Ramon Vazquez, Alex Cintron merit managerial consideration

HOUSTON – While Red Sox manager Alex Cora chatted with his dear friend Alex Cintron near the batting cage at Daikin Park on Wednesday afternoon, Puerto Rican baseball legend Jose Cruz pulled Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez in for a hug.

Then, Cruz proudly declared in Spanish: “He will be the next great manager.”

There was plenty of Boricua leadership on display during the Astros-Red Sox series, and we’re not talking about All-Star Carlos Correa or catcher Victor Caratini of the Astros. Cora and Astros manager Joe Espada are two of the favorites for the American League Manager of the Year award along with Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

Cora already has led the Red Sox to one World Series title, winning the championship during his rookie managerial season in 2018. Espada, who is in his second season at the helm of the Astros, has masterfully guided his club through a season in which they’ve lost many key All-Stars for long periods.

‘Super proud’

Cora (2017) and Espada (2022) won World Series titles as bench coaches of the Astros. Now, they’re helping to open the door for the next generation of Latino managers.

“I’m super proud of both of them,” Vazquez says of Cora and Espada in Spanish. “That pushes me to improve and learn to perhaps one day in the future have the opportunity to be in the same situation.”

Cintron, 46, is in his ninth season on the Astros’ staff and seventh as a hitting coach. The former big league infielder is the Astros staff’s longest tenured coach. He has worked for three different Astros managers – AJ Hinch, Dusty Baker and Espada.

Alex Cintron joined the Astros as an English translator and then moved to third base coach before becoming a hitting coach. He has managed in winter ball and even served as general manager in winter ball in Puerto Rico. He’ll spend the upcoming winter managing Escogido of the Dominican Republic.

Five Latino managers

“It’s always a dream and a goal to be a manager after you spend so many years in the big leagues and try do a lot of different things,” Alex Cintron said. “Also I was a bench coach in 2023 for the World Baseball Classic, which gave me a good experience to be around a great manager like Yadier Molina and also great players around it.

“It’s something that’s really hard, especially … Latin coaches to become managers in the big leagues. We’re blessed that we have Espada now. Dave Martinez and Alex (Cora) won a World Series. … It’s always a dream, and I’m working toward it … doing winter ball.”

Cora is the longest-tenured manager among the five Latino skippers in the big leagues. Martinez was let go by the Nationals in early July and replaced with Venezuelan Miguel Cairo on an interim basis. Venezuelan Carlos Mendoza is in his second season managing the Mets. Oliver Marmol is in his fifth season managing the Cardinals.

More from Our Esquina

Astros manager Joe Espada cherishes fatherhood

Los Jefes: Red Sox manager Alex Cora

Los Jefes: Mets manager Carlos Mendoza

Cintron notes that he’s going to be a big stage in the Dominican Republic with Escogido, which won the Dominican Republic title and the Caribbean World Series with future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols as manager this past season.

Molina and Pujols are among two of the former All-Stars most likely to become the next Latino managers in the majors. Rays bench coach Rodney Linares, Vazquez, Cintron and Astros bench coach Omar Lopez, who will manage Venezuela for the second consecutive WBC, are considered the top Latino managerial prospects.

Cairo took over after his good friend and mentor Martinez was fired last month. Former Twins bench coach Tony Diaz is another top managerial prospect.

Perseverance

Martinez led the Nationals to the 2019 title, a year after Cora guided the Red Sox to the championship. Cora has guided Boston this season through a turbulent start in which All-Star Rafael Devers was traded to San Francisco after a couple months of turmoil.

Cora has a young corps within striking distance of the AL East-leading Blue Jays and ahead of the rival Yankees. Espada has the Astros atop the AL West standings despite a multitude of injuries to key stars. Slugger Yordan Alvarez, arguably the Astros’ top bat, has missed most of the season.

Alvarez is just one of many top players the Astros have lost for long periods. Espada has used 114 different batting orders over 121 games this season. At times the lineups have been filled with players who were expected to be in the minors. Yet, the Astros have continued to find ways to persevere.

At this point, Espada might be the favorite for the AL Manager of the Year award. If the Red Sox surge to the AL East title, Cora might win the award. The Red Sox and Astros are playing for more than awards, though. Nonetheless, it’s important to recognize that Cora and Espada are also guiding the next generation of Latino managers.