The Boston Red Sox’s head coach, Alex Cora, has announced his departure.
After sign-stealing controversies, Alex Cora is no longer the Red Sox manager.
Alex Cora, who won the World Series in his debut season as manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2018, has agreed to leave the team due to allegations of sign-stealing this offseason.
Cora, 44, guided the Red Sox to a five-game victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018, after winning the World Series as the Astros’ bench coach the year before.
He is awaiting MLB sanction for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing conspiracy and is still being investigated for a separate sign-stealing scheme said to have occurred with the Red Sox in 2018.
According to MLB’s findings on Houston, Cora was responsible for designing the banging scheme and using the replay review room to decode and relay signs. Cora engaged in both schemes, essentially condoning the players’ actions.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Red Sox stated that based on the investigation’s findings, “we mutually agreed that it would not be viable for Alex to effectively lead the team moving forward.”
Manfred stated that he would withhold penalties for Cora until MLB completed its investigation into the charges against the Red Sox, but he is expected to face a heavy penalty.
“We agreed today that parting ways was the right thing for the organization,” Cora stated in a statement Tuesday. “I don’t want to be a nuisance for the Red Sox as they move forward. My two years as manager were the highlights of my life. It was an honor to manage these clubs and contribute to Boston’s World Series victory.
Following Monday’s announcement of team discipline, the Astros fired both manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. Hinch and Luhnow would have faced a suspension for the full 2020 season if they had stayed with Houston. Houston was also penalized $5 million and will forfeit its first and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021.
The Red Sox allegedly used video to decode opponents’ sign sequences and then relayed the knowledge to their players. They are not, however, accused of going as far as the Astros in terms of imparting intelligence to players at the plate, such as the Astros’ trash-can pounding.
Cora succeeded John Farrell as manager of the Boston Red Sox after the team finished last twice under Farrell, despite winning the World Series in 2013. With Cora at the helm in 2018, the Red Sox went 108-54 in the regular season and easily won the AL East. They led the majors in team batting average (.268) and runs scored (876).
Boston then dominated the postseason, going 11-3, beating the Yankees and Astros in the AL division and championship series, respectively, before defeating the Dodgers in the World Series.
Not long after Cora’s squad paraded through Boston’s streets, the Red Sox revealed that they had renegotiated his contract, which included an extension through the 2021 season and a club option for 2022.
“This is a terrible day for us,” owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, and CEO Sam Kennedy said in a joint statement.
“Alex is a unique individual and a beloved member of the Red Sox. We appreciate his impact on our franchise. We will miss his enthusiasm, energy, and valuable contributions to the communities of New England and Puerto Rico.”
Mike Minor, a Texas Rangers All-Star pitcher, responded on Twitter to Cora’s criticism that he wasn’t “playing the game the right way” by encouraging a teammate to drop a popup against Boston during his final start of 2019 to pursue his 200th strikeout of the season.
“But, he plays the game the right way…” Minor written.
The Red Sox couldn’t repeat their 2018 success in Cora’s second season, finishing 84-78 and third in the division, 19 games behind the Yankees.
Cora, who worked as an ESPN analyst before joining the Astros, spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, including portions of four seasons with the Red Sox, where he won the World Series in 2007. He also played for the Dodgers, Indians, Mets, and Rangers before retiring with the Washington Nationals in 2011.
Cora was a career utility infielder who was best recognized for his shortstop work.243 bat finished with 35 home runs and 286 RBI.
Cora’s departure means that 10 of the 30 major league teams will begin the 2020 season with a new manager. Boston’s next manager will be the fifth in ten seasons.
