Alex Cora's uncomfortable meeting that relieved some Red Sox: 'I just felt like I wanted to cry at that moment'

Part of the 2023 Red Sox' hopes came with the notion that all those former Dodgers now calling Boston their homes would be carrying over that winning pedigree that was born from Los Angeles' recent run.

But, of course, there was one caveat.

These guys were the same ones who felt the 2017 World Series was ripped from them due to the cheating ways of the Houston Astros. And, as it turned out, the Red Sox manager Alex Cora just happened to be part of that unforgettable - and for some, unforgivable - controversy.

It's why Cora made a point the minute the trio of Justin Turner, Kiké Hernandez and Kenley Jansen arrived in Fort Myers to address the elephant in the room. A meeting - one which the players weren't really expecting - was to be had.

"I’m going to be 100 percent honest with you, no (expletive), I just felt like I wanted to cry at that moment when he said that," Jansen told WEEI.com. "It just felt like a weight came off, for him to step and say we fucked up as a whole group. Because I felt like that was the best season I ever had in my whole career because I dominated the whole year, dominated the playoffs and the Houston Astros were the only ones who put the ball in play. It’s over with and you can’t change stuff, but what we can do is appreciate when someone steps up and comes forward and be accountable for what they did. For, that’s respect. I will respect AC forever for that and I will appreciate him forever for that. Why should I be mad? If you tell me you don’t make mistakes who are you? We all make mistakes in this world. We learn from it and get better and for him he learned from it and got better. I learned from it also, too. You have to forgive and I forgive him for that. I appreciate him and I love him for that. We can move on.

"I was over with it already. I forgave the situation already. When that thing came out in 2020, I was pissed that year and then in 2021 I moved forward. It caught me by surprise. To me, I was already over it. I didn’t need any explanation. But I love and respect him even more now. For even me that was already put behind, he still came and was accountable and learned from his mistake."

The impact was immediate, with the veteran designated hitter coming up to Cora after the talk and saying, "I'm glad you did this."

Since his year suspension due to the involvement in the Astros' 2017 sign-stealing scheme, Cora has taken all conversations regarding the matter head-on. But dealing with the media was one thing. The former Dodgers players he now had to see every day, that was another.

And while it had been three years since the revelation came to light, it was undeniably lingering even as these players showed up to this year's spring training.

"At the end of the day, it was still a sigh of relief," Jansen admitted. "Even though you said you forgive, you never know how much that weight holds on you. You don’t know until you really know. So when that’s person who was on it tells you they are sorry and you realize that weight came off, and you were holding it without even knowing. It’s great because I play this game with all my heart. I love this game. It isn’t about money. Of course you want to take care of your family during free agent years, but at the end of the day I play this game with all my heart because I love this game since I was five. Everybody loves winning. The Dodgers wanted to win that year. The Houston Astros wanted to win that year, too. Sometimes that’s how it goes. We can talk about all of this, but at the end of the day …"

The closer's thoughts trailed off, forcing him to lean back in his chair with a bit of a smile. There was something else he wanted to add to the conversation on top of just praising Cora for his meeting.

Then talk of Commissioner Rob Manfred's recent admission to Time Magazine that the decision to give the Astros' players immunity might not have been the best idea came up. Suddenly, the root of those feelings born from the 2017 controversy were surfaced once again.

"At the end of the day, if you would have done a better job it could have been a whole lot easier for all of us," said Jansen of Manfred.

"(Cora) took the bullet. It shouldn’t be that way. You shouldn’t crucify them. I think you should have crucified the whole team if you want to crucify someone. So you can’t do that with one person knowing there was whole lot more that was involved. They dodged a bullet. For me, as a team … The same thing about putting steroid guys in the Hall of Fame of whatever, it’s the same way you should have valued 2017. That’s why I love soccer. That would have never happened in FIFA. That trophy would have been taken off. But it’s over with, man.You love this game and you keep playing.There are no hard feelings with any of the 2017 Houston Astros guys. I respect all of them. Hey, nobody was controlling that game at that time. Just like the Steroid Era, talk about the Sticky Era.There’s better control now. The discipline should be better."

But, as the players can attest, one path taken was a correct one. That was Cora's unexpected mid-February get-together.

"I think it meant a lot," Turner added. "It was good to hear and good to wipe our hands clean and move forward."