Red Sox Firing Reportedly Not Slowing Down Interest in Alex Cora

The former Boston Red Sox manager is the best option available, despite being fired by the organization.

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

It sounds like former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora could very well end up finding a new home before the 2027 Major League Baseball season.

Boston shocked the baseball world this past April when it fired Cora and a handful of coaches after a 10-17 start to the season. It was a bit early to make a move of that nature and the Red Sox didn't put together an immediate turnaround as a result of it. Right now, Boston is 39-48 on the season. Overall, the Red Sox are 29-31 under interim manager Chad Tracy. Over the last two weeks, the Red Sox have shown progress, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Where Will Alex Cora Go?

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the Cora front, after he got fired, buzz immediately picked up around the league about where he could potentially land. The club that popped up right away was the Philadelphia Phillies. Like Boston, the Phillies were struggling. The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson shortly after Cora was let go and offered him their job. While this is the case, Cora turned it down, for now. Despite the fact that the Red Sox were 10-17 when Cora was fired, the former Boston manager is viewed around the league as one of the best managers out there. That's why it was so shocking that the Red Sox let him go. That viewpoint hasn't changed. For any team looking for a manager, Cora will be the top option out there. But where will he go? USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the New York Mets would "love" to hire Cora, but that he is still "expected" to join Philadelphia after the season.

"While the New York Mets would love to hire Alex Cora as their next manager, Cora still is expected to join the Phillies after rejecting their offer to replace Rob Thomson, who the club fired on April 28," Nightengale wrote. "The Phillies instead turned to Don Mattingly. Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran is the favorite for the Mets’ vacancy when interim manager Andy Green returns to the front office this winter."

For the Red Sox, they have their own problems to worry about, rather than thinking about Cora's next landing spot. But either of these options would be good for Boston. The decision to move on from Cora is likely something that is going to be talked about for a while. If he lands in the National League, then the Red Sox won't have to see him too much. That's why it would be good if he landed with the Mets or Phillies.

At the end of the day, the decision was a big one that led to a wide range of opinions. The best-case scenario would be Boston playing well and the conversation around the firing to completely die down.