Dave Dombrowski admits pondering move to Alex Cora before Rob Thomson was officially fired
PHILADELPHIA – Dave Dombrowski pondered hiring Alex Cora as Phillies manager before Rob Thomson was officially fired.
Dombrowski spoke candidly about his pursuit of Cora in a press conference on Tuesday following Thomson’s dismissal.
“I think Alex Cora is one of the finest managers in the game of baseball,” Dombrowski said.
Dombrowski originally hired Cora as Boston Red Sox manager in October 2017. The two won the 2018 World Series together and while their time together in Boston was relatively short (Dombrowski was fired by the Red Sox in 2019), the pair remain especially close.
Cora could have been the first MLB manager since 1991 to manage two clubs in one season. The Selig Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for high-ranking positions such as manager, was implemented in 1999. Cora, a native of Puerto Rico, satisfies the diversity requirement. The Phillies also technically didn’t have an opening when Cora was contacted. That’s how the Chicago Cubs bypassed the Selig Rule in November 2023 when they hired Criag Counsell and fired their manager at the time David Ross.
“Unless, you would hire somebody like an Alex Cora, you’re going to hire an interim because otherwise you need to go through an interview process,” Dombrowski said.
The two met up for lengthy chats whenever the Phillies and Red Sox played each other. When Dombrowski thought about signing Kyle Schwarber the first time around in the offseason prior to 2022, Dombrowski consulted Cora on the decision.
The two talked about Schwarber again last summer as the DH was coming up on free agency again. Cora wanted his Red Sox to pursue Schwarber, who was traded to the Red Sox in the second half of 2021.
“I talked to Dave about him when it was happening,” Cora said in July 2025 before a Phillies vs. Red Sox game at Citizens Bank Park. “We have talked a little bit the last few days. They’re very happy with him. We’ll see what the future holds.”
All parties were close to reuniting again. If Cora wanted the job, it was his for the taking.
Dombrowski spoke with Cora over the phone after Cora was let go by the Red Sox on Saturday. On the same weekend that Cora was fired as Red Sox manager, Dombrowski summoned three of his most trusted scouts to Atlanta to essentially audit the organization. The timing was somehow perfect as the Phillies were in the midst of a nine-game losing streak entering the Atlanta series.
When Cora declined the position, Dombrowski pivoted to Don Mattingly as interim manager.
“I talked to (Cora) on Sunday morning. We talked about potentially taking the job,” Dombrowski said. “I had told him I had come to the conclusion at that point that if he took it, I was going to make a change. I thought that he might take it. But as time went on over the next day, until Monday morning, it was apparent from his perspective that he wanted to take time with his family.”
Cora, who signed a $21.75 million contract extension with Boston in 2024 that runs through 2027, decided to spend the summer at home in Puerto Rico.
“It wasn’t because of pay, it wasn’t because he’s paid through the next year, but he just felt that he wanted, at this point, to be a father first and foremost,” Dombrowski said. “That’s what he had decided.”
Cora is not the only manager spending a summer at home. Before Thomson left town, he gave one last interview to reporters via Zoom. Thomson was not formally offered a role within the Phillies organization, but Dombrowski expressed interest in welcoming him back as a special assistant.
“My relationship with Dave Dombrowski is rock solid,” Thomson said on Zoom.
But how does Thomson feel about his former boss looking for his replacement while he was still the manager? As Dombrowski came to the conclusion that change was necessary on Monday, Thomson was at home, game planning for the upcoming Giants series.
“I think Dave is just doing his due diligence,” Thomson said. “He had made up his mind and he was going to move forward. This guy’s a Hall of Fame executive. I think people need to trust him. He’s going to do the right thing for the organization. Dave and I have a close relationship, but that doesn’t stand in the way for him doing the right things for the organization. I respect that.”
Dombrowski decided against giving Thomson more time to turn things around. The Phillies are past arguably one of the toughest parts of the schedule with the Braves and Cubs in four straight series. Mattingly will theoretically have a softer landing spot with the Giants, Marlins, Athletics and Rockies coming up on the schedule.
“We just felt that if we kept waiting and it didn’t fix itself, that was – we just think at this point something needed to be done in watching us play,” Dombrowski said.
But Dombrowski made it very clear who his first choice was. Is it safe to assume that Cora will be the manager after this season?
“No you should not,” Dombrowski said.
But if Dombrowski’s love for Cora was apparent before, it is now.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Fame managers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland,” Dombrowski said. “I’ve been very fortunate in my career. I think if Alex Cora decides to keep managing, he has a chance to be in that same category, that’s how good he is.”