The Los Angeles Angels are headed for a managerial change, and one familiar name could surface when they start looking.
That possibility is Alex Cora, who has been away from the dugout in the Dominican Republic since the Boston Red Sox fired him back in April. He was linked quickly to the Philadelphia Phillies opening, but he passed on GM Dave Dombrowski’s interest and chose to step back from the managerial grind for the time being.
Cora should be back in the mix soon, and the Angels make sense as a landing spot. His reputation has long been that of a manager who fits best with a veteran club, which would line up cleanly with outfielder Mike Trout and shortstop Zach Neto if Los Angeles builds around them going forward.
At the same time, Cora would likely be working with a roster heavy on young players, at least for now. Still, if the Angels decide to spend once the labor uncertainty is over, he could be handed a real payroll and a chance to manage a deeper club under a wealthy owner. That would be a different setup from the constant palace intrigue he dealt with in Boston.
There’s also another angle for Cora. He has spoken for a long time about wanting to move into a front office role, though when he got a closer look at that path in the offseason, he was surprised by how analytics-driven the job is. If he wanted that route instead, he could even be a GM-in-waiting for John Mozeliak, who could remain in place for new owner Stan Kroenke after his contract expires in December.
The Angels have been quiet on the managerial front despite losing 90 games and closing in on 100 losses. Interim GM John Mozeliak said the purge would wait until the season ended, but that didn’t stop the team from firing pitching coach Mike Maddux and two other coaches. Kurt Suzuki remains in the dugout for now, even though he was brought in as a lame-duck rookie manager by Mozeliak’s predecessor, Perry Minasian.
The expectation is that Suzuki will be gone when the season ends, but that still isn’t certain. What is clear is that the Angels will need to make a call soon, and Cora is one candidate who could fit the job.
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