Thereâs plenty of blame pie to go around in the Boston Red Sox organization, and Alex Cora deserves a hefty slice.
After an encouraging offseason, the Red Sox limped into June several games under .500. Theyâre trending toward becoming trade deadline sellers despite adding an ace in Garrett Crochet, an All-Star third baseman in Alex Bregman, and a reliable closer in Aroldis Chapman.
Injuries havenât helped their cause. Bregman is on the injured list with a quad strain, first baseman Triston Casas is done for the year with a ruptured patellar tendon, and right-hander Tanner Houck is on the IL with an elbow issue after a nightmare start to the season. That said, injuries arenât a valid excuse for the clubâs underperformance.
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SIGN UP HERE Theyâve made costly mistake after costly mistake since Opening Day. Tuesday's 4-3 extra-innings loss to the Los Angeles Angels was filled with head-scratching moments.
âMissed the cutoff guy, they scored two, we hit the eighth hitter, we walked the ninth hitter, we didnât execute a bunt play, we didnât advance when we needed to,â a frustrated Cora told reporters. âYou can talk about chances. I can tell you the chances we gave the opposition. We were lucky to be in that game at the end, to be honest with you.â
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The Red Sox are now 6-17 in one-run games, meaning half of their losses have been by a single run. In games decided by more than one run, theyâre 23-17.
Their defense has also been an ongoing issue. Boston has committed the most errors in MLB over the last three seasons and leads the league this season with 55.
Cora canât control the clubâs flawed roster construction, nor can he make veteran shortstop Trevor Story and rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell hit above their weight. But what he can do, and what he signed a lucrative three-year extension to do last summer, is have his team mentally and physically prepared when they take the field.
Itâs clear he has failed in that category, and he admitted as much after Tuesdayâs loss.
"We keep making the same mistakes. We're not getting better," Cora added. "At one point, it has to be on me, I guess. I'm the manager. I've got to keep pushing them to be better. They're not getting better. They're not. We keep making the same mistakes. I'll be honest about it and very open about it.â
Cora was referring to this season, but the truth is, the team hasnât gotten better in nearly half a decade. Boston is on track to finish without a winning record for the fourth consecutive season. It hasnât won the AL East since Coraâs debut campaign in 2018, when the club won 108 games en route to a World Series title.
Since then, Cora has posted a 443-431 record (.507) as Bostonâs skipper, with his only other postseason appearance coming in 2021. He was suspended for the 2020 season due to his involvement in the Houston Astrosâ sign-stealing scandal.
To put that in perspective, Cora's predecessor John Farrell went 335-313 (.517) after winning a World Series in his first year with the club (2013) and was fired after the 2017 season.
This year, one could argue that Boston's on-field woes have been overshadowed by off-the-field drama. It began in spring training, when star third baseman Rafael Devers shut down the idea of moving to designated hitter. He eventually became the DH against his will, but once again grew frustrated with the front office after being asked to play first base following Casasâ injury.
Cora avoided the difficult conversation with Devers, leaving chief baseball officer Craig Breslow as the target of the sluggerâs ire. When Devers refused to play first, Cora stuck with the tandem of Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez while giving Campbell reps at a position he had never played. That experiment ended when Toro heated up and Gonzalez returned from the injured list.
Those questionable decisions, along with some mind-numbing bullpen usage and lineup choices, have put Cora in the crosshairs heading into the summer months. Almost a year after signing his extension, Cora could soon face questions about his job security if the club doesnât turn it around.
Firing Cora at this juncture would be drastic, but he's undoubtedly on thinner ice. The days of the well-liked Red Sox skipper getting a free pass amid the teamâs consistent mediocrity are over.