Alex Cora declined offer to manage Phillies job given to Don Mattingly

Alex Cora turned down an offer to take over as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, a person briefed on the matter told The Athletic on Tuesday, when the club appointed Don Mattingly the interim manager following the dismissal of Rob Thomson. Speculation about Cora's connections with the Phillies began on Saturday night, soon after his dismissal as manager of the Boston Red Sox. Cora led the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series championship, a club built by current Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski. However, that connection with Cora may come to the forefront again if the Phillies find themselves in the market for a manager at season's end. Mattingly is not expected to be the Phillies' long-term choice, and Cora figures to be a popular candidate among clubs looking for managers. To this point, Cora's only public comments following his firing have been made on social media. On Tuesday, a few hours before the Phillies fired Thomson, Cora posted a goodbye note to Red Sox fans on X.