In a rare mid-season coaching maneuver, Detroit Tigers third base coach Joey Cora and the club have agreed to part ways, manager A.J. Hinch announced on Tuesday.
The move takes effect immediately, and first-year quality control coach Billy Boyer will serve in the role for the remainder of the season.
Cora, 61, was in the middle of his third season in Detroit and his tenth as a third base coach. He joined the Tigers after two seasons with the New York Mets and five with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cora, an infielder who played 11 seasons with four different major league clubs, was well-known for his aggressive approach in sending runners for extra bases.
According to Baseball Reference, the 2025 Tigers had a 54.1% success rate in taking extra bases, the second-highest since 1969. The 1975 Oakland Athletics recorded a 55.1% rate.x
“I know that news is going to be surprising to a lot of people,” Hinch said. “I love Joey. Joey loved being a Tiger. He’s been instrumental in his time here. But similar to a family, sometimes it doesn’t last forever. We had some philosophical differences, and we both just agreed it’s probably best for the players and everybody to separate.”
Hinch told reporters on Tuesday that Cora requested a meeting on Monday, but they did not meet until Tuesday. The manager described the parting as solely baseball-related.
Tiger players learned of the change via text message. Catcher Jake Rogers was a bit shaken by the move.
“He wants to win, and he brings that aggressiveness every day. I can’t speak for the other guys, but it hit me kind of hard. He’s part of the fam.”
–Field Level Media
