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Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tips his helmet before his first at-bat against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park on August 26, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) Getty
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BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Mookie Betts #50 celebrates with Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox after beating the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) Getty
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to a strike out during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Getty
Mookie Betts may wear Dodger blue, but a strong relationship from his Boston years remains intact.
The Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop told Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald that he continues speaking with former Red Sox manager Alex Cora months after Boston fired him following a 10-17 start.
“He was awesome with me, I still talk to him at least once a month now, if not more,” Betts said.
Betts declined to judge Cora’s April dismissal because he was not inside Boston’s clubhouse. He did, however, describe today’s organization as different from the one he knew before the Red Sox traded him to Los Angeles in 2020.
The disclosure also adds context to Betts’ sharper response immediately after the firing. When Dodgers radio reporter David Vassegh asked whether he had contacted Cora, Betts said the situation had nothing to do with him and that he stayed out of it, according to NESN. His latest comments suggest that boundary was about Boston’s business—not a damaged friendship.
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GettyMookie Betts #50 celebrates with Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox after beating the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Betts and Cora only shared two seasons in Boston, but their first produced a historic partnership. The 2018 Red Sox won a franchise-record 108 games before defeating the Dodgers in the World Series.
Betts captured the American League MVP after batting .346 with a .438 on-base percentage, .640 slugging percentage, 32 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 129 runs. MLB.com noted that his 10.9 Baseball-Reference WAR was the highest by a position player since Barry Bonds in 2002.
Cora’s value extended beyond tactics. Red Sox owner John Henry praised the unity and daily purpose Cora created inside the clubhouse, while Cora called Betts’ season special because he affected games with his bat, glove and baserunning.
Their contact did not begin after Cora lost his job. The Associated Press reported during Betts’ 2023 return to Fenway Park that the two exchanged texts twice a month. Cora also revealed Betts was among the few players who consistently checked on him during his 2020 suspension.
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GettyMookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to a strike out during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The monthly conversations feel notable now because Betts is navigating an unfamiliar stage of his career.
After recording a .732 OPS last season, nearly 150 points below his career mark, Betts entered Sunday batting .232 with 13 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .695 OPS. He also missed a month with a strained oblique.
Betts admitted to the Herald that he has not found an answer for the decline. Still, he remains focused on winning and has embraced his transition from six-time Gold Glove right fielder to Dodgers shortstop.
Cora no longer represents Betts’ last connection inside the Red Sox organization. He represents something more personal: a trusted voice from the season when player and manager reached baseball’s summit together.
Boston’s roster, leadership and direction have changed. Their relationship has not changed after all these years.
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The post Mookie Betts Shares the Red Sox Connection That Survived His Exit appeared first on HEAVY.
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