Torey Lovullo signs extension, sticks by Red Sox

Torey Lovullo signed a two-year extension with the Red Sox Sunday night, agreeing to stick with the team be it as a bench coach or, should John Farrell's health require it, the manager in 2016.

For the Red Sox, this makes their managerial situation a lot simpler. Lovullo, after all, was expected to be a hot commodity on the market given the success he's had in his short time as manager. And with the Sox saying Farrell was still their manager if healthy, it only made sense for him to take the opportunity to head to a team with an opening. Now, with Lovullo locked in, the Red Sox have their bases covered.

While Lovullo has signed on for two years, realistically that just means he's around for as long as the Red Sox need him. If John Farrell gets a clean bill of health and takes over his old post, Lovullo will be in the same position as any other bench coach with both managerial aspirations and interest around the league. Teams do not prevent their coaches from taking better positions elsewhere, meaning if a team wants Lovullo in 2016, he'll be allowed to leave.

And, in the event that John Farrell is not able to return in 2016, Lovullo will be their guy, and likely not in an interim role. He's not only had success with the team, but is a natural successor to Farrell, having been with Farrell since his time in Toronto. Having him on board would provide continuity in what has been a strong clubhouse through the best and worst years, and he of course has Boston's strong finish in 2015 to his name as well.

So this is all good for the Red Sox, but it's worth noting that Lovullo is legitimately making a sacrifice here. His opportunity to manage this team down the stretch is not something afforded to every managerial candidate, and after putting together a strong run with a losing team, the only way his stock is going to get higher is if he actually does end up the manager in Boston (and succeeds in that role). If Lovullo aspires to be a major league manager, there was no better time to make that leap than now. His choice to forego that should be recognized as the sacrifice that it is. A frankly remarkable show of loyalty in what, as we are constantly reminded, is at the end of the day a business. It's the sort of thing that really goes to show why the Red Sox want John Farrell back even after these last two seasons.