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Albert Pujols, Nick Hundley, Ruben Niebla Among Finalists For Padres’ Managerial Job

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Yesterday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the Padres were entering the finalist stages of their managerial search.  In a new report today, Acee writes that the Padres are down “to no more than four finalists,” with Albert Pujols, Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla, Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley, and potentially an unspecified fourth name still on the radar.  A hiring is expected to be made by the end of the week.

All three of the known candidates would be first-time MLB managers, though the trio have vastly different resumes.  Niebla has 25 years of experience as a pitching coach and coordinator at the Major League and minor league levels with San Diego and Cleveland, and he has drawn high praise for his work over his four seasons as the Padres’ pitching coach.  Pujols (one of baseball’s all-time greats) and Hundley are longtime former players who have never managed or coached in the majors or minors, though Hundley does have some ties to San Diego in the form of seven seasons as the Padres’ catcher.

Since retiring from playing, Pujols has been a special instructor with the Angels and a manager in the Dominican Winter League, plus he’ll be managing the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team this coming spring unless he is hired for a big league job.  Pujols was a candidate with the Orioles and Angels for their managerial openings this offseason, and the Halos’ gig was seemingly headed his way before negotiations seemed to fall apart in the fairly late stages.

Hundley’s post-playing endeavors have included two seasons working for the MLB baseball operations department, and he has spent the last four seasons as a special assistant in the Rangers’ front office.  The Giants approached Hundley about managerial openings in both 2023 and this very fall, but Hundley declined both times for family reasons, even though this time in particular Hundley seemed to be Buster Posey’s first choice for the position.  Despite Hundley’s past demurrals, the fact that he lives in San Diego naturally adds appeal to the Padres job, as managing in his hometown would allow him to more easily balance his work life and spend time with his family.

Niebla received some consideration for the Padres’ managerial gig in 2023 before Mike Shildt was hired, but his name hasn’t been publicly linked to any other managerial openings around the sport.  It is relatively rare to see pitching coaches make the jump to the manager’s chair, though John Farrell, Bud Black, Roger Craig, and Bob Lemon are prominent examples of ex-pitching coaches who found success as MLB skippers.  One factor potentially working against Niebla is that he is so well-regarded as a pitching coach that the Padres might just prefer to keep him in that role and look elsewhere for a manager.

Nationals Won’t Hire Miguel Cairo As Manager; Interested In Rocco Baldelli, Danny Lehmann

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The Nationals’ managerial search continues to take shape, and one prominent candidate has already been eliminated from consideration.  The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden reports that interim manager Miguel Cairo has been told that he won’t be the team’s full-time bench boss next season, while former Twins manger Rocco Baldelli and Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann have each drawn interest as possible candidates.  Both Baldelli and Lehmann declined comment when asked if they’d already interviewed with the Nats.

Cairo, Brandon Hyde, and Craig Albernaz are the only three names known to have interviewed for the Washington job, and Albernaz is naturally no longer an option after the Orioles hired him as their manager.  Since the Nats and most teams are pretty guarded when it comes to public information on managerial searches, it is entirely possible that other names are being considered, or have already interviewed.  (As an example, Albernaz wasn’t known to be a candidate for the O’s until reports emerged that the team was on the verge of hiring him.)

Cairo was midway through his second season as Washington’s bench coach when manager Davey Martinez and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo were fired in July.  Cairo was bumped up to the interim manager role, and he posted a 29-43 record as the Nationals stumbled to a 66-96 overall record this year.  This was Cairo’s second time stepping into a managerial role, as he was as acting manager for 34 games with the 2022 White Sox when Tony La Russa was absent on medical leave.

While Cairo did enough to merit at least an interview about the full-time Nats job, it always seemed more likely that new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni was going to bring in a fresh voice as the team’s next skipper.  That would continue Toboni’s early trend of shaking things up within the organization, as multiple changes have already been made within the front office, scouting and training staffs.

The shake-up will also extend to the Nationals’ coaching staff, as Golden writes that six coaches (pitching coach Jim Hickey, hitting coach Darnell Coles, first base coach Gerardo Parra, third base coach Ricky Gutierrez, bullpen coach Ricky Bones, and catching/strategy coach Henry Blanco) have been told they won’t be retained unless the new manager wants them to stay.  This news doesn’t come as a large surprise, as the Nats had already given their coaches permission to explore jobs with other teams.  While Cairo wasn’t specifically mentioned as also being on the way out, it can be assumed that he won’t be back in his old bench coach role.

Like Hyde, Baldelli would bring some Major League managerial experience to a Nationals team that has hit some snags in its rebuild.  Baldelli posted a 527-505 record over seven seasons with the Twins, winning three AL Central crowns and (in 2023) the club’s first postseason series victory since 2002.  Since that playoff triumph, however, the Twins collapsed down the stretch in 2024 to finish with an 82-80 record, and things continued to spiral this year with a 70-92 record.

