Former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington in the Mix for Top Pirates Front Office Job

After a disastrous 2019 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates cleaned house by moving on from manager Clint Hurdle, president Frank Coonelly, and general manager Neal Huntington. While they search for replacements, the Pirates are eyeing an interesting name for their top front office job.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, former Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has emerged as a candidate for the Pirates' head of baseball operations. Coonelly, who previously held the position, mutually parted ways with the Bucs in October.

Cherington has worked with the Toronto Blue Jays as the organization's vice president of baseball operations, but is best known for his role as Boston Red Sox general manager from 2011 to 2015.

Cherington replaced Theo Epstein, and to say his tenure was like a roller coaster ride is an understatement. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2013 under Cherington, but they finished in last place in the AL East in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

Perhaps Cherington is more infamously known for handing over massive contracts to Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, who never lived up to their paychecks in Boston. Cherington resigned from his position in 2015 as Dave Dombrowski was hired as Boston's president of baseball operations.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to bring in executives to help bring their organization back to former heights, and feel Ben Cherington is a serious contender to help them accomplish that goal.