Buck Showalter announced Sunday that he will not return as manager of the New York Mets in 2024. Showalter said. “It’s not the end I want, but I still love the city and the players.”
The San Francisco Giants on Friday began the managerial hiring cycle of the offseason by firing Gabe Kapler after four years on the job. The Cleveland Guardians also have an opening with the pending retirement of Terry Francona. And it’s also possible that the Milwaukee Brewers could be in the market for a new captain depending on their ability to retain Craig Counsell.
Due to the possibility of many openings this winter, The Athletic compiled a list of people viewed within the industry as clear candidates to become major league managers (or, in some cases, re-managers).
Gabe Kapler, former manager, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies
Kapler was fired in his first two managerial stops, and he won’t get a chance at a third. There are reasonable criticisms about his teams disappearing. But in 2021 he was the National League Manager of the Year, in charge of a 107-win team in San Francisco. His preparation and tactical acumen are renowned — even if those qualities have led to a robotic brand of baseball that Giants fans have been rocking this summer. Given a quality roster, one that doesn’t need platooners and openers, Kapler can still thrive. – Andy McCullough
Clayton McCullough, first-base coach, Los Angeles Dodgers
McCullough interviewed with the New York Mets for the job that ultimately went to Showalter and finished as runner-up to Matt Quatraro for the Royals job last offseason. He spent several years as a manager in Toronto’s minor league system before serving as the Dodgers’ minor league field coordinator. He has earned praise for his work with young players. — A.M
George Lombard, bench coach, Detroit Tigers
Lombard has extensive experience in the minors and majors. He was Mookie Betts’ first professional manager, with the 2011 Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He wore various hats in player development with Boston and Atlanta before joining Dave Roberts’ coaching staff with the Dodgers in 2016. After the team won the World Series in 2020, Lombard left to will work with AJ Hinch in Detroit. His son, George Jr., was a first-round pick for the Yankees this past summer. – AM
Don Mattingly, bench coach, Toronto Blue Jays
After a decade spent managing in Los Angeles and Miami, Mattingly walked away from the Marlins last season to join Toronto. Mattingly had an undefeated record in five seasons managing the Dodgers, where he was well-respected within his clubhouse. Mattingly understood, the players said, the challenges of succeeding at the big league level, but never reigned in his own remarkable career playing for his team. – AM
Mark DeRosa, MLB Network analyst
DeRosa, 48, managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, his first professional coaching experience. The University of Pennsylvania product thrived on eight different teams in a 16-year big league career. He spent his first seven seasons with the Braves. He has served as an analyst for MLB Network since retiring in 2013. – Zack Meisel
Benji Gil, infield coach, Los Angeles Angels
Gil firmly established himself as an intriguing managerial candidate this spring when he guided Team Mexico to the World Baseball Classic semifinals, and nearly pulled off a major upset to reach the finals. Gil won four championships as a Mexican League manager. That’s not a typical testimony of MLB managers, but maybe that’s a good thing. Gil has some pedigree as a former player, as well, playing a small but critical role in the Angels’ lone World Series title in 2002. Gil clearly has the managerial chops, but do they translate at the level in the major leagues? – Sam Bloom
Don Kelly, bench coach, Pittsburgh Pirates
The nine-year MLB veteran was a clubhouse leader during his playing days and became a Tigers scout after his career on the field. In 2019, Kelly served as the first-base coach for the Astros under AJ Hinch. Since 2020, he has been the Pirates bench coach under Derek Shelton — Cody Stavenhagen
Stephen Vogt, bullpen and quality control coach, Seattle Mariners
The former big-league catcher went straight into coaching this season and has expressed a desire to manage since his playing days. A member of a major league staff predicted that Vogt would be “a manager soon.” — CS
Rodney Linares, bench coach, Tampa Bay Rays
The 46-year-old spent two decades coaching in the Astros system, and in 12 seasons as a minor league manager he oversaw the development of players such as Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and George Springer. Linares has also managed the Arizona Fall League and Dominican Winter League, in addition to managing the Dominican team in the most recent World Baseball Classic. He became the Rays’ third base coach in 2018, and was promoted to bench coach before this season. — CS
Will Venable, associate manager, Texas Rangers
The son of a big leaguer and longtime minor league coach, Venable, 40, played nine seasons for the Padres, Rangers and Dodgers. In 2017, he joined the Cubs front office as a special assistant to Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. He then moved to the field, serving as the base coach for three years and then the Red Sox bench coach for two. In 2023, he became Bruce Bochy’s lieutenant. He is an Ivy Leaguer, having played at Princeton with Guardians GM Mike Chernoff. The A’s, Cubs, Giants, Astros, Red Sox and Tigers have all talked to him about their managerial openings in recent years. – ZM
Bob Melvin, manager, San Diego Padres
Bob Melvin currently has a job, why is he on the list of candidates? The Padres are entering a period where they need to assess their disaster for a season, and Melvin’s relationship with Padres GM AJ Preller has become a source of tension. If that pairing breaks, the highly respected Melvin could quickly become a coveted management candidate. Adding to the intrigue here: Melvin and the Giants’ Farhan Zaidi worked together in Oakland, so a Bay Area reunion with San Francisco would make sense. — Marc Carig
Mark Hallberg, third base coach, San Francisco Giants
Hallberg has served as the Giants’ third base coach for the past two seasons, taking the position upon the retirement of Ron Wotus. Few candidates have as diverse a background as Hallberg, the son of international school administrators who grew up in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan before ending up at Florida State where he became teammates and close friends with some a catcher named Buster Posey. After playing in the minors, Hallberg’s rise to coaching was easy. In 2019, he managed the Giants affiliate in Salem-Keizer. A year later, he joined the big league staff where he remains. — MC
(Top photo by Chris Taylor and Clayton McCullough: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today)