Cora: I’ll have say in ops choice
BALTIMORE — Much of manager Alex Cora’s pregame presser Sunday involved looking forward to 2024. He acknowledged what went wrong with his team in 2023, but used it as a vessel for next season.
Cora mentioned that he and his on-field staff have to do a better job of guiding the club and, for now, there have been no conversations about relieving any of them from their respective duties. However, that could change.
Cora also reiterated that he has no interest in becoming the Sox’ next executive to head baseball operations, something he relayed to the team’s ownership group.
“I was very honest with them. I’m not ready to do that,” said Cora. “If I felt like I could do that job, yeah I would probably tell them that I wanted to be a candidate. But I’m not ready.”
Cora added that ownership did not ask him if he wanted to be considered, noting that he told them his stance before the group could broach that idea.
The Sox manager did say, though, that he will have a voice in who, indeed, will run the Red Sox in 2024 and beyond.
“I’m part of the process,” Cora boldly stated.
That Cora will have a voice in the Sox’ new head of baseball operations is a clear indication that ownership holds him in high regard. It is very atypical that a manager has a say in this kind of search process. Normally, a general manager has their pick when it comes to who leads the team from the dugout.
With that in mind, leading the Red Sox — a highly-coveted gig — loses some of its shine.
“The decision is going to take as long as it’s going to take,” Cora said. “It could be weeks. It could be months. [Ownership] is in the middle of the process of identifying people and going through everything that they have to do to get the guy that will run the organization.”
Going out with a win
The Red Sox salvaged a split Sunday with their 6-1 victory against the Orioles at Camden Yards behind a stellar start by Tanner Houck. Houck took a nohitter into the sixth inning before a two-out single by Anthony Santander. Houck completed six scoreless innings, striking out six while walking three.
The Red Sox completed the season with a 78-84 record for the second consecutive year as well as their second straight last-place finish. Houck finished 6-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 21 starts.
“I made some good adjustments,” said Houck. “I feel like I’ve been saying that periodically throughout the year. So to end on a high note, definitely good going into the offseason.”
Verdugo on the season
Alex Verdugo’s season was arduous for the right fielder, both on and off the field.
“This is one of the hardest years that I’ve ever had. And that’s outside of baseball,” said Verdugo. “I had a lot of stuff, family issues going on and just personal-life things that have happened.
“I’m not here to paint a sad picture; I’m not here to read out my sob story,” he continued. “But at the end of the day, I am still a human, still a person. And, you know, when your family is affected and your family isn’t doing the best, it weighs on you.”
Verdugo was placed on the bereavement list in the early part of the summer following the death of his grandmother.
On the field, Verdugo was impressive, and should be an American League finalist for a Gold Glove. After a hot start to the season at the dish, Verdugo spiraled, putting together the worst offensive season of his Sox tenure. He finished with a .264/.324/.421 slash line with a .745 OPS and 13 homers.
“It was an OK year,” added Verdugo. “The second half didn’t go the way I wanted it to go. The way I take it is, when I go into the offseason I’m not going to be the happiest.
“I think there’s a kind of two ways to look at it. There was a really good side and there’s a really bad side. So I think for me, I’ll probably be more focused on the struggles and the downside of it.”
There were more downsides than good. Verdugo was benched by Cora in June for not hustling in Cleveland. Two months later, he was benched again, this time for showing up late to Fenway prior to a game with the Blue Jays.
Despite those two decisions, Verdugo said the relationship with his manager isn’t severed.
‘It’s still good,” said Verdugo. “I don’t have any hard feelings. I don’t feel bad about it. I just think, for me, there were certain things that maybe I felt like could have been handled a little bit differently. At the end of the day, I’ve kind of been the front-runner in a lot of categories where I get aired out, or I get a little bit of discipline that gets heard about.”
Verdugo will be a free agent at the end of next season, and the Sox will likely look to move him during the offseason.
“I try not to think about it,” Verdugo said. “It’s never served me good. Hopefully, I stay here with the Red Sox. I love the organization; I made it clear to them. Obviously getting a new GM, we’re not too sure where we’re going with it. But I do know that at the end of the day, I just got to work hard and play hard. If it’s not this team, there’s 29 other teams.”
Jansen looks forward
Kenley Jansen racked up 29 saves in his first season as the
Red Sox closer. Had it not been for a recent bout with COVID that landed him on the injured list, he certainly would have eclipsed or equaled 30 saves.
Jansen posted a 3.63 ERA in 51 games. He has one year left on his two-year deal. The 36-year-old feels like there’s room for improvement, which will begin with his offseason training.
“We’re going to do a lot of mobility and stuff like that, make sure my hips are opened,” said Jansen.
“I’m going to do a lot of core work. I’m also going to lose a couple of pounds. That’s going to benefit me in the long run.”
Will he stay or go?
Justin Turner made a huge impression in the clubhouse and on the field in his first year in Boston. The 38-year-old slashed .276/ .345/.455 with an .800 OPS and 23 homers. His 96 RBIs were a career high.
Turner has a $13.4 million player option for next season, with a $6.7 million buyout he is likely to exercise. He said Sunday that he would entertain a return to Boston, but hasn’t given it much thought.
“It’s something that will definitely be discussed, and thoughts will go into that over the next few weeks and we’ll figure out where we stand from there,” Turner said.
On the outlook of next season, Turner believes the team can take another step.
“There’s a lot of talent,” said Turner. “There are a lot of good players, a lot of guys who I think are winning-caliber players. So, it’s an exciting future for the organization, especially with all the young talent.”