Alex Cora Out As Red Sox Manager After Cheating Scandal
BOSTON (CBS) -- Alex Cora is no longer the manager of the Boston Red Sox. The club and Cora have "mutually agreed to part ways" one day after Major League Baseball released an investigation into sign stealing.
Cora was recently implicated in a pair of cheating scandals, first with Houston in 2017 when he served as the Astros bench coach and again in 2018 in his first season as Red Sox manager.
Cora met with Red Sox owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner and CEO Sam Kennedy on Tuesday.
"Today we met to discuss the Commissioner's report related to the Houston Astros investigation. Given the findings and the Commissioner's ruling, we collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways."
After investigating a 2017 sign-stealing scheme by the Astros, MLB suspended manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow for the 2020 season, fined the team $5 million and took away first- and second-round draft picks in both 2020 and 2021. Shortly after the findings were announced, Astros owner Jim Crane fired both Hinch and Luhnow.
According to MLB's investigation, Cora was the mastermind behind Houston's sign-stealing scheme in 2017. He was hired by Boston after the Astros won their first title in franchise history in 2017.
READ: MLB's Full Investigative Findings On The Houston Astros
"We agreed today that parting ways was the best thing for the organization," Cora said. "I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward."
Cora led the Red Sox to a franchise-best 108-54 record and a World Series title in his first season on the Boston bench. But the honeymoon didn't last, as the Red Sox stumbled to an 84-78 record in 2019 and missed the postseason.
Cora said Boston is a "special place" and he will "miss it dearly."
Red Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 11, with the team's first full-squad workout set for Feb. 17. Now we'll wait and see who is running those workouts.