Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on April 25, following a major 17-1 win against the Baltimore Orioles. Five other members of the coaching staff were let go as well.
The Red Sox were 10-17 for the season at the time of Cora’s departure. As of April 26, the manager for the Triple-A Worcester and former major league player will act as the interim manager. The team currently stands in last place in the American League East.
The other members of the coaching staff let go included hitting coach Pete Fatse, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, and Major League Hitting Strategy coach Joe Cronin.
Red Sox owner John Henry explained that the decisions are never easy. “Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude.”
Cora helped bring the team to a championship in 2018 over the Los Angeles Dodgers and was also an infielder for the Red Sox during their World Series victory in 2007. He seemed to be well-liked by his players and the team in general.
Cora was one of the highest-paid managers across the league. He was released during his second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract extension.
Cora was originally hired in 2018 following his one-year term as a bench coach for the Houston Astros. During his first year, he led the team to a 108-win season and a World Series win. However, an agreement was not met between Boston and Cora in 2019 following the fallout of his 2017 scandal involving the Astros. He was involved in a sign-stealing scandal, where he worked illegally using cameras to steal signs from opposing teams. He was suspended from Major League Baseball (MLB) due to the scandal in 2020. Following the suspension, he was rehired by Boston.
Following his release last week, he was offered a manager position by the Philadelphia Phillies. Cora declined the offer, as he looks forward to spending time with his family instead of taking up another position.
Cora seemed not to be upset with his release, texting many prominent reporters “I’m happy.”
Cora sent a mass email to the Red Sox organization in the week after his release. He stated, “Being a part of this organization has meant a great deal to me. As a player and as a manager. Like I always tell free agents, I’m glad my kids grew up here. It’s unique, special and magical. Thank you for treating me with respect and most importantly accepting me as AC [his initials]. I’m grateful for this experience, it made me better.”
Cora’s role as a manager in Boston was unique. Most managers these days don’t have very much influence over operations or the philosophy of the organization. A source for the MLB explained that for a couple of years Cora “was more powerful than the execs.”
The Boston executives themselves are under serious scrutiny from fans. The leadership consists of principal owner John Henry, President/CEO Sam Kennedy, and Craig Breslow, the Chief Baseball Officer. Breslow has received significant backlash from Boston fans throughout the season, even before Cora was let go. In just the 10th game of the slow start of this season, chants saying “sell the team” were heard around Fenway Park. On May 1, a small plane flew around Fenway Park for around an hour with a “Fire Craig! Sell the team!” banner.
Breslow began his position as Chief Baseball Officer in 2023. His first season with the Red Sox, the team went 81-81. In 2025, Boston made it back to the playoffs, but fell short to the Yankees.
Boston continues to struggle. The Red Sox remain as one of the lowest ranked teams in the entire league, with key players underperforming and organizational shifts. Interim manager Chad Tracy hopes to pull the team from the deficit and make it back to the postseason.
Image source: Newsday