Red Sox fire manager Alex Cora amid huge coaching shake-up

boston red sox Manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff were fired on Saturday in an early-season overhaul with the club in last place in the American League East.

Bench coach Ramon Vazquez, hitting coach Peter Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin were also dismissed. According to a statement from the team, game planning and run prevention coach Jason Varitek, who is in his 30th year with the organization as a player and coach, “has been assigned a new role within the organization.”

Chad Tracy, a former major leaguer and manager of Boston’s Triple-A affiliate in Worcester through 2022, was named interim manager. He will take over a disappointing 10-17 club beset by a punchless lineup and an underachieving starting rotation that is already 7½ games out of first place. New York Yankees. Chad Epperson was named the interim third-base coach, and Collin Hetzler will join the staff as the hitting coach.

“Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and for many years thereafter, he will always have our deepest gratitude,” Red Sox owner John Henry said in a statement Saturday. “He has had a lasting impact on this team and this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult because of what Alex has meant to him since the day he arrived at the Red Sox.

“I want to thank Alex, our coaches and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been a part of this club beyond the field, and we will always have our respect and gratitude for them.”

Cora, 50, was in the second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract extension signed in July 2024, making him one of the highest-paid managers in Major League Baseball. The deal expires after the 2027 season.

The Red Sox initially hired Cora, a 14-year major league veteran, in 2018, after he spent a year as a bench coach. Houston Astros. The Puerto Rico native led Boston to a 108 win season and a World Series title in his first year.

The Red Sox failed to reach the postseason in 2019 before Cora resigned due to his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017. Commissioner Rob Manfred later suspended Cora for the 2020 season. The Red Sox re-assigned Cora upon his reinstatement, signing him to a two-year deal with club options for 2023 and 2024.

The Red Sox reached the postseason under Cora in 2021, advancing to the AL Championship Series, and in 2025, when the Yankees eliminated them in the AL Wild Card Series to conclude a turbulent year. Boston won 89 games last season despite trading rafael deversWhich was once considered a franchise pillar.

The Red Sox entered Saturday tied for last in home runs (15), last in slugging percentage (.335), last in wRC+ (78) and tied for 21st in runs scored (112). The starting rotation is considered a strength of the team with the reigning AL Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet In the No. 1 slot, he was 27th in ERA (5.31), 27th in FIP (4.96) and 22nd in innings pitched (127).