Red Sox manager Alex Cora's job this offseason is secure, principal owner John Henry told reporters Friday.
Coming off a World Series championship last year, the Red Sox have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball, missing the playoffs despite a roster full of All-Stars and the highest payroll in the sport.
Boston's struggles led the team to fire president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Sept. 9. Henry and team chairman Tom Werner offered their first comments Friday since Dombrowski's termination, with Henry saying he and Dombrowski didn't share the same vision for the club's future.
"There was a difference, I think, in how we thought we should move forward,” Henry said.
The team will look outside of the organization to fill Dombrowski's role, but Henry said no matter who the club hires, Cora will return as manager in 2020.
The Red Sox signed Cora to an extension through the 2021 season after their World Series championship last fall.
Henry and Werner also addressed the team's payroll, saying they'd like to see the team get under the $208 million luxury tax threshold in 2020. Boston opened the season with a payroll of $248.6 million, as calculated for MLB's luxury tax.
Slashing costs might make it difficult in the offseason for the team to pursue big free agents, such as Astros ace Gerrit Cole. The Red Sox also will soon have to extend some of their own players, notably 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts, who will be eligible for free agency in 2021.