The Philadelphia Phillies will have to come up with a Plan B in their managerial search.
Alex Cora has turned down overtures from the Phillies for a second time this year in the last few days, The Athletic reported Wednesday.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski also tried to recruit Cora earlier this year when he fired Rob Thomson as manager. Dombrowski and Cora won a World Series together with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
Cora was fired by the Red Sox earlier this year.
Don Mattingly, previously the bench coach, finished the year as Phillies interim manager. The club made the playoffs after almost giving up a spot down the stretch but lost in the wild-card round to the Atlanta Braves.
Mattingly could be a strong candidate to return as full-time manager with Cora off the table, The Athletic reported. Mattingly, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays' coaching staff from 2023-25, is under contract as bench coach with Philly through 2027.
Mattingly's son, Preston, is the Phillies' GM.
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