Alex Cora replacements: David Ross, Rocco Baldelli among names Red Sox could hire as next manager

MORE:Why did the Red Sox fire Alex Cora?

2. Rocco Baldelli

Besides Cora, Baldelli may be the best manager free agent available after the Minnesota Twins fired him after last season. The 44-year-old managed the Twins from 2019-2025 and won the AL Central three times in seven years, but his team's fizzled out in his last two seasons.

Baldelli briefly played for the Red Sox in 2009 but spent the majority of his playing career with the Tampa Bay Rays organization before he got into coaching. This year, Baldelli has been working as a special assistant in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as he is likely biding time until he gets another chance to manage a team.

3. David Ross

Ross was the Chicago Cubs manager from 2020-2023, which is also when current Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was an executive in the Cubs front office. Additionally, both Breslow and Ross were on the 2013 Red Sox World Series championship team, so there are multiple connections between the two.

Hiring Ross would mean Breslow's job is not in jeopardy since the two have previous connections with each other. Ross went under-.500 as the Cubs manager as he largely presided over a transitional period, but his best season was his last, and he will likely get another chance to manage in the league.

MORE:Alex Cora shares reactions to being fired on social media

4. Ryan Flaherty

Flaherty is a rising star in the coaching ranks as he was the Padres bench coach from 2020 to 2023 and has been the Cubs bench coach since 2024. Just 39 years-old, Flaherty interviewed for other manager opening in the past but has yet to have the chance to lead a team himself.

Boston hiring Flaherty would be the team betting on upside, but it could be worth it if Flaherty proves to be the real deal. However, Flaherty is less of a win-now move than other members of this list and more of a developmental hire who cna grow with the team.

5. Andy Green

Another former manager with a Breslow connection, Andy Green was the Cubs bench coach for the Cubs under Ross from 2020-2023. Green previously managed the San Diego Padres from 2016-2019 but had four-straight losing seasons and only reached 70 wins once in those four years.

Currently, Green works in the New York Mets front office and is a possible option if the Mets decide to move on from their manager, Carlos Mendoza. Like with Ross, Green would be a manager who is on the same page as Breslow and would let the organization move forward with a united vision.