Could the Phillies’ next manager be farther away than expected? Alex Cora told president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski he intends to sit out the 2027 season.
Cora still draws $7.25 million from Boston through 2027.
Dombrowski, who worked with Cora in Boston, said in April he was ready to hand the Phillies job to him once the Red Sox moved on. Cora turned it down to spend more time in his native Puerto Rico. For my money, Philly squandered a rare chance to lock in a proven leader.
Bench coach Don Mattingly, under a two‑year contract through next year, remains on an interim basis after Rob Thomson’s dismissal. His son Preston serves as the Phillies’ GM. Mattingly guided a dramatic regular‑season rebound that secured the club’s fifth straight playoff spot, only to fall in a three‑game Wild Card loss to Atlanta—marking the third consecutive opening‑series exit, the previous two coming in the NLDS after first‑round byes.
Boston also engineered a massive turnaround, removing interim tag from Chad Tracy with a three‑year extension in September, yet they too fell in the Wild Card Series. Will Tracy’s new deal spark a playoff surge next season?