Story perspectives

Red Sox Fire Alex Cora After 10-17 Start

5/4/2026

Summary

Red Sox Fire Cora

The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora after a 10-17 start.
Interim manager Chad Tracy led the team to a 3-4 record.
Willson Contreras said the clubhouse feels looser without tension.
Marcelo Mayer blamed the poor performance on runners in scoring position.
Christian Vázquez called Cora a legend and said the firing shows the club no longer values trust, while Boston, 13-21, opens a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.

Summary

Baldelli Leads Search

Rocco Baldelli, outfielder now Dodgers assistant, leads the search to replace interim manager Chad Tracy.
Other candidates are David Ross, Ryan Flaherty, Brad Ausmus and Torey Lovullo.
Eighteen of the 33 Red Sox players played for Tracy in Triple-A Worcester.
Caleb Durbin’s BABIP dropped from .265 to .195, causing him to miss All-Star expectations.
Hitting coach John Soteropulos, a Cal State Dominguez Hills graduate, is expected to improve chemistry.

Summary

Cora Declines Offer

Alex Cora declined the Philadelphia Phillies’ managerial offer to spend more time with his family.
Dave Dombrowski said the Phillies are confident Cora will become their manager in 2027.
Nightengale reported the Astros and Mets are expected to pursue Cora this winter.
Joe Espada is rumored to be the Astros’ next firing as Houston sits 13-21 with a league-worst 5.91 ERA.

History

Historical Context

After the Yawkey Trust sold the Red Sox to John Henry’s Fenway Sports Group in 2002, the new owners dismissed manager Grady Little following the 2003 ALCS loss and hired Theo Epstein as GM. That precedent of swift turnover resurfaced in 2024 when a 10-17 start led the club to fire Alex Cora, underscoring ownership’s habit of reshaping leadership after poor performance.

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Red Sox Fire Cora

The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora after a 10-17 start.
Interim manager Chad Tracy led the team to a 3-4 record.
Willson Contreras said the clubhouse feels looser without tension.
Marcelo Mayer blamed the poor performance on runners in scoring position.
Christian Vázquez called Cora a legend and said the firing shows the club no longer values trust, while Boston, 13-21, opens a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.

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