Boston Red Sox expected to hire Ron Roenicke as next manager

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The Boston Red Sox are planning to promote bench coach Ron Roenicke to be their new manager for the upcoming season.

League sources told the Boston Globe and USA Today Sports on Friday that Boston is expected to name Roenicke as manager once Major League Baseball completes its investigation into whether the Red Sox were illegally stealing signs during the 2018 campaign. Roenicke served as the team's bench coach for manager Alex Cora during that season.

The Red Sox released a statement Friday, saying the "managerial search is not yet completed."

"We will comment at the completion of the search," the team said in its statement.

Boston parted ways with Cora on Jan. 14 after MLB's investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal during the 2017 season and parts of the 2018 campaign. Cora was the bench coach on the Astros' World Series-winning team in 2017.

The Red Sox are expected to receive a lighter punishment than Houston due to little evidence of cheating, according to USA Today Sports. Former Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow each were suspended for one season and subsequently fired for their connection to the operation, and the organization was fined $5 million and docked multiple draft picks.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters Thursday at the owners' meetings in Orlando, Fla., that the league's findings are expected to be released before the start of spring training.

"I'm hopeful that I can get Boston done before the camps open," Manfred said. "I'd like to have this over. Investigations are funny. You think you know what the timeline is, but that's a day-to-day prediction."

Roenicke, 63, managed the Milwaukee Brewers for five years (2011-15) and has 21 years of coaching experience in the majors. He has coordinated the Red Sox's spring training camp the last two years.