Antelope Valley Press

Red Sox, Cora agree to parting ways

Boston manager fired in sign stealing scandal from 2017-18

- By JIMMY GOLEN

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora on Tuesday, a day after baseball Commission­er Rob Manfred implicated him in the sport’s sign-stealing scandal.

Cora was the bench coach for the Houston Astros when they illicitly stole signs and won the 2017 World Series. Baseball Commission­er Rob Manfred mentioned Cora by name 11 times in a nine-page report Monday, describing him as a key person in the planning and execution of the cheating scheme.

The Astros fired manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow an hour after Manfred suspended them for the 2020 season for their role in the cheating scheme.

Cora met Tuesday with Boston management, less than a month before the start of spring training. Bench coach Ron Roenicke and former Red Sox star Jason Varitek may be considered for the role.

“Given the findings and the commission­er’s ruling, we collective­ly decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectivel­y lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways,” the team said in a statement attributed to owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, CEO Sam Kennedy and Cora.

Manfred said Cora was among those who “originated and executed” aspects of the cheating scheme, in which the team used a center field camera to decode catchers’ signals to pitchers and banged on a trash can with a bat or massage gun near the dugout to let hitters know which pitch was coming.

Manfred announced he was withholdin­g punishment of Cora until completing a separate investigat­ion of accusation­s the Red Sox stole signs in 2018. Indication­s were the penalty would be equal or greater than what Hinch and Luhnow received.

Baseball says that investigat­ion will continue. Cora is still likely to be suspended, and it’s unclear if MLB will also punish the Red Sox franchise, pending findings in the investigat­ion.

“We agreed today that parting ways was the best thing for the organizati­on,” Cora said in a statement released by the Red Sox. “I do not want to be a distractio­n to the Red Sox as they move forward.”

New Mets manager and former Astros player Carlos Beltrán also was implicated by Manfred in his report Monday, the only player mentioned. Manfred decided that no players would be discipline­d for breaking rules prohibitin­g the use of electronic­s to steal catcher’s signs in 2017 after levying penalties against Boston and the New York Yankees.

The Mets declined comment on Beltrán’s status.

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost the 2017 World Series to the Astros and again in 2018 to the Red Sox.

“All clubs have been asked by Major League Baseball not to comment on today’s punishment of the Houston Astros as it’s inappropri­ate to comment on discipline imposed on another club,” Los Angeles said in a statement Monday night. “The Dodgers have also been asked not to comment on any wrongdoing during the 2017 World Series and will have no further comment at this time.”

A member of Boston’s 2007 championsh­ip club, Cora was hired in November to take over a Red Sox team that won back-to-back AL East titles in 2016-17 but failed to advance in the postseason under John Farrell.

Cora guided the team to a franchise-record 108 regular-season victories in 2018 and its fourth World Series title in 15 years.

 ?? Associated Press ?? SCANDALIZE­D — In this Oct. 28, 2018, file photo, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora waits for the start of Game 5 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. Cora was fired by the Red Sox on Tuesday, a day after baseball Commission­er Rob Manfred implicated him in the sport’s sign-stealing scandal.
Associated Press SCANDALIZE­D — In this Oct. 28, 2018, file photo, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora waits for the start of Game 5 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. Cora was fired by the Red Sox on Tuesday, a day after baseball Commission­er Rob Manfred implicated him in the sport’s sign-stealing scandal.

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