Alex Cora makes decision on Phillies manager job

Alex Cora has reportedly passed on the Philadelphia Phillies for a second time and plans to sit out the 2027 MLB season.

Alex Cora has reportedly passed on the Phillies for a second time and plans to sit out the 2027 season. Dave Dombrowski’s managerial search moves on without a reunion. https://t.co/9iZ8Dv9dfT

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Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently reached out to his former manager in Boston about the job, but Cora has decided he is not ready to return to the dugout.

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Cora turns down Phillies for second time

Apr 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) signs autographs for fans before a game against the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The connection between Cora and Dombrowski made him an obvious candidate for the Phillies job. The two previously worked together with the Boston Red Sox, winning the 2018 World Series, and Dombrowski had already offered Cora the Phillies position earlier this year after the team fired Rob Thomson.

Cora declined that opportunity at the time, choosing to spend more time with his family following his surprising departure from Boston. When Dombrowski circled back after the 2026 season, Cora once again decided against taking the job.

Cora is also still owed approximately $7.25 million by the Red Sox in 2027, the final season of the three-year, $21.75 million extension he signed with Boston in 2024.

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Phillies must continue their managerial search

Apr 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) acknowledges the crowd after win against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Cora’s decision leaves Dombrowski with another important decision to make as the Phillies figure out who will lead the team in 2027.

Don Mattingly remains under contract with Philadelphia for next season as the team’s bench coach. He took over as interim manager after Thomson’s firing and helped turn the season around, going 79-55 and guiding the Phillies to a postseason berth.

However, the season ended with Philadelphia being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series, and the Phillies have yet to officially determine whether Mattingly will receive the full-time job or whether Dombrowski will conduct another managerial search.

For now, one thing is clear: Cora will not be managing the Phillies in 2027, leaving Dombrowski without the reunion he appeared to be pursuing.

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