REPORTS: Boston Red Sox Manager Addresses Heavy Criticism After Missing Game – Fans React

“For those that don’t understand, I’m not going to try and convince them,” Alex Cora told reporters.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is standing by his decision to miss a game so he could attend his daughter’s college graduation.

Cora was absent for the May 19 matchup against the New York Mets at Fenway Park, choosing instead to be at Boston College to celebrate his daughter Camila’s commencement.

“I made the best decision for my daughter, and for those who don’t understand, I’m not going to try to convince them,” Cora told reporters on May 20 in a video shared by NBC Sports Boston on TikTok.

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“For those that don’t understand, I’m not going to try and convince them. I made the best decision for my girl.” Alex Cora addresses missing yesterday’s game

♬ original sound – NBC Sports Boston

Cora faced criticism from local media for not attending the game, which the Red Sox won 3-1.

Mike Felger, a well-known radio host at 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, criticized Cora’s choice, pointing out that Boston College’s graduation ceremony ended in the morning, while the Red Sox game started at 6:45 p.m.

“They finished, I believe, by noon, which gives you plenty of time for a big celebration during the day,” Felger remarked, as reported by the Boston Herald. “You could easily just grab a cab down the street and oversee the game.”

“It reflects poorly on his leadership and the overall perception of the situation,” Felger continued. “It was an easy opportunity for him to say, ‘Nothing is more important than tonight’s game.’”

In a video from the follow-up press conference by NBC Sports Boston, Cora was seen shaking his head in disagreement when a reporter proposed that he could have “rushed out” of his daughter’s graduation to make it to the game.

“(Camila) wanted me there with her, and it was her special day, so that comes first,” Cora replied.

“You know, we’re all here for a purpose, and for me, it’s to raise her and do the best I can. It might not have been perfect, but right now, it feels just right,” he added.

“I wasn’t going to miss it,” he later added.

Cora laughed when another reporter asked if he was affected by the criticism.

“Everyone has their own opinions,” Cora responded. “I’m sure those critics have families too, and they’ve had to make decisions at some point. I bet they made choices that were best for their families.”

Sports fans applauded Cora’s choice to prioritize his daughter in the comments of NBC Sports Boston’s video.

“There are 162 games in the baseball season for a reason. His daughter only graduates once,” one commenter noted.

“He’s a father first,” another fan supported.

“Who in their right mind would argue against this?” someone else questioned.

Cora shared a photo on Instagram showing over a dozen family members celebrating Camila’s graduation on Monday, captioning it with #FamiliaEsFamilia, meaning #FamilyIsFamily.

“No need to say more,” he added.