The Red Sox’s season has been anything but typical; they’ve been in the news for things other than their play. What’s the latest twist? This week, though, the media and fans weren’t focused on a bad strategy or a controversial call. Instead, they were focused on a very personal choice made by the man in charge.

Fans and the media had much to say about prioritizing a personal milestone over work commitments. Some praised the decision as a good example of putting family first, but others questioned the timing, saying the event ended early enough for people to attend both. This disagreement shows how the issue of work-life balance is always up for dispute, especially in jobs where the border between personal and professional life is sometimes blurry.

Alex Cora has been in charge of the Boston Red Sox since 2018, so he knows what it’s like to deal with the stress and expectations of running a famous team. And he did the same when everyone questioned his decision to miss the series opening game against the Mets on May 19, 2025. But why did he miss the game? It’s not a common thing people see. It’s simple for his family and, more precisely, for her daughter.

He went to Boston College to attend his daughter’s graduation, an event that every parent wishes to see, and Cora did the same. Critics said that the early end of the ceremony might have given him time to run the evening game, but he stuck to his choice. In a recent conversation, he replied bluntly, in a typical Alex Cora style. He said, “We all have families, we all have principles.” “This is my job, this is not my life. My life is my family.”

He didn’t stop there and highlighted that being in the spotlight automatically put her daughter in the limelight. And nobody talks about the sacrifices she had to make. He said, “People talk about my sacrifices as a manager. Missing a soccer game, missing whatever – you know, whatever she had going back home in Puerto Rico. How about the sacrifices she has made over 22 years because [her] dad is a public figure and he’s a baseball player and he’s a baseball coach, right? There’s a lot of sacrifices, you know?” Valid point, though.

To be honest, finding a work-life balance with such a tight schedule becomes difficult. But if Cora is trying to find a balance, why question him? It’s not like the team performed poorly in his absence. Bench coach Ramon Vazquez took over as acting manager and led the Red Sox to a 3–1 win.

When everyone was pointing at his personal decision, he did something in the next game, which proved to be in his professional or personal life; his commitment is unmatched.

Alex Cora’s week: A testament to personal values and team dedication

The Boston Red Sox beat the Mets 2–0 at Fenway Park on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. It was a tense game, though. In the third inning, starting pitcher Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora were sent out after a controversial sequence that included a disputed strike call and a hit-by-pitch incident. Even though some pitchers had to leave early, the Red Sox bullpen did a great job, pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings to secure the win.

How did it all start? The fight began when Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch by Buehler. Buehler thought Lindor didn’t try very hard to avoid the ball. When Buehler didn’t agree with home plate umpire Mike Estabrook’s call of a ball on the next pitch to Juan Soto, which looked like it hit the inside corner, things got worse. Because Buehler was so angry, he faced an ejection. And then what followed?

Manager Alex Cora ran out of the dugout to support his pitcher. But he was also thrown out of the game after a heated argument with the umpires. Buehler and Cora’s ejections may have ruined the game, but the bullpen saved it.

The events that happened one after the other show a common thread in Cora’s leadership style: he is deeply committed to his family and team. Cora’s actions show his ideals and how he balances his personal and professional commitments.