Alex Cora joins a list of previously successful Red Sox managers who have been let go during a season.

Relieving a manager can energize a team to post-season success, or it can demotivate them and lead to many years of meandering. What does history show?

Dick Williams after a successful World Series run in 1967 was fired in 1969 with a record of 82-71 with the Red Sox ending in 3^rd place. It took 8 more years before the Red Sox again appeared in the post-season, losing a 7 game World Series in 1975.

Darrell Johnson who managed the Red Sox to that 1975 World Series appearance, was fired the next year in the middle of the season with a 41-45 record. The Red Sox would go through 3 other managers before they returned to the post season in 1986.

Despite taking the Red Sox to a Game 7 in the World Series, John McNamara was dismissed mid-season in 1988 with a record of 43-42. The Red Sox won the AL East after his departure that year.

Tapped as temporary manager, 3^rd base coach “Turnpike Joe” Morgan went 46-31 the rest of the way to take the Red Sox to the ALCS in 1988 and also in 1990. However, in each year, the Red Sox were swept 4 straight by the Oakland A’s. After a 2^nd place finish in 1991, Morgan was fired with one year left on his contract and followed by Butch Hobson who had 3  sub-.500 seasons.

The Red Sox did not see the post season again until 5 managers later in 1995, winning the Red Sox won the World Series under Terry Francona in 2004.

Francona won a second World Series in 2007 and had two more post-season runs, but in 2011, after  the  Red Sox lost a playoff spot on the final day of the season, Francona’s option was not exercised and he ended his Red Sox tenure. The Red Sox missed the post season in the following year but won the World Series in 2013 under John Farrell.

Farrell himself was dismissed after two consecutive ALDS losses to the Houston Astros in 2016 and  2017. Alex Cora then in his first year wins the World Series in 2018, and seemed to be the toast of the town.

Now after a 10-17 start in 2026, Alex Cora has ended his Red Sox manager tenure, and Worchester Red Sox manager, Chad Tracy takes the reins.

Will The Red Sox respond to their new manager and rise in the standings or will it take more than a new manager to win post-season laurels?