BOSTON -- The Red Sox have called on a familiar face to be their next bench coach. Gary DiSarcina, the pride of Billerica, Mass., is coming home to fill that vacancy. The club held a conference call on Friday to formally announce the move.
The role of bench coach seems like a natural stepping stone for DiSarcina if he wants to manage in the Major Leagues someday. But he said that didn't play into why he took the job.
"To land the job is very exciting. To be home is icing on the cake," said DiSarcina. "I've always enjoyed the position I was in, whether it was third-base coach, first-base coach, field coordinator, infield coordinator … I always enjoyed and embraced that role I was in and just tried to knock that job out of the park, and if someone likes you and wants to come get you, then that's how it goes."

DiSarcina will replace Torey Lovullo, who was named manager of the D-backs on Nov. 4.
"I think the one thing that really stands out, obviously, is [Gary] the person," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "If you look at our coaches, those who will always keep the players first and foremost in their mind daily with either their conversations or the way they work with players, Gary is a selfless individual. I think all things considered, Gary was the strongest candidate and ultimately he is in the position."
DiSarcina was the first-base coach for the Angels in 2016 after serving as their third-base coach the previous two seasons.
"When you look at the experiences he's had over a long baseball career, 12 years as a player, a field coordinator, an infield coordinator, a third-base coach, a manager at the Minor League level, I think he's had experiences in a lot of the different areas or many of the different areas as bench coach that he'll be required to operate in," said Farrell.
DiSarcina is no stranger to the Red Sox organization. Most recently, he managed Boston's Triple-A affiliate at Pawtucket in 2013. DiSarcina filled several other roles for Boston in the past, including Minor League infield instructor and manager for Class A Short-Season Lowell.
"It means a lot to me because I was here in 2013 and I saw what the staff and what John and their leadership did and how they pulled together as a team, how they used the Pawtucket players who came up," DiSarcina said. "And the one thing that stands out to me during that time in 2013 was how that Major League staff -- John was the spearhead in that -- made me feel part of it, and made me feel part of their staff."
DiSarcina and Farrell were teammates with the Angels in 1993 and '94.
"I think most importantly, this isn't about hiring friends, it's about hiring the best available person," Farrell said. "That being said, we're here to win and we're here to put the best group of people together, whether that's the guys in that coaching room and the staff room, or the guys in the clubhouse and the players. Gary is a very good fit. I'm confident he will make an impact here. The bottom line is for us to go out and continue to win."
The rest of Boston's coaching staff remains the same from a team that won 93 games and finished first in the American League East.