Boston ? Now it will be Terry Francona’s turn to see whether he can lead the Boston Red Sox to the World Series. Francona will be hired as the new Red Sox manager, two baseball sources told the Associated Press Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The ex-Philadelphia Phillies manager will join his former ace, Curt Schilling, as they try to bring the Red Sox their first championship since 1918.

The sources told the AP the team had scheduled news conference today at which they would announce Francona’s hiring.

Francona, 44, managed Philadelphia through four losing seasons from 1997-2000 when the Phillies were a young team trying to rebuild.

Francona will be under pressure to win immediately in Boston, where Grady Little averaged 94 wins over two seasons but was let go after the team collapsed in the seventh game of the AL championship series.

The Red Sox also interviewed Los Angeles third-base coach Glenn Hoffman, Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon and Texas first-base coach DeMarlo Hale. But Francona was established as an early front-runner, and his hiring was delayed only by the team’s pursuit of Schilling.

Francona managed Philadelphia to a 285-363 record over four years.