Why Ron Roenicke is just Red Sox’s interim manager

FORT MYERS, Fla. — On the eve of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, the Red Sox settled another big question Tuesday by opting for continuity in the dugout.

Less than a month after having to fire Alex Cora for his role in the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing program, the Red Sox named Ron Roenicke their interim manager.

The 63-year-old Roenicke was Cora’s bench coach in Boston the past two seasons, but will now have to lead a club that just traded its star player and a top pitcher, in addition to handling the fallout — if there is any — of MLB’s investigation into alleged illegal sign stealing by the 2018 Red Sox.

Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said giving Roenicke the interim tag was the “best way to respect” the ongoing investigation. If Roenicke is eventually cleared of wrongdoing, the Red Sox could drop the “interim” from his title.

“We feel very strongly about Ron’s ability to lead this group and how well suited he is for this task,” Bloom said Tuesday at Fenway South.

Roenicke said he could not comment on what he knew, if anything, about the alleged illegal sign stealing in 2018. But Bloom said the club had “no reason to think there was anything that would cause an adverse result for Ron in this investigation.”

The Red Sox fired Cora on Jan. 14. MLB was holding off on determining a punishment for the former Astros bench coach until it finished the investigation into the 2018 Red Sox, but the franchise didn’t wait and took matters into its own hands.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said last week he hoped to finish the Red Sox investigation before camps opened, but the AP reported Tuesday that report won’t come this week.

Roenicke said he hoped to take a few things from Cora, most notably his communication skills.

“I paid attention,” Roenicke said. “Being with Alex the last two years — I still do think I’m a good communicator, but I really watched a guy that was as good as I’ve ever seen.”

Roenicke managed the Brewers from 2011-15. He went 342-331, reaching the NLCS in his first year and only lasting 25 games in his final year.

The Red Sox reportedly also interviewed third-base coach Carlos Febles, Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay and Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta for the opening. Roenicke’s players are happy to have him, hoping an in-house replacement will make the transition as seamless as possible.

“He’s awesome. He knows the game incredibly well,” reliever Matt Barnes said. “I think it’ll be nice having a familiar face with somebody who knows the guys, who’s been there and has the experience he has.”