Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Legend David Ortiz Takes Alex Cora Stance Amid Rumors Of Firing

Big Papi doesn't see Alex Cora as the problem...
Jackson Roberts|
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Fox News playoff baseball commentator David Ortiz before the game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Fox News playoff baseball commentator David Ortiz before the game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

David Ortiz hasn't played for the Boston Red Sox in nearly a decade, but he remains an important mouthpiece for the organization.

Ortiz is now an analyst for FOX Sports, but he also holds a special assistant role in the Red Sox's front office. Plus, when prompted, he'll often give a pseudo State of the Union address during public appearances.

Such an opportunity presented itself over the weekend, when Ortiz was holding a fundraiser at Fenway Park for the David Ortiz Children's Fund, which benefits children with cardiac critical care needs in Boston and his home country of the Dominican Republic.

On the day of the fundraiser, Ortiz did an interview with WBZ-TV's Dan Roche, in which he spoke up about manager Alex Cora's job status. And if Ortiz has his druthers, it seems like Cora isn't going anywhere, despite the Red Sox's disappointing 29-32 record.

"When things are not going well, people start seeing it that way," Ortiz said. "I would tell you this. It doesn't matter who you bring around, in case you want to let Alex go. Whoever you bring around is not going to hit, is not going to pitch, is not going to play defense for you. Regardless.

"I think Alex has done, in this organization, an incredible job. Alex is a baseball guy. If you don't have Alex here, he's gonna be somewhere else. You know why? Because he is that guy."

Cora signed a three-year extension with the Red Sox last July that takes him through the 2027 season. He's got a lot of pull with both the baseball operations department and ownership, so letting him go this early in the new deal would be a bit of a shocker.

Still, there's no doubt that the Red Sox have been disappointing, and Cora deserves his fair share of the blame. But Ortiz is right--Cora can't step in the batter's box and get the hit the Red Sox always seem to be missing with runners in scoring position.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org