Alex Cora Drops 1 Word and 1 Emoji Tweet After Red Sox Firing, Deletes Mookie Betts Trade IG Story

Alex Cora may not be all that heartbroken to no longer manage the Boston Red Sox.

The former skipper, who was fired Saturday, didn't leave a lot to interpretation when he posted "Happy!😊" on social media Sunday morning:

Cora also referenced the widely unpopular — at least in Boston — trade of Mookie Betts in a since-deleted Instagram Story:

The Sox moved on from not only Cora but also hitting coach Pete Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin. Retired catcher Jason Varitek was assigned to a new role within the organization.

Boston hammered the Baltimore Orioles 17-1 on Saturday after scoring 10 runs in the ninth inning.

Red Sox vs. Orioles (04/25/2026)

04:58

Firing Cora anyway reflects the fact the Red Sox are in last place in the American League East with a record of 10-17. One victory over a division rival doesn't change their overall position.

Boston won 108 games and lifted a World Series title in Cora's first year at the helm. Over his next six seasons, it eclipsed 90-plus wins just once more. He wasn't doing a terrible job in the dugout, but the team wasn't exactly excelling, either.

Whether Cora deserved to get the boot or not, some see this as indicative of larger issues within the Red Sox.

Saturday night provided an image that went beyond satire as Cora and his fellow coaches were transported from the team hotel by a company called Coaches 4 Hire:

According to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, the exits weren't properly communicated to the clubhouse, as some players first learned of the dismissals through social media.

This will all be seen as another indictment of ownership.

Trading Betts in 2020 rather than paying him his market value has only gotten worse over time. Rafael Devers was the next homegrown cornerstone to go, and his prolonged breakup with Boston exposed the internal divide between Cora and the front office. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, whose influence is seemingly larger now, is the fourth general manager/lead decision-maker since 2011.

During the nearly decade-long run with Theo Epstein as GM and Terry Francona as manager, Boston was a pretty consistent winner. Following their exits after the 2011 season, the Red Sox's on-field fortunes have yo-yoed, and there has been much more organizational instability.

Cora's immediate reaction after Saturday's news will lead many fans to wonder if they've only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of the drama behind the scenes.