Could This Be Alex Cora’s Final Season?

The Boston Red Sox have been having an up-and-down season. Right now, they are battling with the Yankees and Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot. However, behind the scenes, manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom seem to be at odds with each other. Cora has recently said some things that could be taken as shots at how Bloom has built the rosters. Some are perceiving that a power struggle is happening in Boston. Cora has just one year left on his contract, there is a chance that he and the Red Sox could part ways after the season.

Cora Wasn’t Originally a Chaim Bloom Hire

Alex Cora wasn’t hired by Chaim Bloom. He was originally hired by previous general manager Dave Dombrowski. However, he was forced to sit out the 2020 season due to his involvement with the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Bloom would bring Cora back a season later and the Sox would make a surprise appearance in the 2021 ALCS.

Outside of that shocking run to the 2021 ALCS, the Red Sox have been mediocre at best with Bloom running the team. The Sox have finished in last place in two of the past three seasons and haven’t adequately replaced the players they either traded, lost in free agency, or were hurt before the season began.

The Cracks in Alex Cora and Chaim Bloom’s Relationship Are Showing

The cracks in the relationship between Bloom and Cora began to show themselves this year at Spring Training. During camp, Bloom had been expressing optimism about the team he had built during this past offseason. However, Cora was communicating an entirely different message talking about how the team was looking to just get better. Recently, Cora talked about the game not being about how many prospects or where the team’s farm system is ranked. Given how Bloom constructs the Red Sox roster primarily through the farm system, this can easily be seen as Cora taking a not-so-subtle shot at how his team has been built.

Alex Cora Would Be Just Fine if He Left

Alex Cora has one year remaining on his contract after this season. There haven’t been any discussions from either Cora or the front office about an extension. If Cora were to part ways with the Red Sox, he wouldn’t be out of work for long. After all, he does have a World Series ring. Having a championship win on the resume carries weight in managerial job interviews. Whenever teams decide to change their managers, they hope to hire a manager who has a championship pedigree. Whichever teams are looking for a new manager this offseason, Cora will be a hot candidate, and he’ll have no shortage of suitors.

The working relationship between Alex Cora and Chaim Bloom appears to have run its course. Both men have different philosophies on the direction the team should be going. Despite the criticism he has received from the fans, media, and now apparently Alex Cora; Bloom isn’t going to change his approach to roster construction. Before the situation gets worse, Cora would be better off leaving.

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