Francona Out in Boston

The Terry Francona era is over in Boston, as the Red Sox will not pick up the option on his contract.

In a joint statement released on Friday after Red Sox brass met with the manager, owners John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino acknowledged a change was needed, and thanked Francona, who led the franchise to two world titles.

"Tito said that after eight years here he was frustrated by his difficulty making an impact with the players, that a different voice was needed, and that it was time for him to move on," the statement said. "After taking time to reflect on Tito's sentiments, we agreed that it was best for the Red Sox not to exercise the option years on his contract."

The statements ended a whirlwind day at Fenway Park that saw all of the principle parties shuttle in and out of the facility several times. Francona was in the building three different times.

Boston missed the playoffs despite leading the AL wild-card race by nine games on Sept. 4. It went 6-18 after that, ending with a 4-3 loss Wednesday in Baltimore.