When a championship-winning manager becomes available, the baseball world takes notice—and the Philadelphia Phillies are no exception. According to a Boston Red Sox insider, former Boston skipper Alex Cora is poised to receive another offer to lead the Phillies' dugout when the offseason rolls around.
The connection here runs deep. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who previously held the same role with the Red Sox, revealed Tuesday that he offered Cora the managerial job shortly after Cora was dismissed by Boston on Saturday. But Cora, 50, declined—for now—choosing to prioritize family time.
However, that might only be a temporary detour. Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports that Dombrowski "will almost certainly offer Cora the job in the offseason," with bench coach Don Mattingly stepping in as interim manager for the remainder of the season. Starr notes the "bond" between Cora and Dombrowski is remarkably strong, adding, "If Cora wants the type of environment he had during his first season in Boston, Philly would seem like the most obvious landing spot."
That environment includes a front office willing to spend big. Starr highlights Phillies principal owner John Middleton's obsession with winning a championship—and his readiness to open the checkbook to get there. For a manager like Cora, who thrives in high-stakes, well-funded settings, that's an enticing proposition.
The history between Cora and Dombrowski speaks volumes. Together, they helped the Red Sox capture the 2018 World Series title in Cora's debut season as manager. Dombrowski's tenure in Boston ran from 2015 to 2019, and the two developed a winning chemistry that could easily translate to Philadelphia.
The Phillies have been knocking on the door of a title themselves. After missing the playoffs in Dombrowski's first year (2021), they've qualified for the postseason in each of the last four campaigns. They won the National League pennant in 2022, pushed to Game 7 of the NLCS in 2023, and made deep runs in both 2024 and 2025 before falling in the NLDS each time. A manager with Cora's postseason pedigree could be the final piece to push them over the top.
For now, Cora is taking a breather. But as the offseason approaches, all signs point to another call from Philadelphia—one that might be much harder to turn down.