Chris Sale has a unique perspective on Alex Cora as a major league manager. Winning a World Series with somebody will do that.
So, when the news came down that the Red Sox were letting go of Cora and five of his coaches before the calendar even hit May, Sale’s reaction should have been one of the more notable ones.
“I think I was probably just as shocked as everybody was,” the Braves starter told WEEI.com. “You know, anytime something like that happens, it kind of sends waves throughout the baseball world. So, yeah, I would definitely say it shocked me.
Sale’s relationship with Cora extends well past just sharing that 2018 World Series run. It extended to even greater respect as the pitcher’s tenure with the Red Sox evolved, all the way until Sale was traded prior to the 2024 season. And through all the experiences, the player came to understand why the manager was so valued by not just the lefty, but most of the players who have played for him.
“It’s the connection with the players,” Sale said when asked what separated Cora.
“I’ve said this, it doesn’t matter how old you are, or where you’re from. You can be from Japan, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mississippi, Washington, Florida, whatever. He will find a way to connect with you. It’s my third year here in Atlanta, and even over the last three years, I have talked to him as much as anybody. Through the offseason, he will shoot me a text or after a game or something like that. … He does a really good job of connecting with each individual person, no matter who they are, or where they are from.”
Sale’s existence at Fenway Park is somewhat unique because of the absence of Cora for the first time. But what isn’t all that different is the image the pitcher portrays heading into his start Thursday afternoon against the Red Sox.
The 37-year-old has once again been one of the best pitchers in baseball, coming into his showdown against his old team with a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts. In his three seasons with the Braves, Sale has totaled a 32-11 record (with Atlanta going 41-19 in his starts) along with a combined ERA of 2.36, the third-best of any pitcher over that span.
And while Sale previously revealed to WEEI.com that he was planning to retire following the 2024 season if he stayed in Boston, his mindset has changed in that regard as he glides through his 16th big-league season.
“I think health has a lot to do with it,” said Sale, who is signed through 2027 with a team option for 2028. “As long as I can stay healthy and perform well, because no one likes being hurt, no one is going to give you a job if you’re hurt, no one likes to suck and no one is really going to give you a job if you suck. So I think if I can stay healthy and stay competitive, I would like to keep playing.
“My family is bought in. They love it. My kids still love coming to the ballpark. … They love watching the games on TV. They love traveling to the West Coast or up to New York and just being around it. So it’s cool. Even my wife. We’ve been doing this since we met in college and my oldest son was born while we were still in college, so she has been there the whole time, as long as we’ve known each other. So we can keep doing it. There’s nothing new coming where it’s hard on her. There are challenges of parenting through the season and holding a relationship and all that stuff. But we have done it for so long, we kind of have figured out a good system to make it all work.”
