Alex Cora is the New Red Sox Manager

BOSTON -- For the majority of his four seasons as a utility infielder with the Red Sox, Alex Cora wore No. 23. Nearly a decade later, the most relevant number associated with him will be 47.

Cora was hired Sunday as the 47th manager in Red Sox history, the team announced Sunday. After one season as the Houston Astros' bench coach, he will take the reins of a young Red Sox team that won 93 games and a division title in back-to-back seasons under deposed manager John Farrell

Cora received a three-year contract with a club option for 2021, a source told ESPN.

Because the Astros are still playing, having advanced to the World Series with a 4-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night in Houston, the Red Sox were unable to introduce Cora at Fenway Park. A press conference will have to wait until after the World Series.

Cora will remain with the Astros through the World Series, which begins Tuesday.

The Red Sox's decision to hire Cora comes after an expedited 11-day search. Within the past week, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski met with three candidates -- Cora, former Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus and longtime Minnesota Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire, who has since been hired by the Tigers -- before settling on Cora, who also interviewed for openings with the New York Mets and Tigers.

Cora quickly emerged as the Red Sox's top candidate. Dombrowski traveled to New York last Sunday to interview Cora on an off-day in the ALCS. A few days later, Cora spoke by phone with Red Sox owner John Henry.

Carlos Beltran said. "He's a guy that always is looking for information that he could use against the opposite team. He has good communication with the guys, respects the guys. He's always in the clubhouse getting to know the players, getting to know which buttons he could push on each player to make them go out there and play the game hard, which is great."

Indeed, Cora is viewed within the industry as a strong communicator. A native of Puerto Rico and a bilingual speaker, he has been praised for his ability to relate to players of all backgrounds. He's also only six seasons removed from a 14-year playing career, and at age 42, he will be the third-youngest manager in the majors after Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash and San Diego's Andy Green. Cora is only one month older than David Ortiz.

According to sources familiar with Cora's thinking, he views the Red Sox as a ready-to-win opportunity -- a rare situation for a first-time major-league manager -- whereas the Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies are in various stages of rebuilding.

The Red Sox, in turn, are hoping Cora will bring more positivity to a clubhouse that was unusually dour despite the team's success during Farrell's final season. Cora is close with veteran second baseman Dustin Pedroia, with whom he played for three seasons from 2006 to 2008. He also might be able to draw out the leadership qualities in Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and other members of the Red Sox's young core.

To Dombrowski, those qualities -- and an enthusiastic endorsement from Astros manager A.J. Hinch -- outweighed the fact that Cora hasn't managed in the big leagues and has only one year of experience as a major-league coach. He has managed a winter-ball team in Puerto Rico and served as general manager for Puerto Rico's team in the World Baseball Classic.

"He's all about the competition and small advantages within the game," Hinch said. "One of the brightest baseball intellects that I've ever been around. He challenges people. He challenges me. He's someone who's all about winning. And to watch our players respond to him, he's got a lot of respect in that clubhouse because of the work he puts in and the attention to detail that he brings. That's why he's the hottest managerial candidate on the planet, and deservedly so."

 

Geez, cynical much? Maybe it has something to do with this?

"He's all about the competition and small advantages within the game," Hinch said. "One of the brightest baseball intellects that I've ever been around. He challenges people. He challenges me. He's someone who's all about winning. And to watch our players respond to him, he's got a lot of respect in that clubhouse because of the work he puts in and the attention to detail that he brings. That's why he's the hottest managerial candidate on the planet, and deservedly so."