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| Joe Kerrigan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joe Kerrigan |
| Birth date | 14 August 1954 |
| Birth place | Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Occupation | Baseball player, coach, manager, scout, broadcaster |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Teams | Montreal Expos (player), Boston Red Sox (coach), Cincinnati Reds (coach), Baltimore Orioles (coach), Chicago Cubs (coach), New York Yankees (coach), Philadelphia Phillies (coach), New York Mets (coach) |
Joe Kerrigan (born August 14, 1954) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher, pitching coach, manager, scout, and broadcaster. He played in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos during the late 1970s and later served in coaching and managerial roles with several Major League Baseball organizations, including a stint as interim manager of the Boston Red Sox. Kerrigan's career spans player development, bullpen management, and media work across multiple franchises and amateur programs.
Kerrigan was born in Providence, Rhode Island and attended La Salle Academy, where he played high school baseball and attracted attention from collegiate programs and scouts. He continued his amateur career at Providence College, competing in NCAA Division I baseball and earning notice from Major League Baseball scouts for his right-handed pitching. During his amateur years he participated in summer collegiate leagues, facing future professionals from institutions such as the University of Rhode Island, Boston College, University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Wake Forest University, which further developed his repertoire and command.
Kerrigan was signed by the Montreal Expos organization and made his Major League Baseball debut as a relief pitcher with the Expos in the mid-1970s. During his playing career he moved between the Expos' minor league affiliates—including stops at clubs associated with the American Association, Eastern League, and International League—and the Major League Baseball roster in Montreal. As a right-handed reliever he worked in middle-relief and situational assignments, matching up against batters from teams such as the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Cubs. His playing tenure overlapped with notable players on the Expos and opponents like Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, and Willie Stargell. Injuries and roster competition led Kerrigan to transition from active play to roles in coaching and player development after his major league appearances concluded.
After retiring as a player, Kerrigan began a lengthy coaching career, joining the Boston Red Sox organization as a pitching coach in the 1990s. He served as bullpen coach and later as pitching coach under managers such as Jimy Williams and Kevin Kennedy, overseeing staffs that included pitchers like Pedro Martínez, Roger Clemens, Tim Wakefield, Curt Schilling, and Derek Lowe. In 1997 he was named interim manager of the Boston Red Sox following the dismissal of Jimy Williams, leading the club through the remainder of that season while navigating the clubhouse amid heightened media attention and competition from rivals such as the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays. Kerrigan returned to pitching-focused roles after the interim term, later joining the coaching staffs of teams including the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies, where he concentrated on bullpen management, pitch sequencing, and scouting reports against lineups from the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants.
Beyond on-field coaching, Kerrigan worked in baseball broadcasting and scouting. He provided pitching analysis and commentary for regional telecasts and radio broadcasts covering teams such as the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds, collaborating with broadcasters and analysts connected to networks that cover Major League Baseball telecasts. In scouting roles he evaluated amateur and professional pitchers for organizations and independent clubs, drawing on experience with minor league affiliates, collegiate programs like the University of Rhode Island and Boston College, and international amateur competitions including events tied to USA Baseball and World Baseball Softball Confederation qualifiers. His scouting reports informed roster decisions and trade assessments involving prospects who later ascended to rosters alongside established players like Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Clayton Kershaw.
Kerrigan has remained connected to Rhode Island baseball communities, contributing to youth instruction, coaching clinics, and alumni events associated with La Salle Academy and Providence College. His coaching tree includes assistants and pitchers who went on to roles with Major League Baseball clubs, and his tenure as a pitching coach is remembered for work with Hall of Famers and Cy Young Award winners. He has been part of conversations about bullpen specialization, relief pitcher usage, and coaching techniques adopted across organizations such as the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies. Kerrigan's career reflects the trajectory of a player-turned-coach whose influence spans player development, in-game strategy, scouting, and media.
Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Baseball coaches