5 potential replacements for Alex Cora after the 2024 season
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.
Oli Marmol
Oli Marmol is one of the few current managers with a contract expiring at the same time as Cora. Marmol coached in the minor leagues from 2011 to 2016 when he was promoted to the big leagues to be the Cardinals' first base coach for the following season.
Marmol's playing career was short, but members of the St. Louis organization knew he had the stuff to be a coach or manager early on. When Marmol told his manager at the Palm Beach Cardinals that he wanted to coach, the Cards made him an offer later that week.
Marmol has been praised for his knowledge of the game of baseball, his inquisitive nature, and ability to take accountability. Marmol is the youngest manager in the league, making him more relatable to players than some of the older candidates. He also speaks fluent Spanish and can communicate with players on a different level than some other managers.
Though his 2023 Cardinals team wasn't as successful as it should've been, St. Louis won 93 games under him in 2022. We'll see how 2024 unfolds, but the speed at which Marmol has been able to become a major league manager is a testament to his knowledge and how he's entrusted by others.
Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek has been with the Red Sox organization for decades and he's held multiple positions of authority, to go along with his unforgettable playing career.
Varitek has been given high-profile jobs with Boston since he retired from playing, including advisory roles to the general manager and president of baseball operations from 2012 to 2018. Since then, he has held multiple coaching positions with the Sox, from catching coach to game play coordinator to player information coach.
The former catcher has been a fan-favorite in the Red Sox organization since his playing days. His years of coaching and advisory experience to go along with a catcher's mindset make him a great candidate for Cora's replacement. The front office has trust in him and he's signed as part of the Red Sox coaching staff until 2025 — giving him a shot at managing could be a great next step in Tek's journey.
David Ross
David Ross' tenure with the Cubs didn't end on a great note despite the team coming into form when Craig Counsell hit the market. Chicago then made a business decision to bring in Counsell and send Ross packing.
Ross has three-plus seasons of managerial experience with Chicago and he served as a special advisor in the Cubs front office between his retirement from playing and his hiring as manager. The Yankees approached Ross this offseason to inquire about a bench coach position they needed filled, but Ross stated that he wanted his return as manager.
As a former Sox player himself, Ross may be interested in a reunion with the Red Sox. He and Breslow have already worked together as they were both with the Cubs until this offseason. If Ross is still unemployed by the time of Cora's potential departure, Boston should jump on him as the replacement.
Eric Chávez
Eric Chávez is yet another former player with advisory and coaching experience. The infielder played in MLB from 1998 to 2014 and spent the majority of his career with the Athletics, with whom he won six consecutive Gold Gloves from 2001-2006.
Chávez spent time as a special advisor in the front office of the Yankees and Angels organizations. He also served as a hitting coach in both the Yankees and Mets organizations, and he's now the bench coach for the Mets.
Chávez's playing career accolades and his coaching resume make him a good candidate for a managerial position. The Red Sox need defensive help and a former player like Chávez with a track record for success in the field could help the Sox fix their issues. Chávez is regarded as a "future manager" according to MLB insider Jon Heyman, and his years spent with the Mets learning under Buck Showalter should serve him well.
If the Red Sox need a manager for 2025 and there are no options with managing experience available, Chávez would be a fine choice.
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