Red Sox Fire Manager Alex Cora and Multiple Staff Members Amid Rough Start to 2026 Season

The Boston Red Sox have parted ways with manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff following a disappointing start to the 2026 season, the team announced on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

The decision comes after the Red Sox began the season with a 10-17 record, a performance that prompted organizational leadership to make a change despite a convincing 17-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles earlier in the day. The win, which came behind a strong performance from ace Garrett Crochet and a revitalized offense, was described as the largest margin of victory in any manager’s final game with a team in the Modern Era since 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Chad Tracy, the manager of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, has been named the team’s interim manager and will take charge starting with Sunday’s game against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

The coaching staff members relieved of their duties include hitting coach Pete Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and Major League Hitting Strategy coach Joe Cronin. Game planning and run prevention coach Jason Varitek has been reassigned to a new role within the organization, with further details to be announced at a later date.

Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy addressed the decision during a press conference on Sunday morning, acknowledging the difficulty of the move while recognizing Cora’s lasting impact on the organization and the city of Boston.

Kennedy emphasized that Cora’s contributions to the team’s 2018 World Series championship and his broader influence in the New England community would be remembered fondly, calling him “a friend to so many in Boston and across New England.”