Willson Contreras Says Alex Cora Firing Led to Red Sox Becoming 'Loose,' Marcelo Mayer Responds

Willson Contreras had some interesting things to say in terms of how the Boston Red Sox clubhouse has reacted to Alex Cora's firing.

The first baseman said after Sunday's loss to the Houston Astros that there has been less "tension" since Cora's firing.

"After Cora got released or fired, the guys got loose a little more, because I feel like the tension was gone," he told reporters.

Boston second baseman Marcelo Mayer responded to Contreras' comments:

"To me, that's just kind of an excuse: blame the young guys," Mayer said, per Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. "But at the end of the day, we're all playing baseball, we're all pros. We all know what we need to do. I don't think we're doing a good job with runners in scoring position. When you don't do that, you don't score runs.

"We had a lot of opportunities. We want to win every series and that' one we thought we should have had. A lot of runners left on base. Just not good overall."

While Contreras thinks Cora's absence has led to less tension, it hasn't changed Boston's on-field performance so far. The Red Sox have gone 3-4 since Cora was fired last week, losing to the Astros 3-1 in 10 innings on Sunday. Contreras had a solid day at the plate despite the loss, going 3-for-4 and drawing a walk.

Boston fired Cora last Saturday amid a 10-17 start. In a statement, Red Sox owner John Henry said Cora led the team to "one of the greatest seasons" in franchise history in 2018.

"Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude. He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived.

"I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude."

Cora led Boston to a World Series in 2018, but reached the postseason just twice in the years since. The Red Sox went to the ALCS in 2021 before missing three consecutive playoffs. Boston returned to the postseason last year, losing to the New York Yankees in the wild-card round.

Perhaps the Red Sox playing more relaxed with Cora gone will lead to a turnaround, but it's hard to imagine Boston making a postseason run with the way it started the year.