INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden will interview with the Boston Red Sox today to fill the general manager’s post vacated by Theo Epstein.

Former Baltimore Orioles boss Jim Beattie will interview Friday in Boston, the team said.

Team president Larry Lucchino and chairman Tom Werner will interview Bowden in Palm Springs, Red Sox spokesman Glenn Geffner said Tuesday night.

Other candidates may interview today and Thursday in California, but their names won’t be announced until interviews are scheduled, Geffner said.

The Red Sox have received permission to interview two officials of unidentified teams.

Bowden, Cincinnati’s general manager from 1992-03, replaced Omar Minaya as GM of the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals after the 2004 season. Minaya left to become GM of the New York Mets.

Beattie became the Orioles’ executive vice president of baseball operations in December 2002 and was replaced last month by his top aide, Mike Flanagan.

Epstein helped Boston win the 2004 World Series, its first title since 1918. He was unable to agree to a new contract last week and left following the expiration of his deal on Oct. 31.

Also Tuesday, the team announced that former Bill Lajoie, who resigned Monday in solidarity with Epstein, has returned to the club. The 71-year-old former Tigers GM, who was special assistant to Epstein, was named special adviser/baseball operations on Tuesday.

Lucchino announced the move, and said Lajoie’s role will be professional scouting and the evaluation of potential trade and free agent acquisitions. He also will help in the search for a new general manager.

AP-ES-11-08-05 2040EST