The Red Sox are re-hiring Alex Cora as manager, a source told MLB.com's Ian Browne on Friday. The team hasn't confirmed the news, which was first reported by MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.

Cora managed the Red Sox from 2018-19 and led them to a World Series championship in his first season with the team. Cora's record in those two seasons with Boston was 192-132, a .593 winning percentage, including a franchise-record 108 wins in '18.

He was suspended for the 2020 season for his involvement with the Astros' sign stealing scandal in 2017, when Cora was Houston's bench coach. Ron Roenicke replaced Cora as Red Sox manager, but Boston chose not to bring Roenicke back after a 24-36 season and last-place finish in the American League East.

The 45-year-old Cora was one of two finalists for Boston's managerial opening, along with Phillies director of integrative baseball performance Sam Fuld. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and general manager Brian O’Halloran flew to Puerto Rico to meet with Cora in person late last week.

Cora and Fuld were the last two candidates of what was previously a group of five, including Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, Marlins bench coach James Rowson and Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza.

Cora is popular among the players in the clubhouse, and all of the team's returning coaching staff for the 2021 season either worked with Cora in his two seasons as manager or was hired by Cora following the 2019 season.