Red Sox Rumors: Alex Cora 'Top Candidate' to Replace John Farrell as Manager

The Boston Red Sox lost to the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series but are now focusing on their managerial search.

On Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Astros bench coach Alex Cora is seen as Boston's "top candidate" to replace John Farrell. This comes after the Red Sox fired Farrell on Wednesday following their four-game loss to Houston.

Baseball reporter Peter Gammons noted Red Sox President Dave Dombrowski received a recommendation regarding Cora from Houston manager A.J. Hinch. The Astros hired Cora to his current position in November 2016 after he played 14 seasons from 1998 through 2011, and he's helped lead them to within two victories of the World Series this postseason.

According to Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, Dombrowski was "expected to interview [Cora] on Sunday" while the Astros were off during their American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees.

The Red Sox are not without competition, as David Lennon and Marc Carig of Newsday reported the New York Mets are also expected to interview Cora for their open manager position with the Astros in New York for the ALCS.

"He has a great personality," former teammate and current Astros player Carlos Beltran said of Cora, per Lennon and Carig. "He's intense, players like to see that. But at the same time, he's a guy that can sit down in the clubhouse with the players and have a baseball conversation."

Beltran was not the only former teammate to recommend Cora:

There is a clear connection with both franchises as Cora played for the Red Sox from 2006-08 and the Mets in 2009 and 2010.