Rays manager Kevin Cash met with reporters this morning at Tampa Bay’s end-of-season news conference. The two-time Manager of the Year addressed his future, quashing speculation he could consider leaving the team.
Cash said he’s “very happy” in Tampa Bay and “(looking) forward to next year, for sure” (relayed by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). He’s under contract for another season as part of an extension signed back in October 2018, with the club also holding an option for the ’25 campaign.
There’d been some speculation the 45-year-old could be on the Guardians’ radar as they look for candidates to replace Terry Francona. Veteran reporter Peter Gammons tweeted last week that some within the industry believe Francona preferred Cash, who spent the 2013-14 seasons on his staff as Indians’ bullpen coach, to be his successor in Cleveland. Topkin reports that the Guardians have not reached out to the Rays about the possibility of speaking with Cash, although he adds that Cleveland has checked in with Tampa Bay about an unidentified “former Rays employee” who is among the candidates for the job.
Cash’s comments, while not unexpected, more or less end the minimal chance he’d leave Tampa Bay. It certainly doesn’t seem as if the Rays are interested in making a change. President of baseball operations Erik Neander called this season “the best job (Cash has) ever done here,” as the team won 99 games despite losing Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen to injury and placing Wander Franco on the restricted list in August. Topkin writes the club is likely to approach Cash about another extension during the offseason.
As a result of Francona’s retirement, Cash is now the longest-tenured active manager in the major leagues. He took over for Joe Maddon in December 2014. Tampa Bay is 739-614 (54.5% win percentage) in the regular season during his tenure, qualifying for the postseason in each of the last five years. They’ve advanced past the first round just once, securing the American League pennant in 2020 before falling to the Dodgers in the World Series. Cash finished top three in Manager of the Year balloting each season from 2018-21 and could well be a finalist again this year.
I think Kevin Cash might be happier with more cash though.
Wouldn’t most of us?
Hey there’s that magical winning 54% Jerry Dipoto was talking about
Competitive team, no real pressure, nonexistent media presence, of course he’s happy
It’s honestly a dream job. In a NY/LA/Chicago team you’re basically expected to win, and will be on the hook for how good the GM does at getting players. It’s constant scrutiny. Money is better, sure, but you only get to have it for a few years. Cash will likely be getting paid as long as he wants to.
Yep, plus he’s from Florida. I knew those rumors were probably bs. Just bored sports writers trying to invent reasons to create content.
If Cash had done what he did in 2020 when he pulled Snell as a manager for New York, Boston, LA, Philadelphia or Chicago, probably a few others no doubt, the fanbase would have lynched him.
Snell can only pitch 4 innings anyway, so I don’t blame Cash. Snell has never eclipsed 200 innings in a season.
I know he had a great season, and I might be in the minority, but I find Snell very overrated.
True, Snell isn’t known for his long starts, but on that day, he was on fire.
Of course it was the asterisk World Series anyway
Pretty much, that season is an asterisk as a whole I agree.
100% The Dodgers couldn’t sniff him. It’s the last day of the season, you do not take that guy out of that game. Could have been a special game for him, the Rays, and MLB lore but dummy analytic nonsense robbed us of a great baseball moment in a World Series game and replaced it with a shameful one that everyone feels bad about and hates the memory of (not saying all analytics is dumb, just in this context).
@acoss13, not if you’re talking about the White Sox.
Not the White Sox, Jerry would just brush it off as nothing. The White Sox fans, not so much, they’ve been vocal about the team.
Was thinking similar.
Non existent media coverage? You’d think that a season in the basement would chill a Red Sox fans attitude. Guess not.
Because you can compare Boston’s media that eats/sleeps/breathes Red Sox pretty much 365 days a year to Tampa Bay’s media that before 2008 didn’t even acknowledge they were a team (the fans seemingly still don’t). I’m sure Cash enjoys waking up everyday after a loss and the media still sings his praises, rather than calling for his head
Actually, Neander deserves the praise for providing Cash with a team capable of winning 99 games without Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen and Wander Franco.
Enough credit to go around.
Some sources say it’s Aubrey Huff
If he was to leave TB, I would hope he sets his sights higher than Cleveland!
Longest tenured manager in baseball at 10 years? Man the turnover is insane in the game..
I thought the same thing and couldn’t believe that when I read it… that’s absolutely insane.
Doesn’t apply to the Rays, which is why they are so good
As a White Sox fan, I can assure you that low turnover is not always a good thing.
When players or coaches are asked about these things, does anyone really expect them to say “sign me up, I can’t stand it here.”?
Why on earth would you leave when you never really have to make any decisions, yet are still considered elite? The algorithms and percentages make all the decisions there, and he knows he won’t be held accountable. The Rays are boring. Same story every year. The little engine that could…..until they can’t.
He’s done great in Tampa, he seems like a real players manager who enjoys his job.
Jose Canseco
Cash is King.
l wander Franco is ever coming back.
Jokes aside, my gut reaction was Gabe Kepler
Not happy he is here. I live in Tampa, and it’s time to part ways. Cash isn’t the great Manager everyone thinks. Sure there were injuries. So has the past 5 years. Counsel would have Managed us through the post season.