Fresh Off 500 Wins, Alex Cora Says This Red Sox Victory Means Most

Alex Cora became the fourth Red Sox manager to record 500 wins with the club when Boston defeated the Kansas City Royals on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.

After celebrating with his players in the clubhouse after the Red Sox win, Cora expanded on what it means to collect that many wins when he spoke with reporters in Kansas City before Tuesday night’s matchup with the Royals.

“It’s more about the people that have worked with me and the players that have performed,” Cora said. “I actually texted David Price last night. Like, 500 is great, but my favorite one is No. 1. He knows he pitched that game. It was Game 2 in 2018 in Tampa.”

Cora continued: “The support of the family. The support of the organization, obviously ownership. … We made a huge decision as a family a few weeks ago. That was the No. 1 reason was the family, but working with these guys on a day-to-day basis is amazing. They push me to be better.”

The three-time World Series champion won two titles with the Red Sox. The first coming as a player in 2007, followed by his second as a manager in 2018. Even with big wins under his belt, Cora said the feeling doesn’t go away.

“I still feel goosebumps and get anxious throughout games just like the first day in Tampa,” Cora said. “I hope (the players) feel like I fight with them every at-bat, every pitch, every play because that’s how I feel.

“It’s great, but it’s more like an organizational thing for me. I don’t make errors anymore. I don’t hit the ball out of the ballpark, although I didn’t do that much. But just to be able to manage at the big league level is amazing. We have some great coaches and great leaders. … It’s been fun.”