The Detroit Tigers are in the middle of a brutal season, and now AJ Hinch is making changes behind the bench.
Before Tuesday’s game against the Athletics at Comerica Park, the manager announced that third base coach Joey Cora is out. Cora, who joined the organization in December 2023, is leaving the club effective immediately. Hinch called it a mutual decision based on philosophical differences, not bad blood.
“I love Joey. Joey loved being a Tiger,” Hinch told reporters, via Brad Galli. “But similar to a family, sometimes it doesn’t last forever. We had some philosophical differences… We hugged; I’m better for having worked with him.”
Cora played 11 seasons in the majors before moving into coaching. He started with the Cubs organization, then reunited with his old teammate Ozzie Guillen on the White Sox. He eventually became Chicago’s bench coach and filled in as acting manager when needed. He also managed Venezuela’s Tiburones de la Guaira in winter ball and was a candidate for the Milwaukee managerial opening back in 2010.
When Guillen took over the Marlins in 2011, Cora followed him to Miami. He stepped in as interim manager during one of Guillen’s suspensions. Later, he managed Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate, moved up to the Pirates’ big-league staff, and spent two seasons as the Mets’ third base coach before landing in Detroit.
But none of that experience fixed what’s wrong with the Tigers right now. They’re 40-50 through 90 games, sitting in third place in the AL Central. The offense has been inconsistent. The bullpen has been shaky. And the pressure on Hinch has been building for weeks.
Cora’s exit doesn’t fix any of that on its own. But it’s a clear signal that Hinch is willing to shake things up. Whether it’s enough to turn the season around is another question entirely.
The Tigers haven’t announced a replacement for Cora yet. They’ve got a long second half ahead of them.
Leave a Comment