Alex Cora, A.J. Hinch Candidates for Tigers' Vacant Manager Job, Al Avila Says

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila said Friday that both Alex Cora and A.J. Hinch are "on [his] list" of potential managerial candidates, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.

Cora and Hinch were fired from their positions as manager of the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, respectively, prior to the 2020 season because of their role in the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal.

Ron Gardenhire retired from his managerial duties with the Tigers on Sept. 19 in order to focus on his health.

Detroit was 21-29 at the time of Gardenhire's retirement and finished the season 23-35, which was the worst record in the American League Central and the second-worst record in the AL overall ahead of only the Texas Rangers.

The Tigers have missed the playoffs in each of the past six seasons after making the postseason in four straight campaigns from 2011-14. They lost at least 98 games in three straight seasons from 2017-19 as well.

Given the lack of success Detroit has enjoyed in recent years, the person who lands the managerial job will have their work cut out for them.

Both Cora and Hinch come with some baggage, but given what they were able to do with their previous clubs, they may be the best possible options from the Tigers' perspective.

Cora served as the Astros' bench coach in 2017, which is the year they won the World Series amid controversy due to the sign-stealing scandal. He was then hired by the Red Sox as their manager and led Boston to a World Series title in 2018 after going 108-54 during the regular season.

The Red Sox fell to 84-78 last season and missed the playoffs, and Cora was subsequently fired after Major League Baseball suspended him for the 2020 season.

Hinch's managerial career got off to a rough start, as he went just 89-123 in parts of two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 and 2010, but he made good on his second opportunity.

The Astros hired Hinch in 2015, and he led them to the playoffs in his first season. After missing the postseason in 2016, Hinch helped Houston win over 100 games in three straight seasons from 2017-19.

Houston reached the American League Championship Series in each of those three seasons and made it to the World Series twice, winning it in 2017.

Like Cora, Hinch was suspended for the entire 2020 season because of his role in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, and he was subsequently fired by the Astros.

Both Cora and Hinch are eligible to return and manage in 2021, and the Tigers job is the first one they are known to potentially be in the running for.