Report: Alex Cora viewed as favorite to return as Red Sox manager

After a year away from Major League Baseball, Alex Cora may be poised to get his old job back.

The Boston Red Sox have a list of several candidates for their managerial job. However, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Cora is viewed as the favorite to get the job back.

Cora has the backing of ownership, according to Heyman, and Red Sox players want to see him back as well.

Cora was fired by the Red Sox in January after being painted as one of the masterminds behind the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scheme. He later received a one-year suspension from the league for those actions.

The Red Sox won the World Series in Cora’s first year as manager in 2018. They were also accused of sign-stealing violations during his tenure, but these were much less severe than Houston’s and Cora was not found to be involved.

Whatever message it sends, bringing Cora back is understandable from a pure baseball point of view. He’s a World Series winner as a manager. In addition, players stood by him even after word of his role in the Astros’ scandal broke. If they’re comfortable with Cora returning, Boston’s decision-makers likely are as well.