In the hours after he was suddenly fired on Saturday, now-former Red Sox manager Alex Cora took a defiant posture, taking to his social media accounts to declare that he was “happy” after being removed from his job along with six members of his coaching staff.
But four days after Cora’s firing by Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the 50-year-old who managed the Red Sox for eight seasons struck a classier and more emotional tone. According to a report by Red Sox beat reporter Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Cora sent an email to everyone in the Red Sox organization in which he expressed his thanks as well as his disappointment over how his tenure ended.
Before being named manager of the Red Sox before the 2018 season, Cora spent 3 1/2 seasons of his 14-year playing career with the Red Sox. Cora came to Boston from Cleveland in a 2005 trade-deadline deal, then re-signed with the Red Sox as a free agent after the 2006 campaign, staying through the 2008 season. He played in the postseason in three of those four Red Sox years and was a member of Boston’s 2007 World Series championship team.
In his rookie year as a manager, he led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins and a World Series championship — the fourth for Boston in the 21st century, still more than any other team since 2000.
But Wednesday saw Cora saying what will likely be his final goodbye to the Red Sox organization that came to define his career.
Cora Writes of Disappointment at Not Finishing ‘the Job’
Cotillo obtained the text of the email that was sent to the entire Red Sox organization. Cora’s email read as follows, in its entirety.
“Good morning. I wanted to take a moment before heading home to thank you.
Being part of this organization has meant a great deal to me. As a player and as a manager.
Like I always tell free agents, I’m glad my kids grew up here. It’s unique, special and magical.
Thank you for treating me with respect and most importantly accept me as AC. I’m grateful for this experience, it made me better.
We are happy to have the time to be full time parents, that’s the truth, but also we are disappointed that we didn’t finish the job.
I respect the direction the organization is taking. A lot of talented people will help to accomplish the ultimate goal, having another duck boat parade.
Thank you for the hard work, sleepless nights, professionalism and effort to help me lead this great organization.
One last thing, keep showing up everyday and don’t take the Fenway experience for granted, your working place is the best in the world.
Gracias
AC”
Cora Says He Will Not Manage This Season
When Cora was first hired as Red Sox manager, after spending 2017 as bench coach for the Houston Astros where he was caught in the team’s sign-stealing scandal, it was then-president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski who hired him.
Immediately after the Red Sox fired Cora, Dombrowski — now PBO of the Philadelphia Phillies — offered Cora the manager’s job for that team. But Cora declined. He then told Jon Heyman of the New York Post that he does not want to manage again during the 2026 season, stating instead that he wants to spend time as “a full-time dad.”
After the 2026 season, however, most baseball insiders and experts expect that Cora will be in a position to choose from multiple managerial job offers.
Alex Cora Sends Emotional Email to Red Sox 4 Days After He Was Fired