Report: Red Sox begin the interview process

The Red Sox have begun their search for their next manager.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Sox have started to interview candidates, including Cubs third base coach Will Venable and Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, a pair of former players who only recently transitioned to the dugout.

The trend of hiring young, freshly-retired players to become managers and bench coaches has surged throughout MLB, in large part because of the success of Alex Cora, who led the Red Sox to a historic season and World Series title in 2018, his first year as a manager.

Red Sox GM Brian O'Halloran declined to comment.

Cora is considered the heavy favorite to get his job back once his one-year suspension is lifted by MLB following the completion of the World Series. He'll have paid his price for the sign-stealing scandal with the 2017 Houston Astros and was never found to be directly guilty of breaking any rules with the 2018 Red Sox, a team that was also penalized for illegal sign-stealing.

Venable is a Princeton alum who had a nine- year career, mostly with the Padres, as a utility outfielder. He was originally hired as a special assistant in the Cubs' front office in 2017, spent two years as Joe Maddon's first-base coach and one as third base coach under new manager David Ross.

Kelly, who was drafted from Point Park in Pittsburgh, was a utility man with the Tigers for most of his nine-year career. He spent one year as the Astros' first-base coach in 2019 before joining the Pirates as the bench coach in 2020.