From spring training into the early months of the 2024 MLB slate, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been quiet about the plans for his future.
The skipper's contract with the Red Sox expires at the end of the season and any information he or the front office has shared about contract discussions has been intentionally vague. Cora admitted that it was never his plan to manage for life, but he's likely going to keep it going for a few more years.
Cora recently shared that he and the Red Sox have no plans to discuss an extension midseason, which should concern any fans hopeful that Cora might stick around.
“I think I said it earlier: Out of respect for the organization and the players, and the season, we’re not going to talk about contracts,” Cora said to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “We’ll play it out, and then whatever is decided is decided. From my end, like I said before, I can’t be selfish. I cannot be selfish in this situation. We finished last the last two years and we’re playing under .500 baseball. My situation will be taken care of in the future, whatever the organization decides — or whatever I decide to do."
Alex Cora and Red Sox front office will not discuss his expiring contract until after the season
The news shouldn't come as a surprise to Sox fans. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow revealed after Ceddanne Rafaela's extension in April that Boston wasn't close to securing any other deals and that the front office planned to table any other discussions until the end of the season. It's unclear if Breslow referenced extensions with players only, but Cora's recent statement aligns with the front office's plans.
Many reporters and experts have theorized that Cora may hope to hit free agency and follow in Craig Counsell's footsteps from 2023. The former Brewers skipper sort of "created" a concept of free agency for managers after he departed the Milwaukee club. Counsell knew his services would be highly coveted and he was correct — he signed with the Cubs for five years at $40 million, a record payday for any skipper in MLB history.
Alex Cora: No Plans To Discuss Red Sox Extension Mid-Season https://t.co/3duJbetKm9 pic.twitter.com/7HnEOQMB8k
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) June 1, 2024
Cora also didn't rule out moving to the front office at some point in his baseball career and the Red Sox still lack a general manager. Breslow said he has no plans to hire one during the season, which could leave the job open for Cora after the season, provided he's interested.
The Red Sox organization and Cora have shared compliments back and forth for much of the season. He and Breslow have praised each other and said they have a good working relationship.
Cora is a polarizing figure in Red Sox Nation, and his fans use his glowing exchanges about Breslow and the organization as fuel that he may re-sign in Boston. But the news that any contract discussions will take place after the season may have the opposite effect.