John Farrell's Option Exercised by Red Sox

There were questions as to whether John Farrell would even be on the Boston bench to begin last season. Now he's under contract through the one after next.

The Red Sox exercised Farrell's 2018 option Monday, squelching any talk that might surround a lame-duck manager this upcoming season.

Farrell, of course, is not guaranteed the job for any length of time. Baseball teams regularly fire managers under contract. But the move is another public showing of support for Farrell, who has come under fire in recent seasons since winning the World Series in 2013.

The Sox had back-to-back last-place finishes in 2014 and 2015 before winning the American League East last season. Boston was swept by eventual AL champion Cleveland in the first round.

Farrell was in the headlines for his personal life over the last year and a half. He was diagnosed with stage 1 lymphoma in August 2015. The team announced in October that his cancer was in remission. Farrell's rumored relationship with Comcast SportsNet New England sideline reporter Jessica Moran led to Moran's resignation right before the 2016 season started.

Photo by Keith Allison via Flickr