Alex Cora reportedly turns down Phillies job again, plans to take off 2027 season

For the second time this year, Alex Cora said no to the Philadelphia Phillies. The former Boston Red Sox manager was reportedly approached by the Phillies for the team's vacant manager role, but once again turned the team down , per multiple reports.

Cora was first approached by the Phillies in April, when the team surprisingly fired Rob Thomson after a slow start . Just days earlier, Cora was fired by the Red Sox, instantly making him the top managerial option on the market.

The Phillies reportedly spoke to Cora at that point about the role, but he decided to take the summer off to be with his family. The Phillies thought Cora might be willing to step back in the dugout after spending much of 2026 at home, but the manager reportedly once again declined the Phillies' job, telling the team he planned to take 2027 off.

Cora's snub leaves the Phillies in a complicated position for next season. With the collective-bargaining agreement ending in December, there's expected to be an owner-imposed lockout during the offseason. During a lockout, team personnel are prohibited from speaking to players, which would complicate matters if the Phillies hired a new, unfamiliar manager.

Because of that, the team could opt to retain interim manager Don Mattingly for another year, per The Athletic. Mattingly took over for Thomson in April and helped lead the Phillies to a postseason berth. He went 79-55 with the club, but couldn't manage the team beyond the wild-card series vs. the Atlanta Braves.

While it was a successful run — especially considering the Phillies' 9-19 start — Mattingly received criticism down the stretch, as the Phillies nearly blew a shot at the playoffs in late September. The manager's in-game tactics faced increased scrutiny during the team's slide, with his bullpen usage, in particular, coming into question.

Prior to managing the Phillies, Mattingly led both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins. His time in Los Angeles was filled with regular-season success, though postseaon glory eluded him. Mattingly made the playoffs just once with the Marlins.

As for Cora, the veteran manager presumably remains the top option on the market. While he was a natural fit with the Phillies given the team's place in the contention cycle and his relationship with general manager Dave Dombrowski (who worked with Cora with the Red Sox), Cora still turned the job down.

That won't stop other teams from getting in touch with Cora, though. And while the manager is signaling he plans to take next season off, that could change if teams start to get more desperate for his services.