Boston Red Sox: The pros and cons of an Alex Cora rehire
The Boston Red Sox search for a new manager may just end with a familiar face.
When it comes to the Boston Red Sox managerial search, there is one name that immediately comes to fans’ minds.
Alex Cora.
In two seasons as the Red Sox manager, Cora posted an impressive record of 203-132. In 2018, he lead the Sox to their best season in franchise history, winning 108 regular season games and rolling past two 100-win teams in the postseason on their way to the franchise’s ninth World Series title.
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However, following the 2019 season, the Red Sox dismissed Cora in the wake of his involvement in two sign-stealing scandals: one in Boston, and another during his time as the bench coach of the Houston Astros. Following an MLB investigation into his role in these scandals, Cora was suspended for the entire 2020 season.
In Cora’s absence, Ron Roenicke—Cora’s bench coach in Boston—lead the Red Sox through their 60-game 2020 campaign. Following a disappointing 24-36 season—which had far more to do with the team’s lack of talent than Roenicke—however, the Red Sox decided to move on from Roenicke, and thus began their third managerial search in four off-seasons.
With Cora’s suspension set to expire at the conclusion of the World Series, however, the Red Sox may not have to look far from home to find their next manager. Despite the sign-stealing controversies, many fans have been calling for the Red Sox to reunite with Cora, who was incredibly popular both in the clubhouse and among the fan base during his two years in Boston.
The Pros and cons of Alex Cora as Boston Red Sox manager
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of the Boston Red Sox bringing back Alex Cora to lead them in 2020.
Pros:
-Cora was highly successful in his two seasons as the Red Sox manager, including winning a World Series title.
–He is extremely well-liked by the players.
-He is also very popular among fans.
-Bringing back Cora would immediately make the Red Sox relevant again, something which the franchise desperately needs after they were largely irrelevant both locally and nationally in 2020.
Cons:
-Cora was indicted in not one, but two separate major sign-stealing scandals. While Cora may be beloved locally, brining back a proven cheater probably wouldn’t be the best look for the Sox from a national perspective.
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-It also probably wouldn’t be the best look for the Red Sox to bring back a man whom they agreed to “part ways” with less than eleven months prior.
The question that the Red Sox now face is whether or not the pros of brining Cora back outweigh the cons.
As of this point, we have yet to see an indication of which direction Chaim Bloom, John Henry, and the Red Sox brass are leaning. But regardless of what direction the Boston Red Sox decide to go in for their next manager, it should certainly be a fascinating offseason inside Fenway Park, to say the least.