Roman Anthony was among the many Boston Red Sox players left processing the sudden departure of Alex Cora, a move that came less than a year after the manager had secured a long-term extension. Despite the deep ties to the coaching staff, the young outfielder emphasized that his loyalty remains firmly with the organization and the leadership that remains in place.
As shared by Tim Healey on X, Anthony noted that while the previous staff was a major part of his journey, his dedication to the Red Sox transcends any one individual. “AC and the staff was here when I committed to it, but I committed to Brez, I committed to Mr. Henry, I committed to Mr. Kennedy,” Anthony explained.
He further clarified that his primary focus is on the community and his teammates rather than the coaching turnover. “I committed to the city & the people around me & my teammates,” Anthony added, signaling that he is ready to move forward under the team’s new direction following Cora’s firing, a move that even drew a surprised reaction from managers like Aaron Boone.
Players barred from questioning Cora’s dismissal
The transition to a new era began with a Sunday morning meeting that left many players feeling unheard and sidelined during the franchise-altering shakeup. According to Garrett Whitlock, the clubhouse was not given the opportunity to seek clarity or voice concerns regarding why the organization chose to move on from Cora.
Roman Anthony with Alex Cora and Red Sox teammates
“They made it very clear that we get paid to play baseball and we need to just focus on playing baseball,” Whitlock said, describing a meeting where the hierarchy was strictly maintained. The right-hander revealed that neither John Henry nor Sam Kennedy spoke to the players, leaving the brief addressing of the team to the baseball operations staff.
Craig Breslow reportedly spoke for only about two minutes, followed by a three-to-five-minute talk from interim manager Chad Tracy. Without a chance to ask questions, the Red Sox roster is now tasked with turning around a 10-17 start while navigating a clubhouse atmosphere that many MLB veterans described as “unsatisfactory.”
