Former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who reportedly turned down two offers to become the Philadelphia Phillies’ manager, is still open to a return to the dugout in 2027 but isn’t committing to anything right now. After getting fired by the Red Sox in April following a rough 10-17 start to the season, Cora has been weighing his options, and it sounds like family time is winning out big.
The Phillies Tried, But Cora Said No
The Phillies were clearly eager to bring Cora into the fold. According to Justin Tasch of the New York Post, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who worked with Cora back in Boston, offered him the managerial gig not once, but twice. He first made an offer during the 2026 season, and Cora turned it down to spend time with his family. Then, after the 2026 campaign wrapped up, Dombrowski came calling again. Cora said no *again*. It’s a pretty wild move to turn down a major league managing job, let alone two! With Cora out, Philadelphia ended up elevating interim manager Don Mattingly to the full-time position. You gotta feel for the Phillies, they wanted their guy, but Cora had other plans.
“I’m Not 100 Percent Sure I Want To Do It”
Cora spilled the beans on the “Baseball isn’t Boring” podcast with Rob Bradford, telling him, “I don’t know, man. We have to wait and see. We’ve still got one more year for that, which is great.” He also noted he’s still getting paid by Boston through next season, which, let’s be real, makes taking a breather a whole lot easier. He continued, “If we decide as a family that’s the route we want to take, we’ll do it. It’d be cool to go through the process again, it’d be cool.” But then he dropped the real kicker, adding, “I’m not 100 percent sure I want to do it.” That’s a huge statement from a guy who led the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018! Cora stressed the importance of family, telling Bradford that after the Red Sox firing, talking with people he cared about helped slow things down. He realized, “You have to make sure you take care of your people. And I think the best thing for the Cora-Felicianos is this, is to stay away and, at that point, kind of regroup and enjoy.” It sounds like he’s genuinely content to prioritize his family right now.
So, while Cora would surely draw interest if he decided to jump back in, it looks like fans will have to wait and see if he’s truly ready to return to the dugout in 2027. For now, he’s taking a very thoughtful, wait-and-see approach.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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