MLB Decides Against Disciplinary Action for Red Sox Manager Alex Cora
In a high-stakes game at Fenway Park on Saturday, Major League Baseball chose not to suspend Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora for his post-game comments suggesting a possible retaliatory strategy.
The game, a 7-1 victory for Boston against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, was marred by controversy. The tension boiled over in the fourth inning when Yankees ace Gerrit Cole issued an intentional walk to Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers despite the bases being empty and only one out. This decision escalated further when Red Sox starter Brayan Bello threw a pitch behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's knees in the sixth inning.
In the aftermath, Cora's comments implied that the Red Sox might have attempted to hit Judge in response to what they perceived as a deliberate action by Cole. "I felt like the first at-bat, he hit him on purpose. He doesn’t wanna face him, that’s the bottom line. He told us with the intentional walk that the first at-bat he hit him. We’ll leave it at that. After that, he had bases loaded and had to face him," Cora remarked.
MLB launched an investigation into Cora's comments and the incidents during the game. Despite the inquiries, the league was unable to find any concrete evidence to back the claim that Cora had orchestrated a form of retaliation. As a result, no punitive measures were taken against him. "We took exception to (the HBP) because it was loud and clear that he didn’t want to face him. It was intentional, I’m not gonna back off. It was intentional," Cora added, standing firm on his assessment of Cole's actions.
The storied rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees has a long history of intense and contentious moments, and Saturday’s game added another chapter. Devers, who has been a thorn in Cole’s side, holds a .341 batting average against the Yankees pitcher with eight home runs out of 41 at-bats, all accumulated from 2021 to 2024. Their last meeting on July 6 saw Devers homer in his third and final at-bat against Cole, further inflaming the rivalry.
Saturday's game saw a dominating performance from the Red Sox, with their bats hammering Cole, leading to the decisive 7-1 victory. This outcome, coupled with the tension-filled moments, highlighted the emotionally charged atmosphere of the matchup.
In addressing the situation during the post-game presser, Cora indicated that the team had moved on from the incident by the sixth inning when no further actions transpired. "It was closed [Saturday] around the sixth inning. We had our chance. It didn’t happen," he stated, alluding to the fact that any possibility of retribution was diffused by that point.
As the season progresses, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are expected to face off multiple times, with both teams' competitive spirits likely adding more fuel to their enduring rivalry. The spotlight will undoubtedly be on their future encounters, watching for any signs of the lingering animosity from this controversial game. But for now, MLB's decision to refrain from penalizing Alex Cora keeps the focus squarely on the field where both teams will strive to outplay each other within the rules of the game.