Alex Cora Extension Came At Perfect, Intentional Time For Red Sox

The Red Sox finalized one of the more important deals in recent franchise history Wednesday, inking Alex Cora to a three-year extension that ties him to the club through 2027.

Boston fans got what they wanted.

Cora’s deal is worth celebrating, not only because the Red Sox will continue to be led by one of the best managers in baseball, but because it likely will have major repercussions rather quickly.

Cora previously was adamant that he wouldn’t engage in contract discussions during the season. Why? He never gave much of an explanation, save for tossing the “distraction” tag on in-season contract chatter a few times. It always felt like there was something missing to that, though, with many believing potential openings in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York might be of interest to the 48-year-old.

The Phillies, Dodgers and Yankees will instead be stuck with their underperforming skippers, as Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow helped change Cora’s mind and pushed things across the finish line by taking a flight to Colorado and finalizing the deal in person.

“I’ve been talking to Craig for a little bit,” Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage Wednesday. “There were two things that I wanted: I want to win and I want security for my family, and we have accomplished both. … These people trusted me. I’m glad and I’m a grateful kid from Caguas, Puerto Rico, and here I am.”

Why was Breslow so focused on getting the extension done? Why did Cora change his mind? What comes next?

One answer will do for all of those questions. The Red Sox are buying.

“At some point, we need to stop with the stupid analogies and put the turn signal on,” Breslow told reporters in Colorado, per The Boston Globe. “We’ve played really good baseball for the last few months. We’ve put ourselves in this position where we’re going to look to improve the team. That’s where we would want to be.

“I think everybody who takes this job does so with an eye on being in a place where not only can you add to the team but it’s the right decision. We obviously have to be mindful of the future. In a perfect world, we can improve our 2024 team and also our ’25 and beyond. That’s my job. But I think as things stand right now, we’re looking for ways to improve the club.”

Boston obviously wasn’t playing its best baseball at the time of the deal, but what it did before the All-Star break clearly has the club in contention for an American League Wild Card spot — far ahead of where many thought they’d be this season.

Cora can take a large chunk of the credit for that, and the timing of the deal’s completion suggests the two sides re-engaged during the Midsummer Classic about lengthening their partnership.

The Red Sox were never going to push any chips to the middle of the table without knowing who would lead their club into the future. Breslow knew that, and can now move freely with an eye on improving the current team as well as the future before the clock strikes 6 p.m. ET on July 30. It doesn’t just stop at the end of July, either. Breslow can now enter the offseason with a relatively clean plate, and while the Red Sox will have to prove they’re once again willing to spend, his options are wide open on paper.

Cora is here to stay, meaning he’ll have a hand in developing Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel — just as he has with guys like Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Connor Wong. Breslow can now put his full focus on pushing the right buttons to turn this team into a legitimate contender.

It’s a good time to be a baseball fan in Boston, as long as you forget about the final score Wednesday