The Red Sox made plenty of people in Boston happy Friday, both inside and outside Fenway Park.
The Sox reportedly are bringing back Alex Cora as manager after he served a year-long suspension for his role in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal.
Chaim Bloom and Boston's front office apparently did their due diligence, interviewing several other manager candidates and reportedly coming close to hiring Phillies player information coordinator Sam Fuld.
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Tomase: Bringing back Cora brings Chaim Bloom into spotlight
But it certainly looks like the popular choice won out.
MLB Network's Jon Heyman and The Athletic's Peter Gammons both reported Friday that Red Sox players supported the team's decision to bring Cora back, with Gammons noting Cora's phone was "buzzing all morning" as players excitedly texted him about his return.
Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez wasted no time sharing his feelings about Cora's re-hire.
Some pundits and fans questioned the ethics of Boston bringing back a manager who helped orchestrate an elaborate sign-stealing operation during the Astros' World Series campaign.
But plenty of Boston fans welcomed Cora back with open arms with his suspension now served.
Cora faces a much more daunting task than he did in 2018, as Mookie Betts and David Price are gone from a squad that finished with baseball's fourth-worst record last season.
It sounds like the 45-year-old Puerto Rico native has the full blessing of Red Sox nation, though.