bogaerts is also expected to turn down Boston’s qualifying offer by the November 20 deadline. Since they exceeded the $230 million luxury tax threshold this season, the Red Sox would receive a compensatory 2023 draft pick that falls after the fourth round if Bogaerts were to sign elsewhere this winter.

With that being said, the Red Sox can negotiate exclusively with Bogaerts until Thursday. The right-handed hitting infielder is coming off an impressive 2022 campaign in which he batted .307/.377/.456 with 38 doubles, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, 84 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 57 walks, and 118 strikeouts over 150 games (557 plate appearances). He finished third in the American League batting race and was named a Gold Glove Award finalist for just the second time in his 10-year career.

On the heels of such a productive season, Bogaerts has put himself in position for a promising payday that would far exceed the $60 million left on his original deal. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman projects that the 30-year-old All-Star net an eight-year, $225 million deal in free agency this offseason. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo adds that Bogaerts could seek a shorter-term deal with a higher average annual value.

Either way, Bogaerts has joined a talented free agent class at shortstop that includes the likes of Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson, and Trea Turner. He also joined Nathan Eovaldi, Rich Hill, Michael Wacha, Matt Strahm, and J.D. Martinez as members of the 2022 Red Sox to elect free agency.

Since their season ended last month, the Red Sox have made it clear that they would like to have Bogaerts back in 2023 and beyond. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom described re-signing Bogaerts as a top priority during the club’s end-of-season press conference at Fenway Park. They are now on the clock to prove as much.

(Picture of Xander Bogaerts: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects at the Fall Stars Game: How did Stephen Scott, Nick Yorke fare in Arizona Fall League showcase?

Red Sox prospects Stephen Scott and Nick Yorke participated in the 16th annual Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Mesa’s Sloan Park on Sunday afternoon.

Scott got the start behind the plate for the American League squad and batted out of the nine-hole. The left-handed hitter went 1-for-2 with a walk and run scored. He grounded out in the second inning, walked and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Heston Kjerstad in the fifth, and singled with two outs in the top of the sixth.

In the latter half of the frame, Scott was replaced at catcher by Brewers prospect David Fry. Yorke also came off the bench in the sixth inning as he pinch-hit for Twins infielder Edouard Julien. The right-handed hitter struck out in his first plate appearance and then took over for Julien at second base. He later grounded out to lead off the ninth as he finished the day having gone 0-for-2.

The National League ultimately defeated the American League by a convincing score of 9-3. Cubs prospect Matt Mervis earned Fall Star Game Most Valuable Player honors after accounting for the contest’s lone home run.

Scott, who also took part in the first-ever Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby on Saturday, was deservedly named a Fall Star earlier this weekend. The 25-year-old backstop has batted .315/.393/.648 with one double, one triple, five home runs, 16 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, seven walks, and 10 strikeouts in his first 14 games (61 plate appearances) with the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Among qualified AFL hitters, Scott currently ranks tied for second in homers, fourth in RBIs, tied for fifth in runs scored, sixth in slugging percentage, third in isolated power (.333), and fifth in OPS (1.041), per MLB.com. The North Carolina native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Vanderbilt University. He can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft later this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by November 15.

Yorke, meanwhile, has been one of the more productive hitters in the fall league despite missing some time recently with left wrist soreness. Across 19 games (92 plate appearances) with Scottsdale, the 20-year-old second baseman has slashed .342/.424/.526 with eight doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 18 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 16 strikeouts.

According to MLB.com’s AFL leaderboards, Yorke is second in doubles and runs driven in, fifth in runs scored, 15th in on-base percentage, 12th in slugging percentage, and 11th in OPS (.950). The former first-round pick out of Archbishop Mitty High School is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Following Sunday’s Fall Stars Game, the AFL regular season will resume on Tuesday and conclude on Thursday. The top three teams make the playoffs. The No. 1 seed receives a first-round bye of sorts while a play-in game between the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds will determine who they take on in the championship next Saturday.

At 13-13, the Scorpions are currently tied with the Peoria Javelinas for sole possession of the second seed. At the same time, they hold a half-game lead over both the Glendale Desert Dogs and Mesa Solar Sox (13-14) for the third and final playoff spot.

