Alex Cora turned down an offer to become the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in April, but if interim manager Don Mattingly does not guide the team to at least a World Series berth, Cora will likely be the team's next skipper, USA Today reported on Sunday.
Cora, 50, was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox on April 25 after a 10-17 start, and the next day was offered the same role by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski -- Cora's boss when the Red Sox won the World Series
in 2018. Cora declined, and after the Phillies dismissed Rob Thomson on April 28, Mattingly took the reins on an interim basis.
Under Mattingly, the Phillies have gone 57-39 and are in the thick of the National League playoff race, entering Sunday tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres for the final two wild-card spots.
Mattingly, 65, who signed a two-year deal in January to serve as Thomson's bench coach, indicated last month that he would like to return as Philadelphia's manager in 2027. His son, Preston, is the team's general manager.
In 13 seasons as a major league manager, Mattingly is 946-989 with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-15), Miami Marlins (2016-22) and Phillies. He won NL Manager of the Year in 2020.
Cora has a 620-541 managerial record, all with the Red Sox (2018-19, 2021-25). He was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal while serving as their bench coach.
--Field Level Media
