Alex Cora agrees to $21 million contract extension after surprising Red Sox turnaround

Alex Cora is sticking around in Boston. 

The Red Sox manager agreed on a three-year extension, the team confirmed Wednesday.

He’ll be paid upwards of $7 million per season, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman

Cora, who is in the midst of his sixth season as Boston’s skipper, had been managing as a lame duck with his previous deal set to expire after the 2024 season.

The Red Sox have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this year after a ho-hum last few seasons, earning Cora more time at the top step of the dugout at Fenway Park. 

Boston is 54-46 heading into Wednesday’s play, just a game behind the Royals for the third and final American League Wild Card spot and six games back of the Orioles in the AL East. 

The Red Sox had back-to-back 78-84 seasons coming into 2024, leaving Cora’s status as the leader in the dugout up in the air. 

Alex Cora signed a three-year extension with the Red Sox on Wednesday.
Alex Cora signed a three-year extension with the Red Sox on Wednesday. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The franchise underwent an overhaul in the front office last offseason, jettisoning chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and replacing him with Craig Breslow, while Cora stayed on. 

This year, Cora has overseen the breakout of players such as Tanner Houck, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Kutter Crawford and Wilyer Abreu, leading to the team’s turnaround. 

Cora has been the Red Sox manager since 2018, winning the World Series after a 108-win season in his first year and going 84-78 in 2019. 

He was suspended by Major League Baseball for the 2020 season for his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal and later re-hired by Boston ahead of the 2021 season, when the team reached the ALCS after going 92-70 in the regular season.

Had he entered the open market, Cora would have been one of the most sought-after managers available, with the Yankees recently rumored as a potential destination depending on Aaron Boone’s future.

Cora’s deal follows the record-setting five-year, $40 million contract the Cubs gave former Brewers manager Craig Counsell last offseason, which reset the market for big league managers.

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