Alex Cora, Red Sox take World Series celebrations to Cora's native Puerto Rico

In many ways, Alex Cora’s professional baseball career came full circle in 2018. In his first year as a manager, the 43-year-old did precisely what he’d done 11 years earlier: He won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox.

And now, less than a week later, in a way, his life is coming full circle.

As part of his and their championship celebrations, Cora and various Red Sox employees – players and executives – traveled to Cora’s native Puerto Rico on Saturday to continue the celebrations.

Cora celebrates in his hometown

The World Series trophy will accompany Cora and the traveling party to Caguas, the eastern Puerto Rican city where the manager was born on Oct. 18, 1975.

Cora is a proud Puerto Rican. He still calls it “home.” His mother still lives there. He helped with Hurricane Maria relief efforts, and spent time on the Caribbean Island this past offseason. He and his family brought a Puerto Rican flag aboard their float for the parade earlier this week:

Cora said the trip, in part, was about “show[ing] the people from back home they’re part of it, too.”

The Red Sox will be received as guests of honor

The Red Sox traveling party includes players David Price, Brock Holt, Sandy Leon, Eduardo Rodriguez and Christian Vazquez. It also includes team chairman Tom Werner, president Sam Kennedy, and three members of Cora’s bench staff, Andy Barkett, Tom Goodwin and Ramon Vazquez. (Both Christian Vazquez and Ramon Vazquez are also Puerto Rican.)

The group boarded their private jet Saturday morning, with the Red Sox documenting their trip on social media:

They touched down at San Juan’s international airport Saturday afternoon:

They were received by the mayor of Caguas at the airport, and escorted to the city from there. It looked, more or less, like a second championship parade:

It’s a special day for all involved, but particularly for Cora.

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