Tigers, third base coach Joey Cora part ways over "philosophical differences"

Joey Cora won't be waving runners around third anymore for the Tigers. The Tigers and their third base coach have "mutually agreed" to part ways after two and a half seasons together, manager A.J. Hinch announced Tuesday before the start of a six-game homestand.

Hinch said he and Cora, who was also the Tigers' head infield coach, reached the decision during a meeting Tuesday morning at the ballpark.

"We had some philosophical differences and we both just agreed that it is probably for the best for the players and everybody to separate,” Hinch said. "We hugged a little bit. We teared up a little bit. I'm better as a manager for having worked with him. He's a tremendous baseball mind, tremendous baseball person. Sometimes, like a family, it just doesn't last forever."

Cora's departure came as a surprise, even in the clubhouse.

"I’ve never seen a coach get fired midseason like that, but move on and keep trying to win games," said Colt Keith. "We had no idea, we had no indication, nothing building up to that, not that I know of. We just got the message this morning."

Cora, 61, was hired by Hinch ahead of the 2024 season after coaching stints with the Mets, Pirates, Marlins and White Sox that date back to 2004. He encouraged the Tigers' bold style on the bases by aggressively sending runners around third, particularly late in 2024 when the club charged into the playoffs.

But this year, in particular, Cora's decisions seemed to backfire more than not. The Tigers were a top-10 team in base running value each of the last two seasons, but rank 17th this season at minus-1.7.

That said, they will remain aggressive on the bases: "It is ingrained" in how they play, said Hinch.

Hinch made it clear that the decision to part ways with Cora was strictly baseball-related and that there were "no off-field issues, whatsoever.”

"It is not what it seems in terms of a blow up or argument today between the two of us," Hinch said. "It was just two baseball guys talking about what was best. As the manager, I own it."

Detroit's new third base coach and lead infield instructor will be quality control coach Billy Boyer, who's been with the team since 2023.

"We’ve all known billy for a long time and I’ve had him since I got drafted, so there’s no discomfort there and I trust him," said Keith. "We’re just going to keep doing that."