Why Alex Cora turned down the Phillies managerial job before Rob Thomson was even fired

[Do Phillies or Red Sox have a better chance of turning it around? Weighing the odds after managerial firings

Mike Axisa

Cora's contract with the Red Sox runs through 2027. He can stay home and spend time with his family through the end of next season and continue to collect paychecks, so, right now, there's not much pressure to figure out what's next. It also makes sense to pass on the Phillies' job now to see what else becomes available after the season, and pick from multiple options.

Don Mattingly, Thomson's bench coach, was named Philadelphia's interim manager through the end of this season. They will not seek a permanent replacement now -- there are only so many quality managers available in-season -- and will instead circle back in a few months. I would expect Dombrowski to touch base with Cora again then, just to see how he's feeling.

"I think Alex Cora's one of the finest managers in the game of baseball," Dombrowski said Tuesday. "I've been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Fame managers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland, and have been very fortunate in my career. I think if Alex Cora decides to keep managing again, he has a chance to be in that same category."

Thomson replaced Joe Girardi in June 2022 and led the team to the National League pennant that year. The Phillies went 355-270 in parts of five seasons under Thomson, and reached the postseason four times. Cora guided the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title in his first year with the team. The Red Sox went 620-541 in parts of eight years under his watch.