Red Sox give Cora 2nd chance
The Red Sox will rehire Alex Cora as manager, a person with knowledge of the decision told the AP, restoring him to the dugout less than a year after letting him go because of his role in the Astros cheating scandal.
The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity on Friday because the sides were still finalizing terms of the agreement and the move wasnot ready to be announced.
The decision came about a week after Cora finished serving a one-season suspension assessed by Commissioner Rob Manfred for Cora’s cheating while bench coach of the Astros during their run to the World Series championship in 2017. Cora, above, joined the Red Sox in November 2017 and led the Red Sox to the 2018World Series title after a franchise-record 108 regularseason wins.
The Red Sox finished third in 2019, and Cora was identified by Manfred last Jan. 13 as the ringleader in the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme, with his penalty held off until Manfred ruled on sign stealing allegations against the Red Sox. An infielder on the Red Sox’ s 2007 champions, Cora was mentioned 11 times in Manfred’s decision on the Astros.
The fallout from the Astros investigation also cost manager AJ Hinch and newly hired Mets manager Carlos Beltran their jobs.
Hinch was hired as Tigers manager on Oct. 30 after completing a one-season suspension. Beltran was a player on the 2017 Astros and was implicated by Manfred in the cheating scheme but not players were disciplined.
Ron Roenicke, promoted from bench coach to Cora’s replacement, was let go after the salary-shedding Red Sox stumbled to a last-place finish in the AL East.
“Alex should be managing. He did a really good job here,” Roenicke, who was a bench coach on Cora’s staff, told reporters after he was fired. “I’m hoping he does this again. Whether it’s here or its somewhere else, he should be managing.”