1000 games managed, 600 wins earned. Alex Cora stands third among all Red Sox managers in winning percentage at .538. The numbers tell one story—a 610-524 record built over seven seasons. However, they don’t reveal how a defensive specialist from Caguas who once fouled off 14 consecutive pitches became the architect of a 108-win season and a World Series championship in his rookie year as manager.
Alex Cora’s journey is interesting not only because he is the Red Sox manager, but also because of the many levels of his personal and professional life. His story highlights his close family ties and professional growth. Let’s rewind and understand the skipper journey from the start.
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Who is Alex Cora? Everything you should know about him
On October 18, 1975, Jose Alexander Cora was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Do you know the Minnesota Twins picked him in the 12th round of the 1993 draft? But Alex had other plans then. He chose the University of Miami, where he guided the Hurricanes to three straight College World Series appearances. Baseball America named him the finest defensive player in college baseball in 1996.
Then, a couple of years later, in 1998, he joined the MLB and represented various clubhouses for a decade. He was noted for his intelligence and defensive ability. Cora played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals, among other clubs.
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When Cora became a manager, he became an important part of the Red Sox dugout. He was named manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and led the team to a World Series win in his first season. Alex Cora is often appreciated for his leadership style, which combines strategy with personal connection.
Who is his wife? Meet Nilda Cora and his kids, including two twins, Xander and Isander
Alex Cora married Nilda Cora, who has mostly kept out of the public eye to care for their family. However, the couple announced their divorce, and information about their relationship is not widely available.
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Their kids are Camila, Nilda’s daughter from a previous relationship, and twins Xander and Isander, who were born in 2017. These relationships keep Cora grounded outside of baseball, but one event in 2025 made it evident to the public: Cora skipped a Red Sox game to see his daughter Camila graduate from Boston College. Many raised eyebrows on his decision, but he said, “I 100% will miss the game for that … for her it’s her day and baseball was secondary.”
That choice struck a chord—not just as a sign of dedication to family, but also as a reminder that there is always someone behind every athlete or coach who is dealing with life outside of athletics.
Who are his parents? What is their ethnicity? All to know
Alex Cora was born to Jose Manuel Cora and his mother, Iris Amaro. He grew up in Puerto Rico, where the culture prized both pride and strength. Alex’s father died when he was young, but his mother’s strong will affected a lot of his early life and work ethic.
Baseball runs in his veins. Reason? Well, his father, Jos Manuel Cora, started a Little League chapter in Caguas in 1969. It became a baseball paradise that would change the lives of many young people, including his own boys. Not only that, Alex’s older brother, Joey, had an 11-year MLB career, and Alex grew up in a house where baseball was more than just something to watch.
And he is very close to his family. In an interview back in 2021, he once mentioned, “We have the family group text — and every day at six in the morning back home [in Puerto Rico], it might be three in the morning on the West Coast or whatever, it’s ‘Good morning’ and we have to make sure we answer whenever we get up.” And it was his mother who came up with this idea.
Alex Cora’s ethnicity is Puerto Rican. He, who was born in Caguas, has always been proud of his Puerto Rican roots. After Hurricane Maria destroyed the island, he showed his dedication by asking for a plane full of supplies to be sent to his homeland.
What is Alex Cora’s net worth in 2025?
Alex Cora’s net worth is projected to be around $10 million as of 2025. This fortune accumulated through two distinct chapters: his 14-year playing career from 1998 to 2011, and his subsequent rise through the coaching and managerial ranks.
Know about his contract, salary and bonuses with the Red Sox
In July 2024, the Red Sox and Cora reached a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2027 season. The deal carries a total value of $21.75 million, translating to more than $7M per year. This reflects the organization’s strong commitment to the manager who won a World Series title in his first season.
There were bumps along the way to this contract. Cora became the Red Sox’s manager in 2017 with a three-year contract. He was fired in January 2020 after winning the 2018 World Series title due to his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal as a bench coach in 2017. Alex Cora and the Red Sox parted ways, and he was suspended for the entire 2020 season.
In November 2020, the organization hired him back on a two-year contract with club options, which they used. The Red Sox showed they still have confidence in him as a leader by giving him a new contract in 2024, even if there had been problems in the past.
A look at his professional career
Alex Cora made his debut on June 7, 1998, in Seattle, facing his brother Joey, who started at second base for the Mariners. Over seven seasons with the Dodgers, Cora became a defensive specialist, leading the National League in 2003 with 112 double plays and 286 putouts.
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His signature moment came May 12, 2004: an 18-pitch at-bat against Matt Clement that ended with a home run. Vin Scully called it “one of the finest at-bats that I have ever seen”—one of only four such plate appearances in MLB history from 1988 to 2013. After struggling with Cleveland in 2005, a July trade brought him to Boston. He won his first World Series ring with the 2007 Red Sox. His 14-year playing career ended in 2011 with Washington.