Farrell was seen as Sox manager, and still could be

“Hard to believe the Blue Jays would let him go back,’’ said a team source.

Once Ben Cherington is introduced as the general manager Tuesday, his first major task will be to name a manager.

“John Farrell was always their choice to succeed Terry Francona,’’ said another major league source. “It was evident when Farrell worked under Francona that when the time came and Francona wanted to leave, Farrell was in place to take Francona’s job.’’

The Sox did not respond to an inquiry about their interest in Farrell.

While the Sox have been hesitant in turning to bench coach DeMarlo Hale for the job because of a feeling that he’s too close and tied into Francona, Farrell also was very close to Francona and learned his managerial style from him.

Farrell, 49, turned down interviews in Seattle and Pittsburgh with the expectation that his time would come in Boston. But last offseason, when it appeared Francona was firmly entrenched - with a two-year extension on the horizon - Farrell took the leap and accepted Toronto’s managing job.

Little did Farrell know that Francona wouldn’t survive. Had he known, would he have stayed to watch the demise of his friend?

Why would the Blue Jays let Farrell flee with two years to go on his contract? Only for very good compensation. The Blue Jays, who went 81-81 in Farrell’s first season (which included several days away from the team because of illness), are in a rebuilding mode, and right now it’s more important for them to get players than to keep their manager.

Farrell signed a three-year deal with Toronto last Oct. 25, but the Sox surely would rip up that deal and give him a significant bump in salary.

“The one thing I was never exposed to was the responsibility of 25 players,’’ Farrell told reporters at the end of the season. “In the past, it’s been 40 percent of a roster with the pitching staff.