The Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five other coaching staff members, appointing Chad Tracy as the new manager. This decision was primarily made by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, with support from ownership.
Key points
Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora
Five other coaching staff members were also let go
Feb 15, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow talks with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow talks with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Of course, the decision to make sweeping changes to the coaching staff, as the Red Sox did on Saturday night, does not come without some level of sign-off from ownership, ut Breslow and Kennedy made one thing very clear: this was Breslow's decision. "Craig leads our baseball operation, and he's made several bold decisions and recommendations, and this was one of them, and we fully support it, and that's why we took the action we took yesterday," Kennedy said during his media availability.
For years, Cora seemed untouchable in the eyes of Red Sox ownership. He was fired and rehired after serving a one-year suspension for his involvement in ' sign-stealing scandal and outlasted two of the three general managers during his tenure. As for how and why Breslow has earned the trust of principal owner John Henry, says the Red Sox's success in 2025 led to that: "For years, Cora was the most powerful person in the organization. But with last year's success, sources within the Red Sox organization felt that Breslow had built a productive relationship with Henry.
Q&A
Why did the Boston Red Sox fire Alex Cora?
The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora as part of sweeping changes to their coaching staff, a decision led by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow.
Who is Chad Tracy and why was he appointed as the new manager?
Chad Tracy, previously the manager of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, was appointed as the new manager following Alex Cora's firing.
What did Red Sox President Sam Kennedy say about the coaching changes?
Red Sox President Sam Kennedy stated that the decision to change the coaching staff was fully supported by ownership and was primarily made by Craig Breslow.
How many members of the coaching staff were fired along with Alex Cora?
Along with Alex Cora, five other members of the major league coaching staff were also fired by the Boston Red Sox.
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The relationship between Breslow and Cora was an arranged marriage; his firing represents a clear victory for Breslow; this is his team now. He will now have the chance to build the coaching staff out in his vision.
The Red Sox entered the 2026 season with a clear message to fans that this was the beginning of a championship window, the goal was to build on last year's wild card exit and make a deeper playoff run and compete for a World Series title.
Despite promoting a number of coaches from their minor league ranks, Kennedy and Breslow made it clear that this decision was not a look towards the future, but rather one they hope will help to right the ship.
"It really comes down to the belief we have in the players and the belief we have in the group to accomplish what we set out to accomplish" Breslow said, "by acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us, so we've got almost a full seasons worth of run to take advantage of this fresh start and ultimately, to compete for a division and a deep postseason run" he continued.
John Henry thinks he owes nothing to the fans
Apr 15, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox owner John Henry at Fenway Park before a game against the Minnesota Twins. Every player is wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Apr 15, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox owner John Henry at Fenway Park before a game against the Minnesota Twins. Every player is wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
While Henry was in Baltimore when Cora and the rest of the staff were dismissed, he was notably absent when Breslow and Kennedy met with the media. Henry has been notoriously unavailable to the media and the fans since the 2019 season, delegating that role to Kennedy.
When asked about Henry's presence, Kennedy said, "John was a part of the meetings yesterday, and a part of the meetings we just had this morning." When asked whether he had left Baltimore, Kennedy simply answered, "No."
As for why Henry did not meet with the media with the duo? "Look, Craig and I have a job to do, and this is our job," Kennedy said.
Ultimately, Henry has the final say in any decision the Red Sox make, and fans deserve to hear from him when these types of franchise-altering decisions are made. Instead, the message was clear: Henry does not think he owes the fans any explanation.
The Red Sox, who sit at 10-17 and in last place in the American League East, will now look to turn the page on the Alex Cora era and right the ship on a season that got off on the worst possible foot.
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