The Red Sox dropped the interim tag and made it official. Chad Tracy was named Boston's 49th manager in franchise history today, capping off a historic turnaround that saw the former Spokane Indians catcher lead the team from 14 games under .500 to a postseason berth.
"Chad was asked to step into a difficult situation with little notice, but the trust he immediately commanded at the major league level was earned through years of work across our organization. What this team has accomplished over the past several months has been historic," said Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy. "Results matter greatly in this business, but so do judgment, character, and the ability to bring out the best in others.
Tracy, 41, took over as Boston's interim manager in late-April after the team fired Alex Cora following an 10-17 start to the season. The Red Sox have gone 74-55 (.574) since Tracy took the helm, including a 15-game winning streak (tying the franchise record set in 1946) and a 27-3 (.900) stretch from July 3rd through August 7th—the best 30-game span in franchise history.
Boston joined the 1914 Miracle Braves, 1974 Pirates and 2005 Astros as the only teams to reach the postseason after falling as many as 14 games under .500, and the team's 31-44 record is the worst 75-game start by a team to make the playoffs in MLB history (h/t Sarah Langs).
"I think there was pretty much an understanding when I first got here that we've a lot of work to do, let's focus on that. Let's worry about the rest of the stuff later as it goes along," said Tracy during a press conference on Tuesday. "I am very happy, though, that it is done and in the course of three days we've clinched a playoff spot and now all the focus can be on what we can try to do in October."
Originally 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.
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 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on Fridays.