NL Club 'Confident' in Chances to Land Alex Cora After Red Sox Exit

The former Boston Red Sox manager is certainly going to have opportunities.

Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on from the dugout during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

After the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora, the chatter around him quickly shifted to where he will land next.

Cora is widely viewed as one of the best managers in Major League Baseball and that hasn't changed, despite the fact that Boston let him go. In fact, just a few days after his firing, the Philadelphia Phillies came calling and offered Cora their manager job. The former Boston manager turned down the Phillies' manager job, though, so he could spend time with his family.

So, it would be a bit surprising to see Cora land with a club this season, or at least in the short term. But what about 2027? USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Phillies are "confident" that they will have Cora in 2027.

Where Will Alex Cora Land Next?

Mar 2, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

"While Alex Cora will be the hottest free-agent commodity this winter, the Phillies are confident that he will be managing their team in 2027. Cora also is expected to be wooed by the Houston Astros and New York Mets," Nightengale wrote.

The Phillies are the team that has shown the most public interest in Cora since his firing. Former Boston executive, Dave Dombrowski, is the president of baseball operations over in Philadelphia and is the guy who hired Cora to manage the Red Sox in the first place. Dombrowski and Cora won a World Series together with one of the very best teams in Red Sox franchise history in 2018.

Philadelphia shouldn't be as bad as it is. The Phillies are 13-20 and are 10 1/2 games back behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East. Philadelphia boasts big-name talent, like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner, among many others, but they haven't been able to figure it out this season.

The same can be said about Boston, which is also 13-20. Right now, the Red Sox are nine games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East. At the end of the day, these are two underperforming clubs that aren't where they should be in the standings. For Cora, it sounds like he'll have his next roll on a platter if he wants it. The Red Sox, on the other hand, will have to determine if interim manager Chad Tracy is the guy moving forward, or just the guy for right now.