There's a new boss in Beantown -- and he started his professional career in the Inland Northwest. Former Spokane Indians catcher Chad Tracy was introduced as the Red Sox interim manager on Saturday night after the team fired longtime skipper Alex Cora following a disappointing 10-17 start to the season.
“We believe that Chad is the right guy to handle this transition and we're going to put all of our effort into supporting him to do that,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters on Sunday. “He's managed at the highest level of our Minor League system and he's familiar with and has meaningful relationships with a majority of our roster, given the younger players that we do have. He's demonstrated an ability to get the most out of that group.”
A third-round pick of the Texas Rangers out of Pepperdine in 2006, Tracy was named a Northwest League All-Star that summer after slashing .262/.339/.456 and hitting 11 home runs in 66 games with the Indians. He would reach as high as Triple-A during his playing career before shifting to the dugout as a manager starting in 2015.
Tracy spent three seasons as a minor league manager in the Los Angeles Angels organization and served as the team's minor league field coordinator from 2018-2021. He joined the Red Sox in 2022 and has spent the last five years as manager of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, compiling a 324-296 record (.523) while helping to develop the organization's top prospects like Peyton Tolle and Roman Anthony.
"I think there's a reason that everyone who goes through Triple-A and is in Worcester with him loves him, and we know he's gonna have our back and do everything he can during this kind of tough time," said Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. "We didn't expect it, but now you kind of just adapt and overcome it, and Trace is gonna be great.”
The son of former MLB manager Jim Tracy, Boston's new skipper has led the team to victories in each of his first two games at the helm -- a 5-3 victory over Baltimore on Sunday and a 5-0 shutout of the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
ABOUT THE SPOKANE INDIANS
The Spokane Indians are the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies located in Spokane Valley, Wash. The Indians have played at Avista Stadium, home to the MultiCare Kids Bench Seat, since 1958 and have been a proud member of the Spokane community since 1903. Parking at all Spokane Indians games is FREE. The Spokane Indians Office and Team Store are open 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on Fridays. On game days, the Office and Team Store are open from 10:00 a.m. until the end of the game.