Manfred wrote in January: “Cora was involved in both developing the multiplication scheme and using the replay review room to decode and transmit the signals.” “Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, he implicitly condoned the behavior of the players.”
Shortly thereafter, the Red Sox and Cora agreed to split up. While Red Sox officials then said that Cora expressed regret to them, the statement from Cora’s team did not include an apology or an admission of wrongdoing. Cora thanked the team executives and described the two seasons they spent with the Red Sox as “the best years of my life”.
It wasn’t until April, when MLB announced an investigation into allegations of stealing Red Sox signals during the 2018 season, that Cora publicly apologized for the first time. He then said he took “full responsibility” for his role in the Astros scandal and described the team’s collective behavior as “unacceptable”.
Cora has not been disciplined by MLB over the Boston signal theft scandal, which Manfred described as “more limited in scope and influence” than Houston. JT Watkins, the operator of the Red Sox video reboot, was the only person who was officially disciplined as a result of that report. At the time, however, Manfred announced Cora was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in stealing the Astros brand.
During the 2019 season, the Red Sox fired Dave Dombrowski, the head of baseball operations who had hired Cora and helped build the team that won the 2018 title. Haim Bloom replaced Dombrovsky and promoted Cora’s coach, Ron Roenik, to coach for the 2020 season.
The Red Sox, rebuilding under Bloom, was one of the worst teams in the major leagues this year, going 24-36 during the amputee season. Before the final game of the season, the Red Sox told Roenick he would not return as coach in 2021, again sparking speculation that Cora will make a comeback.
“Cora is an amazing coach and the right person to lead the club until 2021 and beyond,” Blume said in a statement on Friday.
