BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 28: Boston Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski speaks with Manager Alex Cora #20 during batting practice ahed of the game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on Friday September 28, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies have entered another offseason with a major decision to make after their disappointing postseason exit, and the most obvious question is who will lead the team into next year.
Philadelphia turned to bench coach Don Mattingly after firing Rob Thomson in April, and the former New York Yankees star helped stabilize a team that eventually reached the postseason. But after the Phillies were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild Card Series, Mattingly’s status became uncertain and attention quickly returned to the manager who was originally offered the job.
“The Phillies may or may not conduct a managerial search, but Alex Cora appears to have a strong inside track to become their next manager with interim manager Don Mattingly expected to step down,” Jon Heyman reported for the New York Post. “There’s no word Philly has started its process yet, but Cora was offered the job before the Phillies promoted Mattingly from bench coach. So it’s an unusual situation where the favorite is known.”
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and Cora previously won the 2018 World Series together with the Boston Red Sox, and the Phillies executive made it very clear that his former manager was the first pick for the job with the Phillies.
“I think Alex Cora is one of the finest managers in the game of baseball,” Dombrowski said in April, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Fame managers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland. Have been very fortunate in my career. I think if Alex Cora decides to manage, he has a chance to be in that same category.”
But now, even with Mattingly’s interim stint over and the Phillies desperately in need of a big change, Cora’s potential return to the dugout may not be as straightforward as Dombrowski hoped.
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After an unceremonious exit from the Red Sox this season, Cora emphasized that spending time with his family rather than immediately accepting another managerial position was his priority.
And while Cora is presumed as the favorite for the Phillies’ skipper role, a new update suggests he could be planning on taking another summer off to focus on his family in 2027.
“(Cora has) booked an African safari next summer, planning to take his kids there,” The Athletic’s Jim Bowden reported during an appearance on Foul Territory. “I’m not sure he even wants to manage next year. That’s the decision he has to make.”
Philadelphia Phillies’ Manager Pick Alex Cora Plans To Miss Next Season
Cora’s vacation plans could complicate what otherwise appeared to be a relatively obvious fit.
Cora has already worked with Dombrowski, has extensive postseason experience and owns a World Series championship as a manager. His familiarity with the Phillies’ front office could make the transition easier than starting over with an entirely new candidate.
But the Phillies might not be able to convince him to skip his planned vacation with his family.
If Cora ultimately wants another season away from managing, the Phillies will have to expand their search. If he decides he is ready to return, however, the path to Philadelphia appears considerably clearer than it did when he declined Dombrowski’s offer in April.
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