Story by
Alex Cora won’t manage Phillies after Red Sox firing, focusing on being ‘full-time dad’
- Story by
- Alex Cora won’t manage Phillies after Red Sox firing, focusing on being ‘full-time dad’
Alex Cora's return to a major league dugout won't happen in Philadelphia this season.
Cora has decided to spend time with family in the wake of the Red Sox firing him Saturday and will not land with the Phillies , who fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday. According to people familiar with his thinking, Cora's focus is on spending time with his family, which includes his twin sons, who turn nine in July, and his daughter, Camila, who is in graduate school at the University of Miami. Cora is also set to marry his longtime partner, Angelica.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski confirmed that he tried to hire Cora over the weekend despite Thomson still being employed. Cora declined, citing family. Dombrowski then fired Thomson on Tuesday and announced that Don Mattingly will be the interim manager for the remainder of 2026. Mattingly did not get a full-time title.
"I talked to him on Sunday morning," Dombrowski said at a press conference in Philadelphia. "We talked about potentially taking the job. I had told him I had really come to the conclusion that if he took it, I was going to make a change. I thought he might take it. As time went on over the next day into Monday morning, it was apparent from his perspective that he wanted to take time with his family."
Cora was seen as a potential hire for Philadelphia — and reportedly, offered the job — because of his strong ties to Dombrowski, with whom he enjoys a close relationship. Cora and Dombrowski spent two seasons together in Boston and won a World Series title in 2018. The two men have remained close in the years since Dombrowski's tenure, with Cora often talking publicly about his respect for his former boss. Dombrowski praised Cora on Tuesday.
Advertisement
"I think Alex Cora's one of the finest managers in the game of baseball," Dombrowski said. "I've been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Fame managers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland and have been very fortunate in my career. I think if Alex Cora decides to keep managing again, he has a chance to be in that same category. That's how good he is. "
Cora's firing — paired with the Phillies' struggles — led to rampant speculation that Cora could land at Citizens Bank Park soon. For now, at least, the Phillies appear committed to Mattingly, whose son, Preston, is Dombrowski's top lieutenant and carries a "general manager" title.
Cora's future beyond the end of this season remains an open question. For years, the 50-year-old Cora has warned that he does not see himself as a managerial lifer. While Cora will almost certainly be in the mix for managerial openings this winter — including, very possibly in Philadelphia — he has also expressed interest in a front office role or returning to the media after working for ESPN as an analyst from 2013 to 2016.
Cora is also going to continue to be paid handsomely by the Red Sox, who signed him to a three-year extension in the $21-22 million range in July 2024 . This season is the second year of that deal, so Cora will be paid for the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027 at an average value of $7-8 million.
Advertisement
Cora and a large chunk of his coaching staff were fired by the Red Sox on Saturday afternoon and returned to Boston that night . On Tuesday, the ex-manager posted a farewell to Red Sox fans on X/Twitter and Instagram.
"Boston, we will miss you," Cora wrote. "Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation , you are the (heart) of that team, keep believing, you really care and that's what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out. With respect and love, AC."
Dombrowski took over in Philadelphia in December 2020, shortly after Cora was re-hired by the Red Sox (and Chaim Bloom) after being suspended for the shortened 2020 season. The Phillies fired Joe Girardi in June of 2021 and replaced him with Thomson, who took them to the World Series that year and was named permanent manager shortly thereafter.
The Phillies will visit Boston soon, with the two teams scheduled for a three-game series at Fenway Park from May 12-14.
Advertisement
More Red Sox coverage
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
