Alex Cora Turns Down Phillies Manager Job: What it Means for MLB

The Boston Red Sox have been one of the worst teams in baseball this season. They're currently 12-17, placing them in dead last in the American League East. They have the fourth-worst record in the AL and the sixth-worst record in the league. While the front office should be taking the blame, they opted to put it on the coaching staff by firing manager Alex Cora and a slew of other coaches.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Phillies opted to fire their manager, Rob Thomson, too. The Phillies are tied for the worst record in baseball while having the worst run differential in the league, too.

"The Phillies have fired manager Rob Thomson, sources told The Athletic. Don Mattingly will be interim manager," the Athletic's Matt Gelb wrote in a post to X.

Shortly after this firing and the elevation of Don Mattingly to the interim manager spot, MLB insider Bob Nightengale dropped a bombshell report indicating Cora was offered the Phillies job, but declined.

"Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies' managerial job before Don Mattingly, but declined," Nightengale wrote in a post to X. "He has decided to spend time with his family."

What does Alex Cora's decision mean for the rest of the league?

Apr 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) signs autographs for fans before a game against the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

This decision doesn't confirm that Cora will decline every job he's offered this season, but it could indicate that.

Cora is clearly the top name on the market right now. A lot of analysts don't blame him for the disaster in Boston. Instead, they blame the front office for burning a bridge with Rafael Devers in favor of Alex Bregman before losing Bregman to free agency. The Caleb Durbin trade hasn't aged very well either.

As a result, the Phillies pursued him, but didn't land him.

The Houston Astros and New York Mets could look to move on from their managers in the coming weeks. Both teams are off to very slow starts, but they have plenty of talent. Cora would likely be offered the job with either of those teams if they fire their managers, but it doesn't seem like he would accept it.

As a result, this report from Nightengale seems to indicate that Cora likely won't take on another managerial job until the season ends. When the season ends, he's likely going to be one of the hottest names on the market.

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