Thursday was a big day for Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
Cora was making his debut as the Sox’s manager, with a roster full of talent and plenty of high expectations for both he and the team. But as the Opening Day matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays loomed, Cora wasn’t nervous at all.
Was it because of getting a tuneup during spring training, or serving as the bench coach for 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros? Nope.
Red Sox president and chief executive officer Sam Kennedy, along with other members of the front office, took Cora and the rest of the coaching staff out to dinner Wednesday night. Understandably, Kennedy asked Cora if there were any nerves.
His response?
“Why would I be nervous?” Cora said, via MassLive. “I’ve got Chris Sale going tomorrow.”
Certainly an acceptable reason.
Sale made Cora look like a genius for the lack of anxiety. Boston’s ace threw six shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out nine and walking three.
