Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora's tenure with the team has been full of ups and downs. From a World Series win in 2018 to two consecutive last-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, Cora has been there, still highly regarded as one of the best managers and baseball minds in the game.
Cora's contract with the Red Sox expires at the end of the 2024 campaign, though. According to MassLive's Chris Cotillo, there have been no notable talks of an extension between the two parties. In all likelihood, Cora will be leaving Boston at the end of the season and the Red Sox will need to seek a replacement.
In a press conference on the morning of Feb. 13, Cora deflected questions about his contract and any potential extension talks with the Red Sox. He went on to say that he wishes to continue his baseball career, but he has no intention of managing for another decade. He mentioned migrating to a front office position or continuing his baseball work in his native Puerto Rico, but any time the subject of continuing his career with Boston arose, the topic swiftly changed.
It's unlikely that Cora would want to discuss an extension in the middle of a season — or that he would want to stay with a team that's recently given him no star power to work with — and it seems increasingly likely that the Red Sox are going to need to find a new manager at the end of the season.
5 potential replacements for Alex Cora after the 2024 season
Andrew Bailey
The Red Sox just hired a new pitching coach, so if they can't get an extension sorted with Cora, a respectable name could be waiting in the wings.
Bailey joined the San Francisco Giants organization as a pitching coach before the 2020 season after an eight-year major league career. Since his coaching career began, he's helped three different pitchers collect Cy Young votes — Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón and Logan Webb all finished in the top-six in the Cy Young voting after a season under Bailey's tutelage.
Bailey's coaching talents have been proven by his pitchers' success and he already has a good working relationship with new Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. Both pitchers played on the Red Sox together and have reunited in Boston on a mission to reinvent the pitching staff. If Bailey and Breslow's work with pitching staff is successful, Bailey could be well on his way to the manager role in Breslow's eyes.