Pedro Martinez Sounds Off on Red Sox Firing Alex Cora

While it’s somewhat uncommon to fire a manager in the month of April, the Boston Red Sox did not hesitate over the weekend when they decided to part ways with Alex Cora on Saturday evening.

Cora had the Red Sox off to a very slow 10-17 start to the season and currently in his eighth year with the organization, while also being in the second of a three-year extension worth over $21 million.

Unless Cora accepts another managerial job around the league, the Red Sox are obligated to pay him around $10 million over the next year and a half until; his contract is off the books.

Many people around the league have already reacted to the news, and on Tuesday evening, MLB and Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez weighed in with some thoughts.

“I believe Alex Cora did such a strong job in Boston that anything that went wrong was always going to fall on him,” Martinez said. “Boston is a city that can't stand being out of the hunt … just like Philadelphia. I would call it the curse of the East.

“The team needs to look at themselves in the mirror and say ‘are we doing what we need to do fundamentally?’ It's not just the managers. Players need to be held accountable.”

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Cora, meanwhile, was reportedly offered the managerial position with the Philadelphia Phillies after they fired Rob Thomson on Tuesday, but ultimately declined in order to spend more time with his family.

Chad Tracy, who was previously managing the Triple-A affiliate in Worcester, has stepped in as interim manager and is 2-1 through his first three games with the Red Sox.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 7:31 AM.