
The Boston Red Sox unexpectedly fired manager Alex Cora and much of their coaching staff, surprising many observers. This decision comes after a poor start to the season, despite Cora's recent success leading the team to the playoffs.
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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora
Why MLB Insider Was Blindsided By Red Sox's Shocking Alex Cora Move originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Many people were taken by surprise when the Boston Red Soxfired Alex Cora and much of their coaching staff on Saturday.
Despite the team's poor start, there'd been no indication that Cora was on the hot seat. After all, he'd just led the Red Sox to a playoff berth last fall and had only just begun the second season of his three-year extension.
One MLB insider particularly blindsided by the news was Ken Rosenthal, who'd reported that Cora's job didn't appear to be in jeopardy in the days leading up to his dismissal.
"An early move with Alex Cora, who is in the second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract, seems unlikely," Rosenthal wrote for The Athletic on April 20 (subscription required).
Rosenthal reiterated that stance last Thursday following Boston's miserable sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees,
The Red Sox fired Alex Cora due to a poor start to the season, despite his previous success in leading the team to a playoff berth.
Alex Cora had just begun the second season of a three-year extension when he was fired by the Red Sox.
Many MLB insiders were blindsided by the firing, as there had been no indications that Cora was on the hot seat.

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"That alone gives him some security... They gave him that contract because they believe in him," Rosenthal said. "I don't expect him to be on the same kind of hot seat (as other managers)."
Ultimately, Cora's contract wasn't enough to save his job and didn't provide him the type of security that Rosenthal thought it did, reinforcing the truly shocking nature of Boston's decision.