When it rains, it pours in Philly. After the Philadelphia Phillies started the season 9–19, Dave Dombrowski decided that he wanted to move on from Rob Thomson and Alex Cora, as Cora had been fired from the Red Sox at the same time. The Phillies went to him after their season ended, and the result has not changed.
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“The Phillies offered their managerial position to Alex Cora again following their elimination from the playoffs. Cora turned them down for a second time,” posted Matthew Crory, quoting the Boston Globe Sports.
The Phillies have missed out on Alex Cora again after the Braves ended their painful postseason run. He rejected Dave Dombrowski’s offer to manage the Phillies in 2027 and chose to stay away with the family. After the Phillies lost their Wild Card Series to the Braves, Dombrowski approached Cora again.
The pair previously won the 2018 World Series together with the Red Sox, making this rejection notable. During the World Series-winning season, Dombrowski was able to juice up the team by adding players like JD Martinez and Chris Sale, and Cora was able to unlock players like Mookie Betts. The same could have happened with the Phillies.
The Boston Globe Sports reported, saying, “According to friends, Cora loves his life in Puerto Rico and will give it more time before he returns to baseball.”
Cora plans to marry Angelica in November and spend 2027 with his twin sons and adult daughter, who recently returned to Puerto Rico after graduate school.
Cora’s first rejection came in April, when he chose family after the Red Sox fired him. Other managers have made similar family-first choices. Terry Francona stepped away from Cleveland after 2023 because of health concerns and family priorities. He returned to manage Cincinnati in 2025, showing that a break need not end careers.
That decision became easier for Cora with Boston still owing him $7.25 million in guaranteed salary. The Red Sox fired Cora on April 25 after opening the season 10-17. His three-year, $21.75 million extension, signed in July 2024, runs through 2027.
Firing him did not cancel the final year, so Boston remains responsible for that salary. If another club paid him $4 million, Boston’s remaining obligation would fall to $3.25 million.
So Cora does not need another job simply to keep earning money next season. Taking the Phillies’ job would reduce Boston’s bill, but would also return him immediately to work. His choice suggests the guaranteed salary gives him room to prioritize home without rushing back to baseball.
That matters because managing means long hours, travel, and constant time away from family throughout a demanding season. At 50, he can wait for a better time rather than accept the offer on the table.
The other reason why Cora might have rejected the offer is baseball’s labor dispute. The current agreement expires December 1. Owners and players could enter a lockout, leaving teams unsure how the offseason will unfold. A new manager could face a disrupted spring training and less time preparing his roster.
Future labor rules could change team spending, especially if owners push for a salary cap. Waiting lets Cora see how MLB’s outlook changes before choosing his next team and making a commitment.
The Phillies must now decide whether to reopen its search or give Don Mattingly the job. Mattingly went 79-55 after replacing Rob Thomson, helping the Phillies reach the postseason. But with an aging core and a looming lockout, the Phillies might start a rebuild, and they will need to build a team based on their manager. So even Dave Dombrowski needs to move fast, cause any delay will disrupt the entire plan.