Baldelli was fired at season’s end, yet it is hard to entirely fault him for the Twins’ struggles given how ownership responded to the 2023 postseason by immediately cutting the payroll.  At this year’s trade deadline, the club had a fire sale of both impending free agents and some controllable players, further positioning Minnesota toward a rebuild period.  It seems like the league as a whole didn’t assign much blame to Baldelli for the Twins’ situation, as the ex-skipper said that he’d heard from 10 teams about job openings in the wake of his dismissal, though Golden’s report is the first time Baldelli has been linked to one of the many managerial openings around baseball this fall.

Lehmann’s name recently surfaced in connection with the Braves’ managerial vacancy, and he received interest from the White Sox in their managerial search last offseason before Chicago hired Will Venable.  Lehmann spent eight years as a player in the Twins’ farm system and in independent ball from 2007-14, and has since been working with the Dodgers in such roles as an advanced video scout, a special assistant, and a game planning/communications coach.  His four seasons in that coaching role led to his promotion to the bench coach job prior to the 2023 season.

The Dodgers’ ongoing postseason run could be somewhat complicating Lehmann’s candidacy, as he would have only been able to interview in between playoff rounds or on off-days within a series.  It could be that Lehmann is waiting until L.A. has entirely concluded the World Series before turning his attention to managerial possibilities, though this wait may not have hurt his chances, given how the Nats, Braves, and other teams still have openings for the top dugout jobs.

AL East Notes: Story, Flaherty, Lowe, Fairbanks

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MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam touched on an assortment of Red Sox topics in the latest edition of their Fenway Rundown podcast, including a brief mention of Trevor Story’s status as the shortstop considers an opt-out clause in his contract.  Cotillo believes “the Red Sox are pretty cautiously very optimistic that” Story will be staying with the team, and while’s plenty of grey area within that statement, it does offer some indication that Story is leaning towards declining his opt-out.

Story is owed $25MM in each of the next two seasons, plus there’s a $5MM buyout on his $25MM club option for the 2028 campaign.  The Red Sox can override Story’s opt-out by guaranteeing that 2028 club option right now, but that doesn’t appear to be on the team’s radar, so the ball looks to be entirely in Story’s court.  While Story’s .263/.308/.433 slash line and 25 homers over 654 plate appearances only translates to a 101 wRC+, his numbers were weighed down by a cold start to the season, as Story posted an .825 OPS over his final 429 PA.

Between this strong finish and a thin free agent shortstop market, there’s a case for Story to leave his $55MM guaranteed on the table and look for a bigger contract this winter.  On the flip side, Story turns 33 next month, his defensive metrics were subpar, and the injury problems that plagued him in 2022-24 will be on the minds of front offices even though Story stayed pretty healthy in 2025.  If Story wants to avoid the risks of another prolonged stint in free agency, staying in Boston with a contending Red Sox team certainly seems like a viable choice.

More from around the AL East…

  • Earlier this month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post floated Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty as a logical candidate to be part of the Orioles’ managerial search.  MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports that Flaherty did indeed interview with the O’s about the position before the club opted to hire Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz.  Any number of other names might’ve been considered by the Orioles, but Flaherty joins Albert Pujols, Luis Rojas, and Scott Servais as the candidates directly linked to Baltimore’s search whether in formal interviews or (in Servais’ case) just some interest on the club’s part.  Flaherty’s six seasons as an Orioles player likely held some extra appeal for Baltimore’s front office, but his well-regarded work as a bench coach in Chicago and San Diego has put him in the running for multiple managerial vacancies.  Flaherty is reportedly one of the finalists for the Twins’ job, and he is a candidate for both the Padres and Braves in their ongoing searches.
  • The Rays hold a pair of club options on Brandon Lowe ($11.5MM) and Pete Fairbanks ($11MM) for the 2026 season, and both players have expressed a desire to remain in Tampa.  Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times explores the option decisions, noting that between the team’s offensive needs and how “the Rays typically view the bullpen as more changeable and volatile on a year-to-year basis,” Lowe seems more likely than Fairbanks to be part of the 2026 roster.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that Fairbanks’ option will be declined, however, as the Rays would then lose the closer for nothing in free agency.  Perhaps the most probable scenario is that Tampa Bay will pick up both options and then explore trade possibilities for either player — in Fairbanks’ case, his $11MM salary might not seem that onerous to some rival clubs in need of high-leverage bullpen help.

Offseason Outlook: San Diego Padres

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The Padres won 90 games and made the playoffs for a second straight season. They came up short in a tightly-contested Wild Card Series against the Cubs. Manager Mike Shildt retired a few days later, sending them on the hunt for the sixth full-time skipper of A.J. Preller's tenure. That comes as they face the impending free agency of two of their top starters and their closer.

Guaranteed Contracts

Option Decisions

2026 guarantees (assuming only Laureano and Peralta return): $154.95MM
Total future commitments (assuming only Laureano and Peralta return): $1.022 billion through 2034

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Adam, Sears

Free Agents

Every offseason in San Diego features its share of twists. This year's began within days of elimination. On October 9, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that manager Mike Shildt and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller were expected back. Two days later, Shildt informed the team he was retiring. Subsequent reporting from The SDUT's Kevin Acee pointed to discord between Shildt and his coaching staff.

