🔥 Is It Time to Fire Alex Cora?

May 14, 2025

By: Jim Dalfino

The Boston Red Sox are once again teetering on the edge of mediocrity, and if you're looking for someone to blame — look no further than the dugout.

Alex Cora has officially become a liability.

Yes, he won a World Series in 2018. And yes, he can speak both front office and clubhouse fluently, which makes him appealing to ownership. But if we’re being honest — brutally honest, Bastards-style — what has he actually done well since that champagne-soaked October nearly seven years ago?

Let’s Talk Bullpen Mismanagement

Cora’s bullpen usage has gone from quirky to catastrophic.

Examples:

Yanking hot arms early with no reason beyond "gut feel"
Burning through three relievers by the 6th inning like it’s Game 7 of the ALCS
Leaning on matchups that don’t make sense even on paper
Bringing in guys clearly gassed the day before — and acting shocked when they implode

You’d think, after five seasons, he’d learn how to manage a bullpen without lighting it on fire every other night. Instead, it’s like watching a chef juggle knives blindfolded.

The 2018 Mirage

Let’s be real:
2018 was a juggernaut. You or I could’ve managed that team to 95 wins just by writing “Mookie Betts leadoff” in permanent marker every night.

That team:

Had MVP-caliber seasons from Betts, Martinez, and Sale
Got career years from guys like Porcello and Pearce
Had a healthy bullpen when it counted
Played like a freight train from April to October

Since then? It’s been a whole lot of underwhelming — and a whole lot of Cora getting passes for it.

So… What Does He Actually Do Well?

Let’s give credit where it’s due:

Players seem to like him
He’s good with the media
He speaks fluent Bloom-ese (and now Breslow-ese), which probably saves his job
He protects his guys — sometimes to a fault

But is he improving players? No.
Is he developing talent? Debatable.
Is he getting the most out of the roster he has? Absolutely not.

In fact, he often plays a role in squandering it — from random off-days for hot bats to questionable defensive alignments and, again, bullpen chaos that would make even Don Orsillo swear on air.

Where’s the Accountability?

If a player screws up, they get benched or optioned.
If a GM screws up, fans call for his head.
But when Cora mishandles yet another late-inning lead? Crickets.

At what point does the organization say, “You’re part of the problem, not the solution”?

How long do we ride the goodwill of 2018 while everything since has screamed regression?

Final Thought

Alex Cora feels more like a politician than a manager at this point. Always talking, always spinning, rarely delivering.

If this team has any hope of building a real identity — one rooted in smart baseball, not just vibes and excuses — then maybe it's time to do what real contenders do when things get stale:

Fire the manager.

Not because he’s a bad guy. But because he’s not the right guy anymore.

📣 Let us know what you think. Time for Cora to go? Or is he just the scapegoat for deeper problems?

Sound off here or over on X: @Bastards_Boston
More chaos, rants, and Sox therapy coming soon.

#RedSox #AlexCora #BastardsOfBoston #FireCora #MLB #SoxNation 🧢