Alex Cora to return as Red Sox manager for 2024 season, removes name from front-office consideration
Cora will return for a sixth season as Boston’s skipper despite back-to-back last-place finishes
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters on Sunday that ownership has assured him he’ll return next season, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Cora, who has a year remaining on his contract, added that he informed ownership he was not prepared for and did not want to be considered a candidate for a front-office role at this point, a question that had arisen after the firing of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.
Cora, 47, will complete his fifth season as Red Sox skipper on Sunday. He has amassed a 439-370 regular season record (54.3% winning percentage) and led Boston to the 2018 World Series championship. Of course, Cora’s tenure includes a missed 2020 season after he stepped away because of his involvement in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
Cora was later rehired by Bloom, who was recently fired by the Red Sox after four seasons. Coincidentally, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recently reported that those close to Bloom felt that Cora could have been more supportive of the ousted executive:
Bloom, acting on ownership’s apparent preference, chose to bring back Cora after the manager’s one-year suspension for his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. On the surface, the two seemed to co-exist professionally. But friends of Bloom, who spoke on condition of anonymity in exchange for their candor, believe Cora was not as supportive of Bloom as he could have been.
Cora’s name had popped up in some circles as a potential candidate to usurp Bloom in the immediate aftermath of the news. It’s unclear if the Red Sox ever considered him a serious prospect for the position.
The Red Sox come into Sunday’s season finale with a 77-84 record on the season, putting them in last place in the American League East. This will be the second consecutive year Cora has led the Red Sox to a last-place finish.
