Story by
Detroit Tigers hire former New York Mets third base coach Joey Cora to coaching staff
- Story by
- Detroit Tigers hire former New York Mets third base coach Joey Cora to coaching staff
The Detroit Tigers have filled the vacancy on their coaching staff.
The Tigers, led by manager A.J. Hinch, hired former New York Mets third base coach Joey Cora , according to multiple sources, to replace former first base coach Alfredo Amézaga , though Cora is expected to be the third base coach.
Advertisement
Cora, 58, is the brother of Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora , who worked as Hinch's bench coach with the Houston Astros during the 2017 season. That year, the Astros won the World Series with Hinch as the manager and Cora as the bench coach.
The Tigers, after deciding not to retain Amézaga, targeted Cora as a potential fit and interviewed him back in October, but he wasn't hired until the first week of November. His contract with the Mets expired at the end of October.
WELCOME TO DETROIT: Mark Canha reinvented his approach years ago. Now, Tigers think he can help young players
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) gets instructions from New York Mets infield & third base coach Joey Cora (56) after hitting a triple against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 6, 2023.
Shortstop Javier Báez , a fellow Puerto Rican, has a good relationship with Alex Cora and knows Joey Cora.
Advertisement
Cora is expected to coach either first base or third base in the 2024 season, along with instructing the infielders, but the Tigers want to move third base coach Gary Jones into the dugout. Doing so would open a spot for Cora as the third base coach, though the Tigers would still need to hire a first base coach.
Triple-A Toledo manager Anthony Iapoce could be the favorite to coach first base.
Gabe Alvarez , the Double-A Erie manager, interviewed for the opening on the coaching staff and finished as the runner-up to Cora. For now, Alvarez is expected to return as the SeaWolves' manager in 2024.
Before joining the Tigers, Cora worked as a coach for the Chicago White Sox (2004-11), Miami Marlins (2012), Pittsburgh Pirates (2017-21) and Mets (2022-23). He was the third base coach with the White Sox, bench coach with the Marlins, Double-A manager with the Pirates and third base coach with the Mets.
Advertisement
As a player, Cora played in more than 1,100 games across 11 MLB seasons with the San Diego Padres (1987, 1989-90), White Sox (1991-94), Seattle Mariners (1995-98) and Cleveland Indians (1998). Cora, primarily a second baseman, hit .277 with a .348 on-base percentage and 117 stolen bases.
He was an All-Star in 1997.
The Mets, Cora's former employer, hired longtime New York Yankees assistant coach Carlos Mendoza as their new manager, replacing Buck Showalter. The Mets fired Showalter in early October, opening the door for Cora's move to the Tigers.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal was the first to report Cora joining the Tigers' coaching staff.
Advertisement
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers hire former Mets 3B coach Joey Cora to coaching staff
