Alex Cora to get three-year deal from Red Sox, per Ken Rosenthal report

Earlier in the week, there were reports from Las Mayores that Alex Cora, the current bench coach of the Astros, would be named the new Red Sox manager after the ALCS. That report would end up getting deleted, leading to some creeping doubt that this may not be as much of a done deal as we originally thought. However, despite that one report going away, Evan Drellich and many others were reporting that Cora was the heavy favorite to get the Red Sox job and that it would happen once the postseason came to its conclusion. Now, the best reporter in the business, Ken Rosenthal, is reporting that the deal will be done after the Astros are eliminated. We now know that this means it will be announced after the World Series.

According to another report from Rosenthal later in the day, the deal will be for three years.

This seems like a good length for a first managerial contract, as these types of deals are, practically speaking, one year less than the actual agreement. Teams and managers rarely like having them perform as a lame duck on a one-year deal, so after two years the team will be able to have a read on whether or not they want to extend Cora or move in a different direction.

Of course, things are not official yet, though at this point there is just too much smoke for any of us to ignore. Still, there is a new wrinkle in the mix with the Nationals having fired Dusty Baker. That brings another very talented team into the managerial hiring process, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that Washington would like to get an interview with Cora.

Cafardo is plugged into the league as a whole, of course, but the original Rosenthal report suggests that Washington will not be a factor in this. As of now, it appears we are just in waiting mode as Cora needs to finish this postseason run. After the World Series is over, all signs are pointing towards the Red Sox announcing their next manager.