The Philadelphia Phillies enjoyed some temporary relief amid what has been a horrible start to the 2026 campaign on Thursday when they picked up a pair of victories in their doubleheader action against the San Francisco Giants. However, with manager Rob Thomson getting fired earlier this week, it’s clear the Phillies aren’t in a great spot.
Philadelphia moved quickly to hire Don Mattingly as its interim manager after parting ways with Thomson, but the team’s first choice was actually Alex Cora, who also recently found himself getting fired by the Boston Red Sox. Cora turned down the Phillies advances, but according to MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post, it sounds like he could still be a target for the team in 2027.
Phillies Could Hire Alex Cora for 2027 Campaign
Thomson’s status was tenuous with Philadelphia entering the season, and with the team crawling out to a painfully slow start, it isn’t much of a surprise that he wasn’t able to survive past the month of April. Mattingly should provide a steadying hand for the time being, but it remains to be seen whether or not he is the long-term replacement for Thomson.
Cora’s ties to general manager Dave Dombrowski made him an immediate candidate to replace Thomson, even though the latter was still employed when the Red Sox decided to make their move. Unsurprisingly, Dombrowski offered Thomson’s job to Cora, but he turned it down, opting instead to take some time for himself this summer.
With that, Cora almost certainly will not be coaching again this year, but he seems set to garner interest once again over the upcoming offseason. And according to Heyman, while the Phillies may have just missed out on Cora, they may already be plotting a move for him for the 2027 campaign.
“If Alex Cora was going to manage, it almost surely would have been with the Phillies,” Heyman wrote. “He and Dave Dombrowski have an excellent relationship from their 2018 World Series title together in Boston. Cora could actually become a Phillies candidate for 2027. But good for Cora to accept his kids’ invitation to take the summer off.”
Alex Cora Could Still Eventually Land with the Phillies
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 13: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora looks on from the dugout before the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 13, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Nobody can fault Cora for wanting to take some time for himself, especially when considering how quickly things went off the rails for him. The thing with the Red Sox is that their issues go beyond Cora, so while getting fired is never a great look, he is still viewed as one of the top managers in the entire league.
Whenever Cora decides he wants to return to coaching, he will have his pick of the litter. His former team, the Houston Astros, could have an opening soon, as could the New York Mets. The Phillies still make the most sense, though, making them a team to keep tabs on if they ultimately move on from Mattingly over the offseason.
Phillies Again Linked to Alex Cora Despite Turning Down Job