Why now? 3 factors in Red Sox's decision to dismiss Cora

BALTIMORE -- Well, that timing was unexpected.

Hours after the Red Sox pulled off their most one-sided victory of the season, a 17-1 throttling of the Orioles at Camden Yards on Saturday, the organization announced perhaps the most dramatic, in-season shakeup of the coaching staff in team history.

Just like that, manager Alex Cora was no longer at the helm of the club he guided for over seven seasons.

Per Elias, it was the largest margin of victory in a manager’s final game with a team in the Modern Era, which started in 1900.

And out the door with Cora went hitting coach Pete Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and Major League hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin.

Game planning and run prevention coach Jason Varitek -- wildly popular throughout Red Sox Nation for his contributions as a championship-winning player -- has been reassigned to a new role within the organization, details of which will be announced at a later date.

Why did this shakeup happen now, aside from the fact the Sox are off to a disappointing 10-17 start?

Only chief baseball officer Craig Breslow knows for sure, and he will discuss his decisions with the media on Sunday morning at Camden Yards, along with club president/CEO Sam Kennedy.

But here are three factors that likely played a role:

No offense
There was scrutiny with the offense weeks before the season even started. The Red Sox tried to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman in January, but the Cubs made a better offer. Willson Contreras was the one proven bat Breslow acquired in the offseason. Third baseman Caleb Durbin, fresh off finishing third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting last season, was acquired just before Spring Training and is one of the team’s many slumping hitters.

Last year, the Sox had a solid enough offense to finish seventh in the Major Leagues in runs, win 89 games and make the playoffs.

Other than Bregman, most of the key members of that team are still around. With veterans Trevor Story, Contreras and Jarren Duran leading a young core led by Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Durbin and Marcelo Mayer, the expectation was that the team could still score enough to compete, especially with a bolstered pitching staff.

But even after Saturday’s 17-run outburst, the team’s offensive rankings told the story of a team that has drastically underperformed. Breslow and his staff had to be wondering why there had been such a sharp dropoff from last season, even if it was only one month into the season.

With 18 homers, the Sox are tied with the Giants for fewest in MLB. Boston is tied for 22nd in the league in runs scored (112) and ranked 24th in on-base percentage (.313) and 28th in slugging percentage (.354).

Pitching so-so
After losing out on Bregman, Breslow made it clear this team would lean into run prevention. The Sox acquired Sonny Gray in a trade with the Cardinals even before Bregman left. And a few days after Bregman signed with the Cubs, the Sox made a five-year, $130 million investment in Ranger Suarez. While Gray was mostly what the team expected before going on the injured list earlier this week with a right hamstring strain, Suarez has been spotty. Also, Brayan Bello has regressed so far this season at the age of 26, posting a 9.00 ERA in five starts.

Even Garrett Crochet, the ace of the staff, hadn’t been up to par in three of his first five starts. He had a dominant effort (six scoreless innings) on Saturday, Cora’s last game.

The Boston rotation’s 5.08 ERA is 27th in the game – not what you’re looking for from a team that is leaning into run prevention. The whole staff ranks 21st with a 4.44 ERA.

New voices needed?
Cora thrived with veteran-laden teams in 2018 and ‘21, and experienced players so often spoke fondly of him. However, many of the team’s younger players weren’t performing well this season.

Last season, Bregman served as an invaluable voice to the younger players, nurturing them with words of encouragement and hands-on instruction. Without Bregman’s presence, the coaching staff hasn’t been able to procure the same results, though Abreu (.834 OPS) has swung the bat well.

Anthony looked like a star in the making in his injury-shortened rookie season, as he slashed .292/.396/.463 in 303 plate appearances. Before missing the past four games with back tightness, the 21-year-old was off to a slow start (.225/.361/.325, one homer, four RBIs in 97 plate appearances). Anthony stood out at the World Baseball Classic while being surrounded by superstar veterans, being named the left fielder on the all-tournament team.

Mayer, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 Draft, has a line of .222/.296/.365 with one homer and five RBIs. Mayer made a baserunning gaffe in Friday’s 10-3 loss, getting caught too far off second on a flyout while his team was rallying in the ninth inning.

Duran, at 29 is kind of a tweener between the young players and the vets. He was one of MLB’s best all-around hitters in ‘24, but didn’t perform as well last season and is off to a tepid start (.549 OPS) this season. Though Duran was one of the most vocal supporters of Cora, Fatse and his assistants haven’t been able to get the most out of the speedy outfielder since that breakout year.