Former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora turned down the opportunity to get back into Major League Baseball almost immediately.
The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday, making him the second managerial casualty of the season. Speculation quickly turned to Cora as a possible replacement given his ties to Phillies president Dave Dombrowski, who worked with him in Boston.
That apparently will not be happening. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Cora was quickly offered the Phillies job but declined, preferring to spend more time with his family.
Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies' managerial job before Don Mattingly, but declined.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 28, 2026
He has decided to spend time with his family.
Don Mattingly was named interim manager of the Phillies, and it appears he will continue in that role for a while.
The Red Sox still owe Cora roughly $12 million, so he will be getting a substantial payday even if he does not work. That may have factored into his thinking. There is also the realistic thought that taking over a 9-19 Phillies team just wasn’t all that enticing, and he would be better served by waiting for other opportunities instead of taking the first one that comes his way.
Cora was fired on Saturday with the Red Sox off to a 10-17 start. Red Sox players were openly displeased with that decision, a clear signal of how well-respected Cora is despite the poor start.
