After a slow start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox wasted no time making major changes to the coaching staff in hopes to turn their season around before the hole was too deep. On Saturday, manager Alex Cora was relieved of his duties along with five other coaches. Complete chaos in Boston.
Unfortunately for the organization, the plethora of firings come at a time where there is no opportunity to process these decisions. The Red Sox finished off a three-game set with their division rivals, the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday and captured their first victory without Cora as their manager for the first time in eight seasons. If the series finale win is any indication of the Red Sox future, Boston fans should be able to sleep a little easier at night.
The future is weirdly bright for Boston
The pressure that comes with being associated with the Red Sox organization is not for the faint of heart. Cora may have actually set the expectations bar a little too high when he captured a World Series title in his first year with Boston back in 2018.
His eight-year stint as the Red Sox’ skipper comes to a close with a career record of 621-541 which is not easy to do but ultimately below expectations for a historic franchise such as Boston. In his last four seasons with the club, Cora has found himself either last place in the AL East or third in the division and more disappointedly on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.
Given the struggles this franchise has had over the last few years, the noise surrounding the firing of Cora kept getting louder and louder as of late. Boston pulling the plug this early in the season may have come as a bit of a surprise but oddly enough this has given the franchise a bit of fresh air.
Chad Tracy who was previously Boston’s Triple-A manager now takes over the lineup card with the majority of Cora’s staff exiting as well. Tracy wasted no time getting his first win as manager.
While the score of the Red Sox first win in the post-Cora era was 5-3, they were a little more dominant than the scoreboard showed. Boston carried a four run lead into the sixth inning before Gunnar Henderson homered to chip away at the lead and then had an RBI single two innings later which proved to be the last run scored of the ballgame.
A great start from left-hander Connelly Early and Aroldis Chapman’s fifth save of the year was exactly what Boston needed to go along with a solid offensive performance following a wild day off the field on Saturday.
This first win without Cora proves the Red Sox are ready to turn the page and continue competiting despite falling so far behind in their division. The organization has also proved that if expectations are not met, changes will be made. Players and coaches alike will strive to bring Boston back to the contender they are expected to be. The Red Sox will finish the month of April with a chance to make a statement in their division as they head north of the border for a three game set with the Toronto Blue Jays starting on Monday.
