Alex Cora has rejected an offer to manage the Philadelphia Phillies, choosing instead to take the 2027 season off.
Former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has turned down the Philadelphia Phillies’ managerial job and plans to take the 2027 season off, reporter Bob Nightengale reported late Tuesday night.
The move marks the second time this year Cora has rejected Philadelphia. Phillies executive Dave Dombrowski sought to reunite with Cora to recreate their past World Series success in Boston, but Cora isn’t interested in managing right now. The Red Sox fired Cora and several assistant coaches in late April following internal tension and on-field struggles under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
Philadelphia dismissed manager Rob Thomson just days after Cora was let go in Boston. Don Mattingly took over as interim manager and stabilized the clubhouse through the regular season. The Phillies built a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks with five games remaining in September to clinch the final National League wild-card berth, though the Atlanta Braves eliminated them in three games during the opening round.
With an offseason lockout looming, Cora’s decision makes a return for Mattingly increasingly appealing to the Phillies front office, according to a report from The Athletic. Several of Philadelphia’s star players have already voiced support for keeping the interim manager in charge.
