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Giants’ hitting coach linked to Red Sox managerial opening [report]

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After back-to-back 90 win seasons, the Boston Red Sox elected to fire manager John Farrell.

And after a 98-loss season, Giants’ hitting coach Hensley Meulens has emerged as a candidate to replace him.

According to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston, Meulens was mentioned as a possible replacement for Farrell, along with a slew of other high-profile candidates who could be in position to secure one of baseball’s most challenging jobs.

Meulens has coached at the Major League level for eight seasons, all of which have come with the San Francisco Giants. Meulens spent the 2009 season with the Fresno Grizzlies, the Giants’ old AAA-affiliate, before replacing Carney Lansford as the Giants’ hitting coach after Lansford was fired.

Meulens has three World Series titles on his resume, but the Giants’ dominance was largely built on pitching and defense. This season, San Francisco finished dead last in the Major Leagues in home runs, and ranked 29th in baseball in runs scored.

The Giants’ hitting coach managed the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic this spring, and received positive reviews for his performance. According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, Meulens earned high marks for his communication skills, which is an area Farrell reportedly struggled in Boston.

It’s not a foregone conclusion that Meulens will return to the Giants in 2018, and it’s possible that even if Meulens is not named a manager this offseason, that he’ll need to search for a new coaching job with a different club.

Aside from Meulens, two other Giants’ assistants, Phil Nevin and Ron Wotus, have also been linked to managerial openings.