Red Sox manager Alex Cora had to be restrained during ejection against Twins

With the Boston Red Sox all but eliminated from the playoff race, manager Alex Cora expressed his frustration during Sunday’s season-opening doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins.

In the top of the first, Cora calmly walked out of the dugout to talk to the umpires after an obstruction call was made at second base. But the interaction turned heated when Cora waved his arms wildly. He then ran toward the second base bag, moving his hands from his eyes to the bag as he pointed angrily at second base umpire Dan Merzel. Cora then had to be restrained by third base umpire Alan Porter.

The manager was quickly sent away.

Alex Cora was NOT happy with a change of decision after Rocco Baldelli’s plea 😬 photo.twitter.com/T8vaBnSiIC

— NESN (@NESN) September 22, 2024

The trouble began with Byron Buxton at second base. Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta threw back to the bag. But as he received the throw, Red Sox second baseman Vaughn Grissom’s knee blocked the bag, and the umpires moved the runner to third base because of an obstruction.

Cora seemed upset that Porter made the call and not Merzel, despite Merzel’s proximity to the play. Cora also seemed irritated that it took a request from the opposing team, Rocco Baldelli of the Twins, to get the officials to make the call correctly. The crew had not called obstruction on the play in the first place.

“He blocked the bag,” Cora said after Boston’s 8-1 win. “That’s what he did. But I didn’t like the whole mechanics of it. It took (the Twins) getting into a fight. And then Alan called time to get together. They got the call, right, but you’re just there. Just call it. It’s a lot easier that way. And I resented it and I got thrown out.”

The play was ruled an error by Grissom, but Pivetta emerged unscathed from the inning.

It was Cora’s third eviction of the season. He will manage the second game of the doubleheader, which begins at 5:35 p.m. ET.

(Photo: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)