Red Sox fire Alex Cora, several coaches amid club's disastrous start

Alex Cora’s time with the Boston Red Sox has come to an end after seven-plus seasons with the club.

The Red Sox fired Cora amid the team’s disappointing 10-17 start to the 2026 season, the team announced. Boston also parted ways with hitting coach Peter Fatse, bench coach Ramon Vazquez, third base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin.

Game-planning coach Jason Varitek was reassigned to a new role within the organization, with details being announced at a later date.

Chad Tracy, manager of the Triple-A affiliate Worcester Red Sox, will replace Cora in the interim, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Oddly enough, the moves come just hours after Boston steamrolled the Baltimore Orioles on the road, 17-1.

“Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude,” Red Sox principal owner John Henry wrote in a statement.

“He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived.

“I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude.”

Cora had served as Boston’s manager since 2018, when he led the club to a historic 108-54 season en route to a World Series title. That’s the last time the Red Sox won the American League East.

From there, it was a rollercoaster of a tenure that included three third-place finishes (2019, 2024, 2025), two last-place finishes (202, 2023), and one second-place finish (2021). Boston only made the postseason two other times (ALCS in 2021, Wild Card Round in 2025) with Cora as its skipper. In 2020, the two sides agreed to part ways amid Cora’s involvement in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, and the team re-hired him ahead of the 2021 campaign.

The Red Sox had signed Cora to a three-year, $21.75 million contract extension in 2024.

Fatse had been Boston’s hitting coach since 2021. Vazquez was hired as first base coach in 2021 and transitioned to bench coach in 2022. Hudson was hired as third base coach in 2024.

Firing almost the entire coaching staff is an emphatic statement made by Red Sox brass after an unacceptable start to the season. Boston ranks near the bottom of the league in almost every major statistical category, particularly on the offensive side. Even after Saturday’s 17-1 rout of the O’s, the Sox are tied for last in MLB in homers (18) while sitting in 20th in runs scored (112) and 26th in OPS (.667).

So, where do the Red Sox go from here?

It’s hard to imagine this stunning shakeup will spark a season turnaround. Several key players, including Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Trevor Story, and Marcelo Mayer, have struggled mightily through the first 27 games. The pitching staff has also been wildly inconsistent after entering the campaign with lofty expectations.

While Cora and the coaching staff have been far from perfect, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is responsible for the club’s poor roster construction. His “run prevention” strategy for 2026 has backfired immensely, and his inability to clear the outfield/designated hitter logjam forced Cora to rotate Anthony, Duran, and Masataka Yoshida at those positions, resulting in inconsistent playing time for each.

Tracy will take over managerial duties, starting with Sunday’s series finale in Baltimore. The Red Sox then will head to Toronto for a three-game series before returning home to take on the Houston Astros in another three-game set.

Breslow and Red Sox president/CEO Sam Kennedy are scheduled to address the media Sunday morning in Baltimore.

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