Rays could be cheated out of coach by Red Sox

Tampa Rays’ fans had a lot to observe on Tuesday night as their AL East rival, Boston Red Sox parted ways with their World Series’ winning manager. Are they looking to Tampa for his replacement?

The Boston Red Sox have parted ways with manager Alex Cora. With only 27 days left until pitchers and catchers report for the Sox, rumors have them looking to the Tampa Bay Rays for his replacement.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora won a World Series as a bench coach with the Houston Astros in 2017 then took the reigns in Boston the following season, leading them to a World Series championship.

Now the MLB investigation has concluded, we know that both teams were using technology to steal signs. We know that Cora was a ringleader in both operations, directing technicians on installing monitors with the feed from a camera placed beyond the centerfield wall.

He’s at the heart of both teams’ investigations.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has already levied his punishments to the Astros current management team, suspending AJ Hinch and Jeff Lunhow for the 2020 season.

He has yet to make a ruling on Cora. Many believe it will be far worse than his former superiors penalties.

Rays of Hope

As you are all very aware, the guys who run the Tampa Bay Rays are some of the most competent managers in all of baseball. The Rays way has allowed this scrappy team to hang with two giants in the Northeast whose payroll is on par with our revenue.

The downside for the Rays is we could lose a quality coach because the Red Sox cheated. It almost feels like they shouldn’t be allowed to siphon a coach from another team, but how do you legislate that?

Their alleged target: Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro. Quatraro is a highly-regarded, 45-year-old future manager in the making.

Quatraro was a finalist for the Giants’ and Pirates’ managerial positions this offseason. It’s bound to happen eventually.

He took over after the Blue Jays swooped in and lifted Charlie Montoya to manage their team.

If the Red Sox take Quatraro as their manager, it would put two former bench coaches at the helm of two teams in our own division.

Do you think it’s would be unfair for the Rays to lose such a valuable coach this close to the season due to the cheating ways of the Red Sox?