Alex Cora is entering the final season of his contract as Boston Red Sox manager, and the team may already be plotting their pivot.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports this week that Andrew Bailey is seen as a potential replacement for Cora should Cora leave after the 2024 campaign. Bailey is an ex-Red Sox player who was just hired as their new pitching coach several months ago.

Cora, who led Boston to the 2018 World Series title, is entering his sixth season as Red Sox manager. He briefly parted with the team for the 2020 season over his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal but was re-hired in 2021.

Cora has a record of 440-370 (.543) as Boston manager but has now gone sub-.500 and missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Heyman adds that it seems Cora and new Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow want to get to know each other over a season first before discussing a possible new deal.

Cora’s price tag for such a deal could be extremely high, too, which may open the door for the 39-year-old rising star Bailey to be the heir apparent in Boston.