The Boston Red Sox made some major organizational changes in the past couple of weeks.
After firing manager Alex Cora, along with most of his staff, after a poor start, those in the world of baseball were shocked.
Add legendary Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martínez to that list.
A three-time Cy Young winner, World Series champion and Hall-of-Fame inductee, Martínez is one of the most respected players in the history of the game.
Martínez was reportedly “dismayed” by the news of Cora’s firing, but more so over his former battery mate, Jason Varitek.
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic sat down with Martínez to talk about what’s next for him and the Red Sox.
What Did Boston Red Sox Legend Pedro Martínez Say?
Martínez and Varitek go way back.
They were teammates for all seven of Martínez’s seasons with Boston. Varitek played with the Red Sox for his entire 15-year career.
Martínez would win two Cy Young awards in Boston, and both would be a huge part in breaking the “Curse of the Bambino” in 2004.
Varitek has served in various roles with the club since his retirement in 2011. So, you can imagine how upset Martínez was when Varitek was “reassigned”.
“They’re going to let me know, there’s got to be a reason because Tek means so much to this city,” Martínez said. “To me, Tek is a legend here, and I’m not going to go into details because I don’t know. If I knew, I’d tell you straight up, too. I’d tell you why (he was reassigned), but I don’t know. But it’s very unfortunate that I don’t get to see my batterymate out there, giving me a hug or probably receiving the baseball from me when I threw it today.”
While the Red Sox claimed that Varitek was “reassigned”, a league source has claimed otherwise.
What Else Did Martínez Say?
Martínez also had much to say about Cora’s firing, and knows he won’t be out of baseball for long.
“I was able to reach out, but they all know they will soon be in baseball,” Martínez said. “That I can tell you. Every one of those coaches probably will be in baseball in not too long. Cora could have easily been in baseball if he wanted to, but he chose to rest, and I really respect that. I know what it’s like and I really like the fact that he went to his family to take care of his family first, until he finally gets back to baseball. If he does.”
Cora reportedly turned down a job offer from the Philadelphia Phillies after his firing, wanting to spend time with family.
While Martínez has served as an adviser to the Red Sox for years, he is willing to take on more responsibility.
“I’m always open to help out,” he said. “I’m not going to go for 162 (games) with the team, that I can tell you right away and I’m not going to be with the team 162, but in any other role that they need me to be, could be to be here more frequently, could be (to) join the team anywhere or join the front office in some ways, like they normally do. I don’t mind. I’m here to help, and I’m committed. And they know it. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and picking the spots where they. They feel like I’m helpful.”
Whatever may be next for Martínez and Boston, a relationship has certainly been somewhat strained.
Red Sox Legend ‘Dismayed’ Over Coaching Upheaval