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04/25 19:03 CDT Boston Red Sox fire manager Alex Cora and 5 coaches Boston Red Sox fire manager Alex Cora and 5 coaches By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) --- The Boston Red Sox have fired manager Alex Cora, who led them to the World Series championship and a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins in 2018. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Chad Tracy, who had been managing the club's Triple-A Worcester affiliate. "Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude," owner John Henry said in a statement. "He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways." The Red Sox made the announcement Saturday after a 17-1 victory in Baltimore over the Orioles that snapped a four-game losing streak --- including a three-game sweep at Fenway Park by the archrival New York Yankees. The Red Sox are 10-17 this season and in last place in the AL East. The team said it is also parting ways with five members of the coaching staff: hitting coach Peter Fatse, third base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramn Vzquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin. Game planning and run prevention coach Jason Varitek, the catcher for three of the franchise's four World Series titles this century, has been reassigned to an unspecified role within the organization. A light-hitting infielder who spent three-plus seasons in Boston as a player, winning the 2007 World Series in a Red Sox uniform, Cora was an Astros bench coach when they won it all in 2017. The Red Sox hired him to replace John Farrell, giving Cora his first major league managing job. In his first season, the Red Sox won 108 regular-season games, beat the hated Yankees in a playoff series and then the Astros in the American League Championship Series. Boston then defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to claim a fourth World Series title in 15 years. The Red Sox finished third in the AL East the next season, missing the playoffs for the first time in five years. Then, during the offseason, The Athletic reported Cora had been a ringleader of an illegal sign-stealing scheme with the Astros during their championship season. Following a Major League Baseball investigation, the Red Sox and Cora agreed he should step down; Ron Roenicke replaced him, taking over a team that would soon go on a salary dump that purged 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts along with pitcher David Price. After a last-place finish in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Roenicke was let go and Cora returned. The Red Sox reached the playoffs again in his first season back, beating the Yankees in the AL wild-card game and Tampa Bay in a Division Series to reach the ALCS, where they lost to the Astros. Boston has not won a playoff series since, finishing last in back-to-back years before returning to the postseason last season and losing to the Yankees in the wild-card round. In all, Cora was 620-541 as the Red Sox manager. "These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived," Henry's statement said. "I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude." Chad Epperson, who had been managing the club's Double-A Portland affiliate in the Eastern League, will serve as the interim third base coach. Collin Hetzler, who had been Worcester's hitting coach, will join the major league hitting staff in Boston. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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