The Padres aren't stressed about who will take Bob Melvin's job
According to the latest from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Mike Shildt is in-line to become the San Diego Padres next manager if Bob Melvin takes the San Francisco Giants job. Melvin has been granted permission to interview with the Giants despite being under contract in San Diego.
Melvin's departure would be unsurprising considering it has been reported by multiple insiders throughout the year that Melvin and team executive A.J. Preller have been frequently at odds with one another.
Shildt has MLB managerial experience, leading the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018-2021. His run there was largely unceremonial, but fans were left asking for him back in place of Oli Mamol this season.
The Padres also could look at Ryan Flaherty who is a bench coach for the Padres, and are expected to conduct interviews, but Acee indicates heavily that it's Shildt's job to lose.
An internal replacement is a somewhat curious choice for the Padres. The reports of fractured team culture were an indictment on Manny Machado, heavily, but another read of the lack of accountability and winning culture in San Diego despite immense talent would suggest an outside leader would be worth considering to help overhaul things completely.
Buck Showalter, reportedly on the lookout for his next job, would be a respected, no-nonsense manager that could help turn things around. That said, considering the Padres were viewed as "Mets West" this year (overly talented but poor results), maybe that wouldn't be the best fit after Showalter was pushed out of Queens.
Guardians have a breakout candidate to fill manager seat
Terry Francona's retirement leaves a gaping hole for the Cleveland Guardians and MLB to fill. Francona sits 13th in all-time wins by a manager with 1,950 and was third among active managers this year behind only Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy.
Francona leaves the Guardians as the all-time winningest manager as well as the longest-tenured manager. According to Tom Withers of the Associated Press, Stephen Vogt could be next. Vogt has advanced to a second interview with the Guardians, with the meeting anticipated to take place Tuesday at Progressive Field.
"After speaking with Vogt last week, the Guardians want to get to know him better, perhaps a sign that he's a frontrunner for the job."
Vogt would certainly be a change in personality for the skipper role in Cleveland. Having retired after the 2022 season as a player, he's not far removed from his playing career which spanned from 2012 to 2022 in the big leagues with the Rays, Athletics, Brewers, Giants, Diamondbacks, and Braves. In 2023 Vogt served as a bullpen and quality control coach.
The Guardians were the second-youngest team in MLB last season and after appearing in the 2022 playoffs, are obviously talented. As a recent player himself, Vogt could be a good bridge between the legacy skipper of Francona into the next era in Cleveland.
Yadier Molina speaks on the long-rumored Cardinals job
Yadier Molina has been offered a job to return to the St. Louis Cardinals. While many fans would prefer to see him return to the team as a manager, the role is rumored to be a coaching job alongside (and likely reporting to) Oli Marmol.
Speaking to WKAQ580 in Puerto Rico, Molina spoke on the role (H/T to Luis Nolla for transcription, the original interview was also translated from Spanish):
"There is something cooking. I have had various offers in the United States last year with Miami and St. Louis. This year I have offers too. I think there is something cooking with St. Louis. There is a 90 percent chance that it happens."
Molina continued by calling St. Louis his second home and describing the communication as positive overall.
"St. Louis has given me the opportunity. It is my second home. There is always a good relationship and communication with them."
This is great news for Cardinals fans after the return was rumored to be a 'longshot' by an insider in recent days.
Molina said it was an opportunity that would be difficult to turn down, and that he'd like to be in St. Louis.
