BALTIMORE – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox parted ways with Manager Alex Cora. In addition to Cora, five members of the Major League coaching staff were fired, including Hitting Coach Peter Fatse, Third Base Coach Kyle Hudson, Bench Coach Ramón Vázquez, Assistant Hitting Coach Dillon Lawson, and Major League Hitting Strategy Coach Joe Cronin.
Game Planning and Run Prevention Coach Jason Varitek has been reassigned to a new role within the organization. Details of his reassignment will be announced at a later date.
“Alex Cora led this organization to one of the greatest seasons in Red Sox history in 2018, and for that, and the many years that followed, he will always have our deepest gratitude,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “He has had a lasting impact on this team and on this city. He has led on and off the field in so many important ways. These decisions are never easy, but this one is especially difficult given what Alex has meant to the Red Sox since the day he arrived.
“I want to thank Alex, our coaches, and their families for everything they have given to this organization. They have been part of this club in a way that goes beyond the field, and they will always have our respect and gratitude.”
Chad Tracy will serve as Interim Manager for the Red Sox. Tracy, 40, has served as Manager of Triple-A Worcester since 2022. He spent the previous seven seasons (2015-21) in the Los Angeles Angels system, including three as a minor league manager with Low-A Burlington (2015) and High-A Inland Empire (2016-17). He served as the Angels’ minor league field coordinator from 2018-21. Tracy played eight professional seasons (2006-13) in the Rangers, Rockies, and Royals organizations.
Chad Epperson will serve as the club’s Interim Third Base Coach. Epperson, 54, has served as Manager of Double-A Portland since 2022 after previously spending 12 seasons as Catching Coordinator for the Red Sox. Prior to that, he spent eight years as a manager or coach in the Red Sox farm system. The Kentucky native managed Greenville in 2005 and Augusta in 2004 after spending two seasons (2002-03) as Sarasota’s hitting coach. Prior to his coaching career, Epperson played nine years in the minor leagues in the Mets (1992-95), Red Sox (1997-99), and Orioles (2000) systems.
Collin Hetzler will serve as part of the club’s Major League hitting staff. He joined the organization in 2025 as Triple-A Worcester’s Hitting Coach after spending four seasons in the Mets’ organization and serving as Triple-A Syracuse’s Hitting Coach from 2023-24.
On Monday, April 27, the Red Sox announced the following changes to their 2026 Major League coaching staff:
- José David Flores will serve as Interim Bench Coach
- Pablo Cabrera has been named Interim First Base Coach/Outfield Instructor
- Jack Simonetty has been named Interim Hitting Assistant
Flores, 55, joined the Major League coaching staff as First Base Coach/Infield Instructor in November 2024, following three seasons (2022-24) as Bench Coach for Triple-A Worcester. He previously spent one season as First Base Coach for the Philadelphia Phillies (2018) and two seasons as Third Base Coach for the Baltimore Orioles (2019-20), also serving as the infield coach for both clubs. Prior to joining the Phillies, Flores spent five seasons (2013-17) as Infield Coordinator in the Chicago Cubs organization. Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Flores began his coaching career in 2001. He has worked in a variety of roles on coaching staffs in the Puerto Rican Winter League, as well as for Team Puerto Rico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Flores has also served as a manager for several clubs, including Cleveland’s Dominican Summer League team, the Cidra Braves of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, the Puerto Rico National Baseball Team, and Santurce.
Cabrera, 28, was promoted to Infield/Outfield Defensive Coordinator in November 2025 after serving as Complex Defensive Coach based out of Fort Myers from 2024-25. He joined the Red Sox in 2023 as a coach for Double-A Portland. Prior to joining the organization, he was a graduate assistant coach for the baseball team at the University of Charleston, holding the role of defensive coordinator in 2021 and offensive coordinator in 2022.
Simonetty, 26, began 2026 as a Hitting Coach for the Rookie-Level Florida Complex League Red Sox, after serving in 2025 as Single-A Salem’s Assistant Hitting Coach. He previously held roles within the organization as Player Development Associate during 2024 and a Minor League Affiliate Video and Technology Associate in Worcester during 2023. The New York native is a graduate of Springfield College.