Red Sox name Narron bench coach

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Ron Roenicke added an old friend and former colleague to his staff, announcing the hiring of Jerry Narron as bench coach following Saturday’s 4-3 Grapefruit League win over the Rays.

This is Narron's second tour of duty as bench coach for the Red Sox. He served in that role for Grady Little in 2003.

“It’s like coming home after 17 years,” said Narron, who will be in uniform on Sunday. “I was only here one year but had a great year here and enjoyed it."

The addition of Narron occurred 11 days after Roenicke was promoted from bench coach to interim manager. Roenicke is expected to have the interim tag lifted once MLB completes its sign-stealing investigation on the '18 Red Sox.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has previously stated that the results of the investigation should be released by the end of the month.

The 64-year-old Narron has been in baseball for 32 seasons as a player and coach. Five of those (2011-15) were spent as Roenicke’s bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.

“He’s really good,” Roenicke said. “And I wouldn’t do it just because he’s familiar with me. I’d do it because he’s really good.”

Narron had been the bench coach in Arizona the past three seasons, and he was spending a rare Spring Training out of uniform. But his sabbatical has come to an end.

“I was the bench coach the last three years, and they were going to change my role,” Narron said. “Luis Urueta was going to be the bench coach and I was going to be the extra coach, and I just decided to see if I could be on the East Coast somewhere, and if not, I was going to take time off this summer and maybe travel and see what it was like being home.”

Instead, Narron will hit the ground running and put the Red Sox uniform back on.

“He’s got a great baseball mind,” Roenicke said. “He’s a lot smarter than I am, which helps me to go to him when I want to. All of that helps make things go smoother here, and the players love him. He’s a worker. He’s a humble guy. And I think everybody knows he’s tremendously loyal to where he is.”

Narron managed the Rangers in 2001-02 and the Reds from 2005-07.

The soft-spoken Southerner (from Goldsboro, N.C.) is a smooth operator who relates easily to players.

In 1986, Narron played for the Angels against the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series and struck out against Calvin Schiraldi for the final out of Game 7.

His first stint as Boston’s bench coach ended with a gut-wrenching loss to the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Back with the Red Sox, Narron hopes to be a part of some better playoff memories.

“I know everybody here wants to win and is a pretty good worker, so it won’t take long to get up to speed,” Narron said.