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‘I’ve never heard him like that’: Red Sox analysts’ blunt reaction to Alex Cora’s postgame quotes
"He's fed up."
Alex Cora and the current state of the Red Sox: Following the 17th one-run loss suffered by the Red Sox so far in the 2025 season, Alex Cora made some frank admissions about the state of the team.
“We keep making the same mistakes. We’re not getting better,” Cora said after the 4-3 loss in 10 innings to the Angels on Tuesday. “At one point it has to be on me I guess. I’m the manager. I’ve got to keep pushing them to be better. They’re not getting better. They’re not. We keep making the same mistakes. I’ll be honest about it and very open about it.”
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Cora’s comments drew attention from fans, and also analysts. In the NESN postgame show, longtime host Tom Caron and former third baseman Will Middlebrooks were both stunned.
“I’ve covered every game [Cora’s] managed, just about. I’ve never heard him like that,” Caron acknowledged. “I’ve heard him very sort of despondent, quiet. I’ve heard him angry, but this is a different level. He’s saying we’re not getting any better right now. He said we’re making the same mistakes over and over right now.
“He’s fed up,” said Middlebrooks. “There’s a lot to unpack there, but at the end of the day it’s like look, we’re not doing the fundamental things it takes to win baseball games at this level, and yet we keep doing the same things over, and over, and over again, expecting it to change. Is that not the definition of insanity?
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“Something’s got to change,” Middlebrooks explained, “and he’s saying, ‘Hey, all I can do is keep pushing these guys, but nothing’s changing.'”
Fellow NESN panelist (and former infielder) Deven Marrero concurred, noting that Cora’s frustration might be in the team’s inability to grapple with details critical to winning.
“I think it really gets to him because he’s an old-school player,” said Marrero. “He really prides himself in his career on doing the little things right. These are little things that we all learned in high school to do. And now that’s kind of like the game; these kids going through the systems aren’t learning these little things. They’re learning launch angle and exit velocity. They’re not learning these little, intricate things.”
The Red Sox enter Wednesday’s series finale against the Angels 10 games behind the division-leading Yankees.
“You can only mask it for so long,” Middlebrooks said of Cora’s frustration. “You can only say, ‘This is a good team, we’re a couple pitches away,’ but at what point do those ‘couple pitches away’ keep happening every single day. We’re in June.”
Trivia: Alex Cora holds the record for longest at-bat in Dodgers history, battling through an 18-pitch marathon in 2004 before belting a home run in an eventual Los Angeles win over the Cubs. What pitcher did he hit the home run off of?
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(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Drafted by the Padres and eventually traded to the Marlins in 2001 in a deal that sent Mark Kotsay to San Diego, he pitched what would prove to be the final two seasons of his MLB career with the Red Sox (2005-2006). He was a 2005 All-Star.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox lost 4-3 in the 10th inning against the Angels on Tuesday.
The two teams play the final game of the series this afternoon at Fenway Park at 1:35 p.m. as Boston attempts to avoid the sweep.
More from Boston.com:
- Angels manufacture run in 10th inning to beat Red Sox, 4-3
- Red Sox manager Alex Cora proclaims his team ‘not getting better’ following 8th loss in 10 games
- Patriots reportedly agree to terms with No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell on four-year contract
- Could the Bruins target young center Marco Rossi via trade?
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The (Worcester-based) Roman empire: Top MLB prospect Roman Anthony hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the 9th on Tuesday for the Worcester Red Sox. The WooSox went on to win in the 10th after a throwing error led to a walk-off.
On this day: In 1976, the Celtics outlasted the Suns 128-126 in a triple-overtime classic to win Game 5 of the NBA Finals (giving Boston a 3-2 series lead). Boston Globe reporter Bob Ryan’s lede from his postgame recap remains the best description.
“What do say after you’ve seen the greatest game of professional basketball ever played?” he began. “That there should have been two winners? That it would have been a bargain at $250 courtside? That no matter what happens in the final two games of the 1976 playoffs, two teams with heart are competing in the finals? That perhaps rarely in the history of any professional sport have so many incredible clutch plays been turned in during one game by so many people?”
Daily highlight: Mass. native Ally Sentnor scored a pair of goals in a 4-0 U.S. win over Jamaica in a friendly on Tuesday night, including this quality finish off of an equally quality setup.
Trivia answer: Matt Clement
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