Alex Cora exposed in latest Astros sign-stealing report: Everything to know

Now-Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been further exposed in the latest report about the Astros’ sign-stealing in 2017.

In 2020, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was a bench coach in Houston, for playing a significant role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017.

Cora was eventually fired and re-hired by the Red Sox. As manager, he has publicly owned up to any wrongdoing and in comments to ESPN in Oct. 21, he said: “The collective conduct of the Astros’ organization in 2017 was unacceptable and I respect and accept the commissioners discipline for my past actions.”

Privately, Cora has reportedly taken a much different stance.

‘Winning Fixes Everything’ exposes Alex Cora, Astros

In the book “Winning Fixes Everything,” Evan Drellich provided new details about Cora’s role in the sign-stealing scandal and his relationship with former Astros manager AJ Hinch. On Aug. 31, 2017, Cora got into a verbal altercation with Geoff Blum, the team’s TV broadcaster, who had called Cora out for turning the music too loud while everyone on the team bus was trying to call their families.

Cora reportedly then told Hinch: “He’s your buddy, you want (Blum) to be your bench coach, you don’t trust me. It’s been like this all year long.”

The confrontation, and specifically Cora’s “erratic nature and immaturity,” almost led to his dismissal, but his relationship with stars such as Alex Bergman and Carlos Beltran ultimately was part of what saved his job.

In Boston, Cora has talked about the sign-stealing scandal and would even brag about it, according to Drellich.

“We stole that (expletive) World Series,” Cora allegedly said.

The book also goes into how the Astros knew what pitches were coming against the Dodgers in the World Series and openly told Red Sox players about it after he became manager. “He said that when they played the Dodgers, ‘We already knew what everybody was throwing before we even got on base. We didn’t have to get on base.’ And everybody was like, ‘What the hell does that mean?'”

It’s unclear if MLB or the Red Sox will comment on Drellich’s additional reporting. Cora, meanwhile, declined to comment to the Boston Herald.