The New York Mets have been rumored to be a potential landing spot for former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
Cora was fired on the weekend, and many thought he’d have a job almost instantly. After the Philadelphia Phillies fired Rob Thomson, the Phillies tried to hire him, but Cora said he wants some time off to be with his family.
Once Cora is ready to return, he will be highly sought after, and many Mets fans are hoping he will manage New York. Yet, Yankees announcer Michael Kay said on ‘The Michael Kay Show’ on ESPN that he doubts Cora will want to manage the ‘dumpster fire’ Mets.
“You think he’s going to take a job with a guy who really carries himself like he invented baseball?” Kay said, referring to Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. “I don’t think the Mets have ever been an option for Alex Cora, ever.”
Although Kay doesn’t think Cora wants to be hired by the Mets, New York doesn’t have a managerial vacancy anyway.
Despite the slow start, the Mets have yet to fire Mendoza, and the team has backed him and shown its support. But if New York does fire Mendoza, the calls to hire Cora will only increase.
However, if Kay is accurate, there isn’t a chance Cora will be the Mets manager anyway, even if they make a move.
Mets Players Back Mendoza
Despite many Mets fans calling for Mendoza to be fired, the players have his back.
The start to New York’s season has not been a good one, but superstar outfielder Juan Soto said the start isn’t on Mendoza. Instead, he believes the players haven’t played up to expectations.
“We’re more worried about our job,” Soto said. “As players, we have to perform. Definitely, this is not Mendy’s fault or David’s fault. They definitely put a great team together. And we have to be the ones that go out there and perform at the end of the day. I don’t think he’s been doing anything wrong. I think he’s been doing a great job as a manager. He’s been moving the pieces and putting the pieces in the right spot. We haven’t come through. It’s not his fault at all.”
Mendoza, meanwhile, said he isn’t thinking about his future or potentially being fired.
“The only thing I’m worried about here is I’ve got to get the guys going,” Mendoza said Sunday after his Mets were swept in a doubleheader by the Rockies. “I get it, I get it. I mean, it sucks. And I know the questions will continue to come up. But my job is to find a way to get those guys out of the funk. That’s the bottom line.”
New York is off to a 10-19 start.
Mets Named Top Fit for Cora
Once Cora decides to manage again, several teams will be after him.
Yet, MLB analyst Scott Polachek of Bleacher Report predicted Cora as the top fit for the Mets.
“While Carlos Mendoza led the team to the National League Championship Series in his first year in 2024, New York disappointed in 2025 by missing the playoffs entirely and has looked nothing like a playoff team in 2026 to this point. Given the payroll, the front office may not have much patience. And the biggest move it could make in the short term is making a managerial change,” Polacheck wrote.
Cora helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2018.
Mets Handed Harsh Take on Potential Chances of Hiring Alex Cora