The Red Sox are cleaning house after a 10–17 start.
Despite a 17–1 win over the Orioles on Saturday, the team decided to remove much of its coaching staff, starting with manager Alex Cora. The Red Sox announced Saturday night that they fired Cora along with hitting coach Peter Fatse, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, bench coach Rámon Vazquez and third base coach Kyle Hudson. Boston also announced game-planning coach Jason Varitek was “reassigned” to a new role within the organization.
It’s an incredibly bold move by Boston’s front office, as Cora led the team to a World Series title in 2018, and Varitek is a franchise legend who won two World Series as the team's catcher and captain.
Cora took over as the team’s manager in 2018 after helping the Astros to a World Series in 2017 as the team’s bench coach. In his first season on the job, Boston won the World Series, topping the Dodgers in five games. In November of 2019, Cora was handed a one-year suspension for his role in Houston’s electronic sign-stealing scandal.
When his suspension was over, Cora was re-hired by the Red Sox in November of 2020. During his eight years as the team’s manager, Boston went 620-541 (.534) and reached the postseason three times. The Red Sox lost in the ALCS to Houston in 2021, and were bounced in the wild-card round against the Yankees last season.
Things are a mess in Boston so it’s no a surprise Cora is getting the boot. It is surprising that Varitek is being fired as well. After retiring in 2011, he was hired as a special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington in 2012. He has been with the franchise since in various capacities, and was officially the game-planning coach this year.
Red Sox offense is one of baseball’s worst
Despite the big win on Saturday, Boston has been brutal to start the season. They occupy last place in the AL East and sit 7 1/2 games behind the Yankees, who are in first. The team has been awful offensively all across the lineup.
Even after Saturday’s 17-run explosion, the Red Sox are currently tied for last in home runs (18), 28th in slugging (.354), 26th in OPS (.667) and 23rd in on-base percentage (.313).
Boston only has two qualified hitters with an OPS over .800: Wilyer Abreu (.834) and Willson Contreras (.804). Several hitters the team was counting on have struggled to open the season.
Roman Anthony is only slashing .225/.351/.325 with one home run and four RBIs. He’s currently dealing with a back injury.
Jarren Duran is hitting .198, with a .258 on-base percentage, while slugging .291. He has one home run and 11 RBIs, but has struck out 24 times and only walked six.
Trevor Story has struck out an incredible 37 times in 27 games, while posting a weak OPS of .523.
Caleb Durbin has been, perhaps, the worst bat on the roster. Durbin is slashing .165/.260/.271 early and entered Saturday 181st among 182 qualified MLB hitters in wRC+ (27).
The team’s offensive issues are widespread, so it’s not shocking the Red Sox chose to shake up the coaching staff.
More MLB from Sports Illustrated
- Trevor Story, Red Sox Players Rip Front Office for Firing Alex Cora, Coaches
- Alex Cora’s Firing Is the Final Straw. John Henry Should Sell the Red Sox
- Red Sox’ Season Was Doomed From the Start—and Firing Alex Cora Won’t Change That
- Mason Miller Sets Franchise Record as Padres Top Diamondbacks in Mexico City
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Red Sox Fire Alex Cora, Five Coaches After Brutal Start to Season.