(Picture of Stephen Scott and Nick Yorke: Barry Gossage/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Barring last-minute extension, Xander Bogaerts will opt out of Red Sox contract; what happens after that?

Depending on when the World Series ends, Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is expected to opt out of the remainder of his contract and become a free agent by next Wednesday at the latest.

Bogaerts initially signed a six-year, $120 million extension to remain with the Sox ahead of his age-26 season in 2019. The deal went into effect in 2020 and afforded the Boras Corp. client the opportunity to opt out after three years if he wanted to test the open market at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Now 30 years old, Bogaerts has put himself in position for a promising payday this winter that would far exceed the $60 million remaining on his current deal. In 150 games this season, the right-handed hitter batted .307/.377/.456 with 38 doubles, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, 84 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 57 walks, and 118 strikeouts over 557 plate appearances.

Though the power numbers were down from where they usually are, Bogaerts still finished third in the American League Batting race behind the Twins’ Luis Arraez and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. He also had a stellar year defensively and was named a Gold Glove Award finalist for just the second time in his 10-year career.

Even before Opening Day in April, the Red Sox — knowing full well that Bogaerts was likely to opt out — made it known that they wanted to keep their All-Star shortstop in Boston long-term. Whether it came from manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, or president and CEO Sam Kennedy, it seemed as though the club was intent on bringing Bogaerts back for 2023 and beyond.

During the team’s end-of-season press conference at Fenway Park on October 6, Bloom emphasized that extension talks with Bogaerts were the top priority and were “going to start right away.” That same day, Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal reported that Bogaerts had met with Red Sox principal owner John Henry and team chairman Tom Werner several times before heading home to Aruba.

Since then, however, it does not appear that talks between the two sides have gained much traction. The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reported on Thursday that “barring an 11th-hour extension — which a source familiar with the talks considered unlikely as of last week — Bogaerts will opt out.”

On Friday, The New York Post’s Jon Heyman projected that Bogaerts would net an eight-year, $225 million deal in free agency this offseason. The average annual value on that hypothetical contract comes out to $28.125 million, which represents a 42.5 percent raise from the $20 million he would earn over the next three seasons if he were to opt in.

An eight-year deal would take Bogaerts through his age-37 season. As noted by MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, though, Bogaerts could elect to pursue a shorter-term deal that would exceed $30 million in average annual value.

Given that Bogaerts’ is slated to make more than $20 million per year moving forward, he is unlikely to accept the $19.65 million qualifying offer the Red Sox will extend to him within the next seven days. If Bogaerts were to sign elsewhere this winter, Boston would receive a compensatory 2023 draft pick that falls after the fourth round since it exceeded the luxury tax threshold this year.

With all that being said, Bogaerts is slated to be part of a loaded free agent class at shortstop that includes the likes of Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, and Dansby Swanson.

(Picture of Xander Bogaerts: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Stephen Scott, Nick Yorke selected to 2022 Fall Stars Game

Red Sox prospects Stephen Scott and Nick Yorke have been selected to the 2022 Fall Stars Game, the Arizona Fall League announced earlier Friday morning.

Scott and Yorke will represent the American League in the 16th annual Fall Stars this coming Sunday, November 6, at Mesa’s Sloan Park.

One of four catching prospects selected from the junior circuit, Scott comes into play Friday batting .327/.386/.673 with one double, one triple, five home runs, 15 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, five walks, and 10 strikeouts across 13 games (57 plate appearances) for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

The left-handed hitting 25-year-old is currently in a five-way tie for the league lead in homers. As such, he will participate in the first-ever Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby on Saturday.

Defensively, Scott has logged 88 innings behind the plate for the Scorpions so far this fall. In that time, the 5-foot-11, 207-pound backstop has thrown out four of 20 potential base stealers.

The Red Sox originally selected Scott in the in the 10th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of the esteemed Vanderbilt University. The North Carolina native began his professional career in the outfield but has since transitioned to become a full-time catcher.

