Boston Red Sox officials flew to Puerto Rico to meet with Alex Cora; Chaim Bloom, Brian O'Halloran reportedly part of in-person summit
Updated: Nov. 04, 2020, 2:51 p.m. |
Published: Nov. 04, 2020, 2:44 p.m.
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora argues with umpires in the eighth inning. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.comcleveland.com
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
Top Red Sox decision-makers flew to Puerto Rico to meet with Alex Cora about the club's open managerial job, baseball sources confirmed Wednesday afternoon. The Boston Globe reported earlier Wednesday that chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and general manager Brian O'Halloran met with Cora in-person last Friday.
Cora, who managed the team in 2018 and 2019, is one of five known finalists for the opening, along with Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, Marlins bench coach/offensive coordinator James Rowson, Phillies executive Sam Fuld and Pirates bench coach Don Kelly. Industry sources believe Cora is the favorite, and the fact that club officials flew to meet him in Puerto Rico lends credence to the idea that the club's pursuit is serious.
It's unclear if Bloom and O'Halloran -- the two executives known to be leading the search process -- were the only Sox executives on the trip or if the club's ownership group also had a presence in the meeting. Principal owner John Henry is known to be a fan of Cora and may play a role in the club's decision if Cora is brought back.
The Red Sox and Cora mutually parted ways in January after Major League Baseball implicated Cora as a major player in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal in 2017, when he was Houston's bench coach. Cora later received a one-year suspension that expired at the end of the World Series, making him eligible to interview for open jobs.
It was believed that Cora would be considered for the Tigers' and White Sox' managerial openings, but Detroit hired former Astros skipper A.J. Hinch and Chicago hired Hall of Famer Tony La Russa. If Cora doesn't end up back with the Red Sox, he could join a team's front office, potentially as a special assistant.
The Red Sox have already eliminated a few candidates that they interviewed, including Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta, Twins bench coach Mike Bell, Cubs third base coach Will Venable and Padres associate manager Skip Schumaker.
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