Boston Red Sox
“He’s got a very bright future in the game. And hopefully it’ll be here with the Red Sox for the long term.”
Jason Varitek’s future with the Red Sox remains undetermined. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)
May 14, 2026 | 6:48 PM
2 minutes to read
When the Red Sox’ top brass opted to fire Alex Cora and several of his coaches last month, the team decided to keep two-time World Series champion and fan favorite Jason Varitek on the staff, albeit in a reassigned role.
It remains to be seen what exactly that role might be, with Varitek initially serving as Boston’s game planning and run prevention coach this season before the Red Sox overhauled most of their coaching staff.
Speaking to NESN’s Tom Caron on Wednesday, Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said that the organization is giving Varitek time to figure out what he wants to do moving forward.
Sam Kennedy spoke with @TomCaron on Jason Varitek’s reassignment
“Tek is a Red Sox Hall of Famer. One of the most important figures in our history… We’re gonna give him all the time he needs [to make a decision]… He’s got a very bright future in the game, and hopefully… pic.twitter.com/bucM27eCJa
— NESN (@NESN) May 13, 2026
“We have a personal relationship, all of us do, with Tek. We’re gonna give him all the time he needs given what went down. We respect him and appreciate him,” Kennedy told NESN’s Tom Caron. “There will always be a home for him in this organization. But we’re also gonna respect the fact he’s probably taking some time now, well-deserved time, but we’ll address that at the appropriate time.”
While Boston’s initial statement after Cora’s firing took note of the fact that Varitek was being reassigned, the longtime Red Sox catcher and former captain flew back to Boston with Cora and the rest of the team’s former coaches after the team made the call to let Cora go.
In a photo posted from Cora’s Instagram account, Varitek posed for a photo with the other fired coaches, giving a thumbs-down.
Varitek’s wife, Catherine, also posted a farewell message on X, thanking Red Sox fans for supporting the former catcher and his family across a pro career (both as a player and coach) that spanned nearly 30 years.
Red Sox Nation,
Thank you. For the love, support, and loyalty you’ve shown to my husband for the past 3 decades. Forever grateful ❤️
— Catherine Varitek (@CatherinVaritek) April 26, 2026
Despite Kennedy’s comments, both Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive reported last month that Varitek told confidants that he doesn’t intend to remain with the Red Sox moving forward. Varitek has yet to make any public comments since Cora and several other coaches were let go.
“We’re grateful for everything that he’s done for us and what he’ll do for us in the future,” Kennedy added. “He’s got a very bright future in the game. And hopefully it’ll be here with the Red Sox for the long term.”
Speaking last week at Fenway Park, Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez expressed shock about Varitek’s reassignment.
“To be honest, I’m not gonna go into details without knowing why because I haven’t really been inside the offices. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna let me know,” Martinez said. “There’s gotta be a reason, because Tek means so much to this city, just like every one of us. Like David [Ortiz], like all of us that won in ‘04, and the legends that were out there.
“To me, Tek is a legend here. I’m not gonna go into details because I don’t know. If I knew, I’ll tell you straight up, too. I’ll tell you why. But I don’t know. But, very unfortunate that I don’t get to see my battery mate out there, giving me a hug and probably receiving the baseball from me when I threw it today.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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