Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch announced on Tuesday, July 7, that third base coach Joey Cora and the team have “mutually agreed” he would leave the organization as a coach, effective immediately.
Hinch said they arrived at the ultimate decision during a meeting on Tuesday morning, ahead of the series openers against the Athletics. Cora has been the Tigers’ third-base coach and has coached infield defense for the past two and a half seasons.
“We mutually agreed that he would leave the organization and move on, effective today,” Hinch said ahead of the series opener against the Athletics on Tuesday, July 7. “Billy Boyer is going to be the third base coach and the lead voice in the infield.”
Cora has been known for helping instill an ultra-aggressive baserunning mindset and audacious attempts to score rounding third base since joining. He will be replaced by Boyer, the team’s quality coach, as the new third base coach.
The mutual parting came from “philosophical” differences that popped up during the long and frequent baseball conversations that happen in a team’s clubhouse. Hinch likened it to a longtime family relationship.
“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.”
Catcher Jake Rogers said he heard in a text last night and then Hinch held a team meeting on Tuesday. He said his departure “sucks,” but the team will continue moving ahead with a similar mindset.
“We are going to miss Joey,” Rogers said. “Joey was a vital part of this organization. But, Billy has been with us all year and he’s gonna fit in. He’s been over [at third base] before when Joey had to go see some family stuff, and he’s been with us all year.”
The Tigers manager insisted it came from baseball-related issues and nothing that happened off the field for Cora. He joined the Tigers as a longtime MLB assistant and former player. Before Detroit, Cora worked for the White Sox, Marlins, Pirates and Mets. As a player, Cora played in more than 1,100 games across 11 seasons with the Padres, White Sox and Cleveland Indians.
The Tigers will not hire an additional assistant to fill the newly created hole. For the time being, the rest of the Tigers coaching staff will have to shoulder more of a load with Cora’s previous responsibilities outside of coaching third base.
“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.”
Despite saying it was a philosophical difference, don’t expect a deviation from Detroit’s aggressive style on the basepaths.
“It is ingrained,” Hinch said of the Tigers’ aggressive running style.
Cora urged Tigers players to push for extra bases as runners during the back half of the 2024 season. The aggressiveness turned into runs during Detroit’s improbable recovery to steal a wild-card spot, eventually reaching the ALDS.
“He was a very vital part of that and a very vital part of us winning in this organization,” Rogers said. “I think at the end of our careers, we are all going to look back and be like ‘Joey definitely had an impact on our careers.'”
The players have a relationship with Boyer, who has been a part of the Tigers organization for three of the last four seasons before being promoted to quality coach in November. He spent his first three seasons in the minor leagues as an infield coordinator in 2022 and a field coordinator and infield coordinator from 2024-25.
“We’ve all known Billy for a long time,” infielder Colt Keith said. “I’ve had him since I got drafted by the Tigers, so there’s no discomfort there. I trust him.”
Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers abruptly part with ultra-aggressive third base coach Joey Cora
Reporting by Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
