Alex Cora Exit Rumors Emerge After Winter Meetings

The MLB offseason officially kicked into high gear last week, which is likely thanks in part to the annual winter meetings that took place from Dec. 3-6. This time allowed all the key decision-makers around the majors to get some face time with one another, setting the stage for signings or trades.

For Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, the winter meetings also gave him a chance to feel out other organizations with his contract set to expire in 2024 and a new chief baseball officer overseeing him.

That should make it no surprise, then, that rumors involving a possible exit have emerged following this MLB get-together in Nashville.

USA Today's Bob Nightenale reported after the winter meetings that "several" clubs are "expressing strong interest" in Cora. The fact this news arrives on the heels of the gathering in Tennessee is interesting timing to say the least.

Cora finds himself in a tricky situation heading into the 2024 campaign. He's got a new boss in Craig Breslow, who won't be as tied to an incumbent manager since he didn't hire them. That significantly lessened Cora's job security, as Breslow won't hesitate to install his own skipper if the season goes off the rails quickly.

As a result, it's smart for Cora to put feelers out on other opportunities. We saw some shocking manager moves this offseason with Craig Counsell ousting David Ross as the Chicago Cubs' clubhouse leader basically overnight, which showed anything can happen when a team has clear interest in a candidate.

With a World Series ring and .543 winning percentage as a manager, Cora's sure to have suitors if he and Boston part ways. He can ramp up that interest even further with a bounce-back 2024 performance.

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