BALTIMORE (AP) — Less than 24 hours after the Boston Red Sox shockingly fired manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff, infielder Trevor Story said the club's path forward feels unclear.
"I mean obviously, it's kind of up in the air what the true direction is," the two-time All-Star said on Sunday morning before a series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. "Those are conversations that need to be had. They'll be had today and onward going forward, too."
The Red Sox officially dismissed Cora on Saturday evening after a 10-17 start to his eighth season guiding the club, including an embarrassing three-game sweep at home to the New York Yankees earlier this week.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow explained the first in-season firing of a Boston manager since 2001 by suggesting it showed commitment to the current season.
"It really comes down to the belief we have in the players, and the belief we have in the group to accomplish what we set out to accomplish," Breslow said Sunday. "By acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us, almost a full season's worth of run, to take advantage of this fresh start."
But Story, in the fifth season of a six-year, $140-million deal, is an exception on a young roster that has traded away stars like Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers in the years since Cora guided Boston to a 2018 World Series title in his first season.
The Red Sox have reached only two postseasons since, and only one since Story's arrival when they made a wild-card appearance in 2025.
"I came here to win and I came here to be successful," said the 33-year-old Story, who is among the Boston batters struggling with a .198 average, two homers and 17 RBIs. "And we had a flash of that last year. We're looking to build on that. Obviously not off to a great start. But yeah, some of the direction needs to be cleared up, in my opinion."
Breslow and interim manager Chad Tracy spoke with the team for roughly eight minutes in a Sunday morning gathering that also included owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy, according to reliever Garrett Whitlock. Players did not talk during the meeting.
"They spoke. Yeah, they spoke," Story said. "There just has to be more conversations had. I wouldn't say it was satisfactory."
To reporters, Breslow and Kennedy indicated this was a decision driven by baseball operations after the club had performed particularly poorly on offense.
Despite a 17-1 win over Baltimore on Saturday that halted a four-game slide, the Red Sox batters entered Sunday slashing .233/.312/.354 collectively and ranked in the bottom quarter of MLB in most key metrics.
"Ultimately, responsibility for the performance on the field, it falls on me as the leader of baseball operations," Breslow said. "But so, too, does the responsibility for doing everything I can and the organization can to find solutions. And right now we feel like this change, these changes were warranted."
Kennedy said Breslow has "made several bold decisions and recommendations."
"And this was one of them and we fully support it.," he said.
Henry remained in Baltimore Sunday but did not address the media.
"I think it's evident by his presence here that this was a collaborative decision (with Henry)," Kennedy said.
Tracy makes his MLB managerial debut after six seasons guiding Triple-A Worcester. The son of longtime manager Jim Tracy, he recognized the delicate dynamics of his opportunity.
"I'm toeing that line of sitting here with all of you in this moment, but also acknowledge the relationship with some of the people that are no longer here was strong," Tracy said. "And you also know that that's, in a lot of ways, that's how some of the players feel as well. So, excited, right? But also honoring the people that were before me that were mentors to me."
Story praised Tracy's "baseball mind," but was clearly still emotional about Cora's firing.
"He had our backs every single day," Story said. "He was very truthful with players and took bullets for us and did everything you can ask for and more as a manager. I just can't express how thankful I am to have played for him. Yeah, I've got a love for that guy."
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