The Boston Red Sox have made a stunning, sweeping decision. Alex Cora Out, the manager who guided Boston to one of the most dominant championship runs in franchise history, has been relieved of his duties — along with five members of his coaching staff — as the club stumbles through a deeply disappointing 10-17 start to the 2025 season.
It’s over.
The announcement came just hours after the Red Sox dismantled the Baltimore Orioles 17-1 on Saturday — their most convincing performance of the year. Ironic, brutal, and oddly poetic all at once. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Saturday’s 16-run margin of victory stands as the largest winning margin in any Major League manager’s final game in the Modern Era (since 1900). A blowout win. A farewell gift nobody asked for.
A Legacy That Cannot Be Erased
When you talk about Alex Cora Out, you cannot separate the man from 2018. In his very first season at the helm, Cora led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 wins and an 11-3 postseason run that ended with a World Series championship. It was, by nearly every measure, one of the greatest single seasons any Boston manager has ever produced.
Principal owner John Henry was unambiguous in his praise. “Alex Cora Out guided the team to one of the most remarkable seasons in Red Sox history in 2018,” Henry stated, further noting that Cora’s influence on the organization and the city stretches far beyond what happened on the field.
Eight seasons. A 620-541 record. One championship. One ALCS appearance. That is the full body of work Cora leaves behind.
The Contract, The Comeback, and The Unraveling
The Alex Cora Out situation has always been a complicated thread in Boston’s recent history. He was first hired in October 2017, then parted ways with the organization in early 2020 following his suspension by MLB for his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal — he had been Houston’s bench coach during the infamous 2017 season. After the suspension was served, Boston brought him back in 2021. That reunion produced a memorable run to the American League Championship Series, where Boston fell to Houston in six Alex Cora Out games.
Then came the extension. Shortly after the 2024 All-Star break, the Red Sox and Cora agreed to a three-year deal — a clear signal that the organization believed he was the right person to lead a young, ascending roster into what they hoped would be a sustained window of contention. Last season, the team won 89 Alex Cora Out games and reached the postseason before falling to the Yankees in a three-game Wild Card Series.
But 2025 has been a disaster. A 2-8 start. No sustained momentum. Defensive lapses. Offensive inconsistency. The same fundamental breakdowns, week after week, that became almost a calling card of this era. For a manager whose greatest strengths as a player were defense and fundamentals, the failures in those specific areas stung with particular sharpness.
What Went Wrong?
The Red Sox entered this season with genuine optimism. The team added two experienced starters to the rotation: Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez. An ace in Garrett Crochet who delivered brilliantly on Saturday, tossing the gem that triggered the 17-run eruption — and, unknowingly, the beginning of the end for his manager.
What they didn’t add was a middle-of-the-order bat. When Alex Bregman departed for the Cubs in free agency, Boston declined to replace that power presence. It was a choice. Whether it was the right one is now a moot point — the offense sputtered out of the gate and never truly found its footing…Read more
Cora kept preaching patience. Get back to .500 first, then aim higher. The team never got there.
What’s Next
Chad Tracy, the Triple-A Worcester manager, steps in as interim Alex Cora Out replacement, beginning with Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles at Camden Yards. He inherits a clubhouse that has talent — real, undeniable talent — but has yet to perform anywhere close to its ceiling.
Also departing are hitting coach Pete Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and Major League Hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin. Jason Varitek, who served as the game planning and run prevention coach, has been moved to a different role within the organization.
Chad Epperson, the Double-A Portland manager, will serve as interim third-base coach. Colin Hetzler, Worcester’s hitting coach, joins the Major League staff immediately.
Red Sox president/CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow are expected to address the media Sunday morning, ahead of the 1:35 p.m. ET Alex Cora Out game.
The End of an Era
This is the first time Boston has dismissed a manager mid-season since Jimy Williams was let go in August 2001. That fact alone underscores how serious — and how desperate — this moment feels.
Alex Cora Out gave Boston a championship. He gave the city memories that will live for generations. But baseball is ruthless, results are unforgiving, and a 10-17 record with a roster built to compete left the organization with what they felt was no other choice.
The Red Sox move forward. Alex Cora moves on. And somewhere in the middle of all that, a 17-1 win sits as the strangest, saddest send-off imaginable…Read more
