- Current Marlins manager Clayton McCullough has the best odds to become the Red Sox new manager for the 2027 season.
- Will Venable has the second best odds, working as the bench coach for the Red Sox in 2021.
BOSTON – Less than a year removed from their first postseason appearance since 2021, the Boston Red Sox decided to move on from Alex Cora and the rest of the coaching staff after a slow start to the 2026 season.
Though there are still over 100 games to be played, here is a look at which candidates have the best odds to be named as the next manager for the Red Sox in 2027.
Odds To Be Next Full Time Manager of The Boston Red Sox
- Clayton McCullough (+300)
- Will Venable (+450)
- Don Mattingly (+600)
- Brad Ausmus (+700)
- Jason Varitek (+800)
- Buck Showalter (+1000)
Legal sports betting sites list Clayton McCullough and Will Venable as the two leading candidates to take the job in Boston, with current interim manager Chad Tracy not even listed in the top ten.
McCullough had been the Dodgers first base coach since 2021, as well as being in charge of coaching the outfield before signing with the Marlins as their manager in 2025. After being one of the worst teams in the bigs in 2024, Miami jumped from 62 to 79 wins in 2025 and are currently tied for second place in the NL East.
Will Venable is another former player turned coach who earned a manager spot in 2025 after a few years in the dugout. Currently managing the Chicago White Sox, Venable hasn’t seen a ton of success as a head man but has some familiarity with the organization after being a bench coach for the Red Sox from 2021 to 2022.
Don Mattingly is one of the more experienced coaches listed with 12 years as a manager under his belt. Currently serving as the bench coach for the Phillies, Mattingly could make one more run as a manager, though he is 65 and hasn’t managed a team since 2022.
Brad Ausmus comes in with +700 odds at MLB betting sites, serving as the bench coach for the Yankees this season. He has had limited success as a manager over his career, making the playoffs just one time in five seasons, getting swept in the ALDS in 2014.
Jason Varitek has the fifth best odds despite being removed from his position as run prevention coach, along with the rest of the Red Sox coaching staff. The Red Sox announced that he would be staying with the organization in some capacity, but Varitek made it official in private that he would not be returning.
Finally, Buck Showalter comes in with +1000 odds, having not coached in any capacity since 2023. Showalter would be a true long shot at 69 years of age and three years removed from his last gig.
