BOSTON — The Terry Francona era is over in Boston.
The manager who led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years is out after one of the worst months in club history.
In a joint statement released Friday, the Red Sox announced they will not pick up the option on Francona’s contract for a ninth year in the wake of the team’s September collapse in which it blew a nine-game lead in the AL wild-card race.
Owners John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino acknowledged a change was needed and thanked Francona, who led the franchise to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. But the statement also mentioned that Francona was ready to head in a different direction.
“I didn’t feel like the players need to go to dinner together, but they need to be fiercely loyal on the field,” Francona, who rarely criticized players publicly, said after the announcement. “I didn’t always get that feeling, and it bothered me.”
Boston missed the playoffs despite its nine-game lead with 24 left Sept. 4. The Red Sox went 744-552 under Francona and 8-0 in World Series games, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals and the Rockies.
