The Philadelphia Phillies are fighting for a playoff spot after a brutal start to the season that might have knocked them out of contention were it not for a dramatic change.

The Phillies released long-time skipper Rob Thomson and promoted bench coach Don Mattingly into the interim manager’s role. But as he made that change, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski spoke with an old friend about taking over Thomson’s job instead.

Former Boston Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Sends Return Message After Philadelphia Phillies Offer

Cora appears to be leaving the door open for a return to the dugout, though he stopped short of making a definitive commitment to any one team.

“I think at one point, I’m gonna get back,” Cora said during an appearance on “Dirt From The Dugout.” “When? We don’t know. We don’t know.”

Cora’s response emphasized that returning would be a collective decision among his immediate family members.

“There’s three different opinions in that room up there,” Cora added in a nod to his children and fiance at home. “If you ask the boys, they want me to manage and they have their teams. If you ask Angelica, she’s very polite about it. Let’s see what the future holds.”

That uncertainty is understandable. Cora was dismissed by Boston rather abruptly. But if he does decide to return for next season, the Phillies could be waiting, particularly if Mattingly is unable to drive a deep playoff run.