Alex Cora appeared to tamper with Kyle Schwarber

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora appeared to tamper with Kyle Schwarber on Tuesday.

Cora’s Red Sox were in the middle of a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies, which is why the subject of Schwarber came up. Phillies Nation reporter Destiny Lugardo asked Cora about Schwarber’s upcoming free agency. The Red Sox manager said he would be “very, very intrigued” to see how Schwarber’s free agency plays out.

Lugardo took that to mean that Cora will be advocating for the Red Sox to try to sign Schwarber. However, Cora acknowledged that Philadelphia has been great for the slugger.

"I hate to say it, but (Philly) is a perfect place for him,” Cora said, via Lugardo.

Schwarber, 32, was a trade-deadline acquisition by the Red Sox in 2021. He batted .291 with a .957 OPS in 41 regular-season games with the team. The Red Sox lost in the ALCS that year with Cora as the manager.

During that offseason, Schwarber signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies, which has worked out well. Schwarber has slugged 164 home runs over his four seasons with the Phillies with an .849 OPS. He has been such a good fit with the Phillies that the team might not want to let him go.

The problem is, Cora even just describing himself “intrigued” over Schwarber’s free agency may be enough to be considered tampering with a player who is under contract with another team.