Report: Cora again declines chance to manage Phils, plans to take '27 off

Alex Cora once again has declined the opportunity to manage the Philadelphia Phillies, informing the club that he plans to take the 2027 season off, according to USA Today Sports.

Cora, who has been linked to the Philadelphia job since being fired by the Boston Red Sox earlier this year, recently spoke with Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, USA Today Sports reported late Tuesday.

Dombrowski talked to Cora about becoming the Phillies' manager in 2027, but Cora -- who is still owed over $7 million from the Red Sox for the final year of his three-year, $21.75 million deal -- turned down the opportunity, according to USA Today Sports.

It marks the second time in less than six months that Dombrowski has offered Cora the Phillies' managerial job. The two connected in late April after the Phillies, who were off to a 9-19 start to the season, fired manager Rob Thomson.

Dombrowski acknowledged at the time that he offered the job to Cora, who had been fired by the Red Sox one day earlier. But Cora told Dombrowski that he wanted to spend the remainder of the 2026 season with his family, prompting the Phillies to pivot to bench coach Don Mattingly as Thomson's interim replacement.

The Phillies rallied under Mattingly, going 79-55 over the season's final five months and reaching the postseason as the National League's third wild card. Philadelphia was eliminated by the rival Atlanta Braves last week in the NL Wild Card Series.

The Phillies have not formally announced an update on the status of Mattingly, who reportedly also is a candidate for the full-time managerial role. Mattingly remains under contract with the Phillies as their bench coach for 2027, according to USA Today Sports.

Mattingly deflected questions about his future after the Phillies' season ended with their NLWCS Game 3 loss to the Braves last Thursday.

"It's not the time to talk about it," he said. "I'm comfortable with whatever they want to do.

"I want the best for the Phillies. I loved being in Philly this year. I actually like playing in that environment. I like the environment. It's a rough environment, but it's good."

Cora and Dombrowski worked together in Boston from 2015 to 2019 -- highlighted by the Red Sox winning the World Series in 2018, Cora's first year as manager.

"I think Alex Cora is one of the finest managers in the game of baseball," Dombrowski said in April. "I've been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Fame managers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland -- I've been very fortunate in my career. [Cora] has a chance to be in that same category, that's how good he is."

Cora went 620-541 in seven-plus seasons with the Red Sox, guiding them to three postseason appearances over that stretch.

Mattingly managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2015 and the Miami Marlins from 2016 to 2022. He was the 2020 NL Manager of the Year after he led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance since 2003.