After splitting the 2022 minor-league season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, Scott can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time this winter. The Red Sox would need to add him to their 40-man roster at some point this month if they want to prevent that from happening.

Yorke, meanwhile, recently missed about a week of action due to left wrist soreness. Since returning to Scottsdale’s lineup on Tuesday, though, the 20-year-old second baseman has gone 3-for-10 (.300) with one home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

On the AFL campaign as a whole, the right-handed hitting Yorke is slashing .324/.414/.507 with seven doubles, two homers, 18 RBIs, 17 runs scored, 12 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 18 games (87 plate appearances) with the Scorpions. All of his playing time on the field has come at second base.

Yorke was taken by the Sox with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. The 6-foot, 200-pound infielder spent the entirety of the 2022 minor-league season with Greenville and is currently regarded by Baseball America as the fifth-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system.

(Picture of Nick Yorke: Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Eddinson Paulino proved to be dynamic with Low-A Salem this season

Eddinson Paulino was among the Red Sox’ top performers in the Florida Complex League last year. He showed why that was no fluke as he made the transition to full-season ball in 2022.

Coming out of minor-league spring training, Paulino was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 28 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He then broke camp and spent the entirety of the campaign at Low-A Salem.

In 114 games with the Salem Red Sox, the versatile left-handed hitter batted .266/.359/.469 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 13 home runs, 66 RBIs, 96 runs scored, 27 stolen bases, 64 walks, and 105 strikeouts over 539 plate appearances.

When the All-Star break arrived in mid-July, Paulino was hitting just .239/.327/.451 through his first 80 games. From July 22 onward, though, the 20-year-old slashed a stout .331/.432/.559 with 18 extra-base hits in his final 34 games of the season.

Among 51 qualified Carolina League hitters, Paulino ranked 24th in walk rate (11.9 percent), 14th in strikeout rate (19.5 percent), 14th in swinging-strike rate (11.2 percent), fourth in line-drive rate (25.6 percent), 14th in batting average, 17th in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage, fifth in OPS (.827), fifth in isolated power (.203), fifth in speed score (8.5), and fifth in wRC+ (128), per FanGraphs.

“He can impact the game in several ways,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith in September. “He can launch one if needed. He’s just become a good hitter.”

Defensively, Paulino made appearances at five different positions (not including designated hitter) for Salem this season. The 5-foot, 155-pounder logged 301 innings at shortstop, 289 innings at third base, 243 2/3 innings at second base, 98 1/3 innings in center field, and eight innings in left. Both of his outfield assists came in center.

“Just to have that skillset being a left-handed hitter,” said Romero.

The Red Sox originally signed Paulino for $205,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in July 2018. The Santiago native made his professional debut in his home country the following summer but his career was put on hold in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It now turns out that Paulino likely took advantage of the lost 2020 minor-league season by honing his craft in his own way. Whether it be his ability to make hard contact or steal bases at a high rate, the Red Sox were pleased with what they saw from Paulino this year.

“We’ve always liked his hitting ability,” Romero said. “He hits the ball hard in all quadrants. He’s another guy who jumps on fastballs but I think has really increased his recognition skills. He’s made a big jump in that. He’s got a good number of walks. The on-base percentage is good.

“And also the speed element of the game,” he added. “He’s got 26, 27 stolen bases. All that makes him a very dynamic player. … Another player who it’s been really cool to see his development.”

Paulino, who does not turn 21 until next July, is now regarded by Baseball America as the 18th-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is Rule 5-eligible this winter, but is not a sure bet to receive protection by being added to the 40-man roster later this month.

While the tools and talent are certainly there, Paulino has yet to play above A-ball. And so the Red Sox may elect to protect prospects who have already reached the upper levels of the minor-leagues like Ceddanne Rafaela, Christian Koss, Enmanuel Valdez, Wilyer Abreu, Brandon Walter, and Thad Ward, among others.

Assuming that Paulino remains in the organization through the winter, he is projected to make the jump to High-A Greenville at the start of the 2023 minor-league season in April.

(Picture of Eddinson Paulino: Robert Simmons/RTS Photography)

Red Sox’ Franchy Cordero to play winter ball in Dominican Republic

Red Sox first baseman/outfielder Franchy Cordero intends on playing for the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League this off-season, he announced on Wednesday.

