Alex Cora, the manager of the Boston Red Sox, has found himself at a career crossroads. As he enters the final year of his contract, speculation abounds regarding his future with the team and his potential appeal to other clubs. Amidst this uncertainty, Cora has also undergone a significant personal transformation, shedding over 30 pounds and embracing a healthier lifestyle.
Cora's Contract Year and the Red Sox's Prospects
Coming off back-to-back last-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, the pressure is on Cora to turn the Red Sox into contenders once again. FanGraphs projected the Red Sox to finish 80-82 and last in the AL East. The team's biggest free-agent addition, right-hander Lucas Giolito, is facing potential surgery and might miss the entire season. Despite these challenges, Cora remains confident, stating, "I do feel we’re better than what people think."
A better scenario exists for Cora, however. One in which he leads the Red Sox to a surprising breakthrough in the highly competitive AL East, reinforcing his value as a manager and making himself that much more attractive, both to the Sox and other clubs.
Cora acknowledges that his future in Boston depends on the team's performance. "It would be very selfish on my part to bang on the door and say I want X amount of years and this money," he said. If the Red Sox are unwilling or unable to sign Cora to an extension, he could get another job regardless. All it would take is one club to blame the team’s recent struggles on Chaim Bloom’s ineffectiveness the past two trade deadlines and ownership’s apparent indifference this offseason. One club to flop amid high expectations - the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are among the possibilities - and determine it wants a manager who won the 2018 World Series and nearly got back in 2021.
Controlling the Narrative and Embracing Accountability
Cora believes he has been able to manage the narrative surrounding the team since his arrival in 2017. “Over the years - I hate to say it this way, because it feels like I’m bragging - but I have controlled the narrative since 2017,” said Cora, referring to his hiring by the Red Sox at the end of that season. “Twice a day on that bench (in spring training), twice a day in Fenway, no one can say he hasn’t been able to deal with Boston.”
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He understands the importance of accountability in the Boston market. “People think dealing with the media is tough,” he said. “Eh, maybe. Jim Rice said it. If you do it right and you’re accountable, it’s not that tough.”
Cora's Weight Loss Journey and Healthy Lifestyle
Beyond the pressures of managing a major league baseball team, Cora has made significant strides in improving his personal health. He lost more than 30 pounds during the offseason by adopting the Keto diet and incorporating more running into his routine. "I started running like Forrest Gump," he said. "We ended up kind of building a gym in our garage," Cora said.
Cora's commitment to running extended to participating in the Boston Half Marathon on November 10, where he finished in 2:03:23, averaging a 9:25 mile pace. According to reports, Cora, 49, lost 30 pounds before the start of the 2024 season and said it was due to changing his diet and running. He also ran the BAA 5K on April 13, two days before the Boston Marathon, in 24:05, or 7:45 per mile. Later that afternoon, he managed the Red Sox game, a 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. According to his splits, Cora, 49, had a strong final mile of the Boston Half, needing only about 6 minutes to run the last 0.7 miles of the course, about 8:30 pace.
He also began running more to support his partner, Angelica Feliciano, who is training for a marathon. “Then she was kicking my ass,” Cora said, noting he completed 13.1 miles on Sunday. “I said, ‘No, no, no, we’re competing now.’”
Family and Future Considerations
Family plays a crucial role in Cora's life and career decisions. His daughter, Camila, will enter her senior year at Boston College this fall, and his twin sons, Xander and Isander, are 6. Cora, when he was 13, lost his father, Jose, to colon cancer. He talks about the importance of being present for his sons, just as he was for his daughter after he retired as a player. During the offseason, he helped coach his boys’ baseball team in Puerto Rico. “I was looking forward to getting to spring training, because dealing with the parents, that was awful,” he said.
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Cora acknowledges he wants to continue managing beyond this season, while repeating he has no intention of remaining in the job as long as warhorses such as Terry Francona, Tony La Russa and Bruce Bochy. When asked about the possibility that the demand for him might diminish if the Red Sox struggle again, Cora said, “There’s always TV. Who says I want to manage next year? People are making assumptions. I want to be in baseball. I love what I do. But there’s always ESPN. I know that.“And Deportes,” the bilingual Cora added, referring to ESPN’s Spanish-language network with a chuckle.
Following the same logic, Cora if he departed probably would be more inclined to join a club in the east, closer to his native Puerto Rico, than one in the west.
Support System and Team Dynamics
The hirings of two former major-league relievers - Craig Breslow as chief baseball officer, Andrew Bailey as pitching coach - should help the Red Sox on the pitching side. The return of Theo Epstein as a minority owner and part-time senior advisor should give Breslow the mentor Bloom, another first-time lead executive, never had.
Cora also spoke about how both physically and mentally, he is in a good place. At first, Cora attributed the difference to the team being younger and more athletic. When pressed, he added, “And we sucked last year.”
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