MLB Crisis Meter 2.0: Alex Cora Looms Over Phillies, Red Sox

There's been a lot of chaos around Major League Baseball, including the Boston Red Sox firing Alex Cora and then the Philadelphia Phillies whiffing on him.

Mar 4, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) makes a pitching change in the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

While it's just April 28, as of writing, things have been anything but calm across Major League Baseball.

The 2026 Major League Baseball season has been going on for just one month, and yet we have already seen two managers get fired over the last week alone. We've seen a handful of smaller-scale moves across the leagues, but nothing too substantive. Injuries have unsurprisingly played a big role on the season so far, like the Toronto Blue Jays being completely undermanned.

On the bright side, there have been some really big positives, like the play of rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami, who is leading the league with 12 homers in just 29 games. José Soriano of the Los Angeles Angels also is having one of the best runs to start a season for a starter in big league history, although it isn't being talked about enough.

All of this is to say, a lot has gone on this season. With that being said, let's dive into our second crisis meter of the season so far.

Philadelphia Phillies

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a two-run single against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Phillies are tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball at 9-19 and fired their manager, Rob Thomson on Tuesday. That's not all, though. The Phillies targeted Alex Cora, who was fired by the Boston Red Sox this past weekend, but he opted against accepting the position in order to spend time with his family. So, the Phillies are struggling and missed on a top manager candidate. Not great.

Crisis Meter: 8.5 out of 10

Boston Red Sox

Apr 20, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora signs a baseball for a fan prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Red Sox are the other team that has gone through a manager change as they fired Cora and promoted former Triple-A Worcester manager Chad Tracy to be the interim. Boston is 2-0 under Tracy and has won three games in a row overall, but when you fire your manager one month into a season, there's clearly some panic.

Crisis Meter: 7 out of 10

New York Mets

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) talks to teammates in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Mets haven't made a manager change, but they are tied with the Phillies with the worst record in baseball and have a massive payroll on top of that. Things need to shift quickly for the Mets, or we very well could see a manager change on the horizon.

Crisis Meter: 7 out of 10

Toronto Blue Jays

Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jesús Sánchez (12) celebrates hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The Blue Jays are 12-16 on the season, which obviously isn't great. But they are starting to get healthier, including starter Trey Yesavage, who is expected to start on Tuesday. As this club gets healthier, things will get better.

Crisis Meter: 3 out of 10