“I’ll be here in a few weeks,” Cordero said (in Spanish) to team reporter Natacha Pena.

Earlier this week, Escogido general manager Luis Rojas told reporters that he expected Cordero to join the team in mid-November or by the 20th at the latest.

Cordero was officially added to Escogido’s roster on Wednesday, per his MLB.com transaction log. The Azua native has spent the last five winters with the Santo Domingo-based club. He took home LIDOM (Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana) Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors at the conclusion of the 2017-2018 campaign.

This news is particularly noteworthy since Cordero is still technically recovering from a right ankle sprain that prematurely ended his 2022 season. In the fifth inning of 4-3 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field on September 5, the 28-year-old attempted to track down a 358-foot fly ball off the bat of Randy Arozarena in left field. He wound up jumping for the ball and his right cleat got caught in the fence’s padding. That caused him to land awkwardly and he was ultimately carted off the field.

An MRI revealed that Cordero had sprained both sides of his ankle and he was placed on the 60-day injured list two days later. All told, the left-handed hitter batted .219/.300/.397 with 17 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 29 RBIs, 36 runs scored, four stolen bases, 28 walks, and 92 strikeouts over 84 games (275 plate appearances) in his second season with the Sox.

Since coming over from the Royals in the Andrew Benintendi trade last February, Cordero owns a .209/.279/.350 slash line across 132 career games in a Red Sox uniform. Although he possesses freakish tools, the 6-foot-3, 226-pounder has proven to be a below-average defender at first base who may be better suited for the outfield.

Because he was added back to Boston’s 40-man roster in April, Cordero is eligible for arbitration this winter. He is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1.5 million in 2023. The Red Sox could elect to non-tender Cordero and make him a free agent before then, but they will first have to activate him from the 60-day injured list by Nov. 15.

In short, it should be interesting to see what the Red Sox have planned for Cordero in the coming weeks. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo took note of the fact that Cordero is well-liked within the organization, so that could play a role in their decision-making process moving forward.

(Picture of Franchy Cordero: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Red Sox sign game planning coordinator Jason Varitek to multi-year extension, per report

The Red Sox have signed game planning coordinator/catching coach Jason Varitek to a multi-year contract extension, a team source confirmed to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier on Wednesday.

Varitek’s wife, Catherine, first broke the news on Twitter, noting that the former captain had signed up to remain with the Red Sox for the next three years. “You’re officially stuck with him!” she tweeted.

Originally acquired from the Mariners with Derek Lowe for reliever Heathcliff Slocumb at the 1997 trade deadline, Varitek has spent the last 25 years with the Red Sox organization in some capacity.

After retiring as a player before the start of the 2012 season, Varitek joined the Red Sox front office that September as a special assistant to the head of baseball operations. He concurrently served as a catching instructor and still does to this day.

Following the conclusion of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Varitek joined Boston’s major-league coaching staff on a full-time basis for the first time as he was named game planning coordinator under manager Alex Cora.

Now 50 years old, Varitek will be back in that same capacity in 2023, according to Speier. In addition to Varitek, Speier reports that the Red Sox expect the entirety of Cora’s 2022 coaching staff to be back next year, barring a major surprise.

Cora and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom had implied as much during the team’s end-of-season press conference at Fenway Park last month.

“Actually, we talked to the possible free agents yesterday and everybody’s going to be back,” Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) on October 6.

This past season, Cora’s staff was comprised of bench coach Will Venable, hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coaches Luis Ortiz and Ben Rosenthal, pitching coach Dave Bush, first base coach Ramon Vazquez, third base coach Carlos Febles, bullpen coach Kevin Walker, major-league field coordinator Andy Fox, and Varitek.

Venable was linked to the Royals’ managerial opening in recent weeks, but that vacancy has since been filled by Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro. The White Sox were the last team without a manager as of earlier this week, but they are expected to tap Kansas City bench coach Pedro Grifol for the job in the coming days.

(Picture of Jason Varitek: Mike Carlson/Getty Images)