Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora missed Thursday’s matinee against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays after testing positive for COVID-19.
The team said Cora, who is vaccinated and boosted, is experiencing mild symptoms and will not travel to Florida for Friday’s opener of a three-game weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Bench coach Will Venable will manage the team in Cora’s absence.
This week began with catcher Kevin Plawecki and two Red Sox staff members testing positive. Catcher Christian Vazquez and infielder Jonathan Arauz landed on the COVID injured list Tuesday. Vazquez was removed from the list Wednesday.
Cora, 46, is in his fourth season with Boston. He led the Red Sox to a World Series championship in his first season in 2018 and was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.
Cora told reporters on Tuesday that he has been staying a hotel because one of his children had tested positive for the coronavirus.
–Field Level Media