From The Sports Desk: Short leash

MLBFrom The Sports Desk: Short leash The Red Sox and Phillies fired their managers amid early-season slumps.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md.Scott Taetsch / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 29, 2026, 3:00 PM EDTBy Andrew Greif, Rohan Nadkarni and Doha MadaniLess than 20% of the way into the MLB season, two high-profile teams have fired their managers. The Boston Red Sox, in last place in the American League East, let go of Alex Cora, and then the Philadelphia Phillies axed Rob Thomson. The Phillies are tied with the New York Mets for last in the National League East. Will this be the wake-up call these teams need? Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In the NBA playoffs last night, Joel Embiid had a vintage performance to extend the Philadelphia 76ers’ season. Also, a sports league might have figured out how to curtail tanking.There’s lots to get to in today’s newsletter. For more coverage, check out the NBC News website.Firing SeasonBaseball, famously, is described as a game of failure. But too much failure in the season’s first month has already cost two managers their jobs.After starting the season with the sixth-best odds to win the World Series, the Red Sox had stumbled out of the gate to a 10-17 record. Following Saturday’s 17-1 win in Baltimore, Red Sox coaches were reportedly about to go to dinner when Cora and five other coaches learned they had been fired.Since the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series title under Cora, they have gone to the playoffs just twice. Making matters more awkward, they were driven out of Baltimore by the unfortunately named van service Coaches4Hire, as many pointed out online.Yet one team’s scapegoat can be another’s preferred candidate. Only a day after Cora was fired, Philadelphia fire...