3 Potential Manager Targets for Red Sox After Alex Cora Firing

The Red Sox need to find their manager of the future after firing Alex Cora.

Mar 28, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; MLB umpire CB Bucknor (54) ejects Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) during the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox came into the season with some high expectations, but they haven't lived up to them. They're one of the worst teams in the league and find themselves in last place in the American League East. They're 12-17 through 29 games, so the front office opted to fire their manager, Alex Cora, alongside a slew of other coaches.

The players don't seem happy with the way the franchise is being run right now. Former players are chiming in, too.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Phillies fired their manager, Rob Thomson, and reportedly offered Cora the job managing their team. Cora declined, citing his desire to spend the summer with his family after being fired from the Red Sox.

Triple-A manager Chad Tracy has been elevated to the big league club this year. But who will the Red Sox turn to as their long-term manager? Here are a few options.

Chad Tracy

Manager Chad Tracy and the 2026 Worcester Red Sox stand during the National Anthem on Opening Day March 27 at Polar Park. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The first option is Tracy.

Tracy is a well-respected manager within the Red Sox system, and he's only 40 years old. He has found some success at the Triple-A level and was seemingly deserving of some sort of promotion in the coming years. After Cora's firing, the option of elevating him to the big league manager role made too much sense.

Now, Tracy has a few months to prove to the front office that he can handle the job. He's likely the No. 1 option, as it would be much easier to slot him into the long-term role if he finds success.

Brandon Hyde

Apr 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Orioles manager Brandon Hyde gets ejected by home plate umpire John Bacon during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Former Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had a big part in turning the Orioles around over the last few years, but he was fired after a 15-28 start last season. This comes after Hyde led the Orioles to 192 wins across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

He's a very respected manager with the ability to battle through a rebuild. He went through multiple 100-loss seasons with the Orioles before leading them to a 100-win season in 2023.

Rob Thomson

Apr 7, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (49) walks off the mound during the fifth inning of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Thomson could be an option, though he's been vocal about wanting to stay in Philadelphia in some sort of capacity.

The fact that he was fired doesn't make too much sense, as he's averaged over 90 wins across his three full seasons with the team.

If Thomson wants to manage a different club, the Red Sox could look to bring him in. This seems like a long shot right now, but it could work out at the end of the season.