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Alex Cora #20 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Baltimore Orioles during the Grapefruit League spring training game at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 27, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Phillies made a bold decision to fire manager Rob Thomson after a brutal start to the 2026 MLB season.

At the time of this writing, the Phillies are just 9-19. They entered the season with hopes of being a World Series contender in the National League. So far, those expectations look a bit too high, but the team has plenty of time to right the ship.

Following the decision to move on from Thomson, Philadelphia targeted former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Of course, Cora was recently fired by the Red Sox after a bad start to the year.

Cora has opted to pass on the Phillies job. Now, the reasoning for his decision to forego Philadelphia’s interest has been revealed.

Alex Cora Passed on Phillies’ Manager Job for These Reasons

According to longtime MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Cora decided to pass on the job for two specific reasons. He mentioned that Cora passed due to “family reasons and simply not being ready right now.”

“It’s a hard thing to do in the middle of a season,” Rosenthal said. “End of the season, it’s a different story.”

While Cora has passed on the job for now, the two sides could revisit the idea in the offseason. Unless the Phillies hire a new permanent manager during the middle of the season, they will be searching for a new lead man following the season’s conclusion.

What Does the Future Hold for Alex Cora?

Being fired in the middle of a season is a difficult thing to bounce back quickly from. Cora seems comfortable sitting out the rest of the 2026 season.

Cora was asked by USA Today what he plans to do for the rest of the year. He had a very brief and simple message in response.

“Full-time dad.”

During his stint as the manager in Boston from the 2018 season through 27 games of the 2026 campaign, Cora mustered up a 620-541 record. He also led the Red Sox to a World Series win during his first year back in 2018.

Since winning that World Series, Cora has only made the postseason two times in the last six years. Boston made it last year before being eliminated by the arch-rival New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card round.

Expect to continue hearing rumors connecting Cora and the Phillies. It would not be surprising to see the parties revisit this idea after the 2026 season ends.