Alex Cora Rejects Phillies Managerial Job, Plans to Sit Out 2027

Alex Cora informed Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski that he will decline the club's managerial opening to take the 2027 season off.

Alex Cora has declined an offer to become the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, informing president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski that he intends to take the 2027 season off. According to USA Today Sports, this decision follows a recent conversation between Cora and Dombrowski regarding the vacancy. Cora is currently owed more than $7 million from the Boston Red Sox for the final year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract.

This development marks the second time in less than six months that Cora has turned down the position. In late April, following a 9-19 start that led to the firing of Rob Thomson, Cora declined the job to spend the remainder of the 2026 season with his family. The Phillies subsequently named bench coach Don Mattingly as the interim replacement. Under Mattingly, Philadelphia finished the regular season with a 79-55 record over the final five months, securing the National League's third wild card spot before being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series last Thursday.

Mattingly remains a candidate for the full-time role and is under contract as the team's bench coach for 2027. During his seven-plus seasons in Boston, Cora posted a 620-541 record and won the 2018 World Series. The Phillies have not yet formally announced a final decision regarding their permanent managerial status for the upcoming season.