Alex Cora’s Ties to Phillies, Mets, Astros Examined

The former Boston Red Sox manager is out there for the taking and has connections to a few struggling clubs.

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The dust is starting to really settle around the league after the Boston Red Sox cut ties with manager Alex Cora.

The decision is still the biggest story in baseball, but attention spans are short and Cora was fired on Saturday. Now, it's Tuesday. Since the Red Sox opted to move on from Cora, they have won two games under interim manager Chad Tracy, including a 5-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. Since Cora was fired, the Red Sox have scored 10 runs and given up just three in the two games since. As long as Boston wins, that will quiet the noise among Red Sox fans.

But what about Cora himself? Outside of a few social media posts, he hasn't spoken publicly about the move yet. Naturally, there's been chatter about where he could land next. He's viewed as one of the better managers in the game. There are teams that could use him, even if that isn't the Red Sox. We shared power rankings for Cora's next job with the Philadelphia Phillies coming in at No. 1. The New York Mets came in at No. 2 with the Houston Astros at No. 3. USA Today's Bob Nightengale has floated the Phillies as an option for Cora as well.

Arguably, any of the Phillies, Mets, or Astros could use Cora. The Phillies and Mets are both 9-19 on the season and the Astros are 11-18. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Cora has connections to each of these franchises.

Philadelphia Phillies

Jul 21, 2024; Cooperstown, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Dave Dombrowski poses for a photo prior to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, NY. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The biggest connection between Cora and Philadelphia is president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. He actually was the guy who hired Cora over with the Red Sox ahead of the 2018 season and then won a World Series title together. Nightengale noted that it's the "worst-kept secret in baseball" that Dombrowski loves Cora.

From a roster perspective, Kyle Schwarber spent time with Cora over in Boston.

New York Mets

Apr 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) delivers to the plate in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The most prominent connection between the Mets and Cora is Craig Kimbrel. He was the closer for the 2018 Red Sox team that went on to win the World Series with Cora. On a smaller scale, the Red Sox were among the teams in the running for Juan Soto before he picked the Mets.

Houston Astros

Apr 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) reacts after striking out during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

This one is pretty obvious. Cora was the bench coach of the Astros before coming to Boston. He was a part of the controversial 2017 Astros World Series club and was suspended for his role in the sign-stealing scandal. There are still a handful of guys still on the Astros from that team including Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Lance McCullers Jr.