Alex Cora is a former Major League Baseball player and current manager. He was born on October 18, 1975, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Cora began his baseball career in 1996 when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1998 and played for them until 2004.
During his time with the Dodgers, Cora was known for his versatility and ability to play multiple positions. He played primarily as a second baseman but also played shortstop and third base. He was a solid defensive player and had a career fielding percentage of .989.
In 2005, Cora signed with the Cleveland Indians as a free agent. He played for the Indians for one season before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2006. Cora played for the Red Sox for two seasons and was a key player in their 2007 World Series championship team.
After his time with the Red Sox, Cora played for the New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals before retiring as a player in 2011. He finished his career with a .243 batting average, 35 home runs, and 286 RBIs.
Following his retirement, Cora began his coaching career. He served as a baseball analyst for ESPN and was also a general manager for the Puerto Rican national baseball team. In 2017, Cora was hired as the bench coach for the Houston Astros.
In 2018, Cora was hired as the manager of the Boston Red Sox. In his first season as manager, he led the team to a franchise-record 108 wins and a World Series championship. Cora became the first Puerto Rican manager to win a World Series.
However, Cora's tenure with the Red Sox was cut short when he was implicated in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Cora was the bench coach for the Astros in 2017 when they were found to have used technology to steal signs from opposing teams. Cora was suspended for the 2020 season and was subsequently fired by the Red Sox.
In November 2020, Cora was rehired as the manager of the Red Sox. He returned to the team for the 2021 season and led them to a second-place finish in the American League East division.
Overall, Alex Cora had a successful baseball career as a player and has continued that success as a coach and manager. Despite the controversy surrounding his involvement in the sign-stealing scandal, Cora remains a respected figure in the baseball world.
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