Following Major League Baseball’s levying of penalties against the Houston Astros on Monday, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora — Houston’s bench coach during their 2017 World Series championship season and heavily implicated in MLB’s report on the team’s sign-stealing scandal — became the next domino to fall in this unprecedented saga on Tuesday evening.
As per a team announcement, following a meeting of Boston organizational brass on Tuesday, both parties apparently felt it was best to go their separate ways.
“Today [Red Sox principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, CEO Sam Kennedy, and Cora] met to discuss the Commissioner’s report related to the Houston Astros investigation. Given the findings and 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.”
Cora, 44, was set to enter his third year at the helm in Boston with the cloud of MLB’s ongoing investigation into the Red Sox’ own sign-stealing operation during their World Series championship 2018 season hanging over him.
Many around the game expect Cora’s punishment to equal or surpass those of AJ Hinch or Jeff Luhnow, his manager and GM in Houston, respectively, who each received one-year suspensions and were consequently fired.
Clearly, all parties involved felt that getting out ahead of what’s yet to come was the best course of action. Cora addressed the situation in the Red Sox’ statement, as well.
“We agreed today that parting ways was the best thing for the organization,” Cora said. “I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward.”
We’ll keep you posted as more details emerge.
