How Damaged Dugout Phone Became Red Sox Rally Prop

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora lost his cool during Tuesday night’s double ejection fireworks against the New York Mets at Fenway Park.

But even though Cora and starting pitcher Walker Buehler took a third-inning trip to the clubhouse courtesy of umpire Mike Estabrook, the meltdown wasn’t a total loss. Cora’s shouting match began moments after the seventh-year skipper slammed the dugout’s bullpen phone cover, causing it to detach from its hinges. It was a heated moment, but one that inspired Cora to suggest the team use the phone cover as a prop.

“Cora thought Ramón (Vázquez) did a really good job that first time managing and he wanted to give him another shot,” Rob Refsnyder revealed Wednesday to WEEI. “He broke the bullpen phone thing and then it was underneath, and AC was saying if somebody hits a home run, we should take it out of there. So we did. So I took it out there for the (Carlos) Narváez home run and Tanner took it out for the (Rafael Devers) one.”

Refsnyder and Houck helped rally the troops in the midst of a scoreless matchup with the Mets, and on a night when the Red Sox had lost their manager and starting pitcher. The mangled phone cover, while not directly responsible for Narváez and Devers mangling New York’s Clay Holmes, did unify the team. The bullpen, too, rose to the occasion, and when the dust settled and the Red Sox had secured their second straight win over the Mets, everyone in the clubhouse managed to make a joke of the incident.

That included Cora, whose right hand might’ve needed more ice than any of the six reliever arms Boston used to remain in the win column.

“He was complaining about his hand, though, that it hurt,” Refsnyder confirmed.

Buehler’s 52nd pitch, which caught the bottom corner of the strike zone against New York slugger Juan Soto, was called a ball by Estabrook, the home plate umpire. Buehler offered some choice words to Estabrook, who removed his mask and approached the right-hander just before Cora stormed the dugout the defend Buehler.

Both Buehler and Cora admitted to their faults, respectively, although the Red Sox were able to make light of the wreck and move on seamlessly.

Refsnyder also revealed that the team has kept the phone cover close, as a reminder to Cora that everyone is guilty of losing control of their temper. The hope is that Cora will add his signature to its rightful place, on the prop.

“Tom, our clubhouse guy, said that they have a bunch of replacements, so I think it’s gonna be replaced already,” Refsnyder said. “But we have the original — not the David Ortiz one (from 2013), we have the Cora one. I think we’re gonna have him sign it later. I think it’s in (Jarren) Duran’s locker, honestly.”

Since the Red Sox already have their newly introduced Wally helmet, it’s unlikely that the Cora phone cover reappears in the dugout anytime soon.