It was the third consecutive managerial stint that ended in some measure of controversy. Jayce Tingler had seemingly lost the clubhouse by the time he was fired in 2021. Preller and Bob Melvin clashed to such an extent that the Padres allowed Melvin out of his contract during the 2023-24 offseason to take the same job with the division-rival Giants. Preller is still expected back for what'll be his 12th full season leading baseball operations. This will be his fifth managerial search and he's going into the final year of his contract. Reporting from Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic pointed to some tension between Preller and CEO Erik Greupner that raises questions about whether the Padres will extend Preller or let him work on a lame duck contract.

The managerial search is well underway and could be concluded within the next few days. Acee wrote last night that they've moved to the second round of interviews while narrowing their search to a group of finalists. Albert Pujols is the only candidate known to have gotten a second interview. Bench coach Brian Esposito and pitching coach Ruben Niebla each interviewed at least once. Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, a former Padres staffer who appeared to be the runner-up when the position went to Shildt two years back, has also been speculated as a candidate. Obviously, the managerial hiring will shape how much of Shildt's coaching staff returns.

It'd behoove the Padres to get their manager in place within the next week or so. They always have a lot to accomplish on the roster. This year is no exception, though most of their early option decisions are straightforward.

They'll exercise their $6.5MM option on Ramón Laureano, who was fantastic after being acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline. They'll buy out lefty Kyle Hart and backup catcher Elias Díaz. Closer Robert Suarez will opt out of the remaining two years and $16MM on his contract, while Michael King has an easy call to decline his end of a $15MM mutual option in favor of a $3.75MM buyout.

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MLBTR Podcast: Bo Bichette’s Health, Kazuma Okamoto, And Dylan Cease’s Market

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • If the Blue Jays were to extend Addison Barger, would the Lawrence Butler deal be a good comp? (40:35)
  • If a veteran signs a minor league deal, are they eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft? (44:50)
  • Will the Red Sox trade Jarren Duran? (46:25)

Check out our past episodes!

  • The Phillies’ Outfield, Tarik Skubal, And Hiring College Coaches – listen here
  • Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason, Managerial Vacancies, And More! – listen here
  • Rockies’ Front Office Changes, Skip Schumaker, And ABS Talk – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images

Tim Elko Undergoes Surgery To Fix Torn ACL

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The White Sox announced that first baseman Tim Elko underwent surgery Tuesday to address a torn right ACL.  Elko’s projected recovery time is eight months, so he’ll miss at least half of the 2026 season.  (MLB.com’s Scott Merkin was one of the Sox beat writers who passed on the news.)

It’s a rough setback for Elko, who made his Major League debut in the form of 23 games for the White Sox this season.  Elko also spent just under four weeks on Chicago’s 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain, so it seems likely that his ACL tear came in the aftermath of that knee issue, or perhaps Elko was trying to play through a tear.

This is the second right ACL tear for Elko, as he suffered the same injury in 2021 while playing college ball for Ole Miss.  Rather than get immediate surgery, Elko took roughly a month off and then returned to play 21 more games for the team.  Elko had played some third base and outfield as well as first base in college, but in the aftermath of his ACL tear, he has stuck just to first base and DH in pro ball.

Chicago selected Elko in the tenth round of the 2022 draft, and he worked his way up the minor league ladder with increasingly strong numbers (including a .291/.359/.525 slash line and 35 homers over 633 Triple-A plate appearances).  This was enough for the White Sox to select Elko’s contract to the big league roster this year, but he was shuttled back and forth to Triple-A after making little impact in the Show.  Elko hit only .134/.194/.328 with four homers in his first 72 MLB plate appearances.

The door was open for Elko (who turns 27 in December) to put himself in Chicago’s first base picture after Andrew Vaughn was traded to the Brewers in June, but Elko’s lack of production and subsequent knee issues scuttled his chances.  Elko now faces a long road back with the second ACL rehab of his career, and the hope is that he can heal up in time to get another decent-sized look on the White Sox roster before the 2026 season is over.

The Opener: World Series, Padres, Twins

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Blue Jays tie the World Series:

The World Series is all tied up after the Blue Jays managed to get to Shohei Ohtani, who surrendered four runs in six innings of work last night in a 6-2 victory for the Jays. That puts the Dodgers on the back foot somewhat, as they enter Game 5 needing a win to avoid leaving their home turf on the verge of elimination. With that at stake, the Dodgers will turn to southpaw Blake Snell (2.35 ERA) four his second start of the series. They’ll hope for better results than he garnered in his first start against the Jays, as he surrendered five runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out just four in his five innings of work in Game 1. Pitching opposite Snell will be right-hander Trey Yesavage (3.21 ERA), who had a decent but abbreviated outing in Game 1 where he surrendered two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five across four innings. Tonight’s game at Dodger Stadium is scheduled to begin at 5pm local time.

2. Padres enter second round of interviews in managerial search:

The Padres are moving on to the next stage of their efforts to replace Mike Shildt in the dugout, per reporting yesterday, as they narrow their focus to a group of finalists that includes future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. It’s unclear which other candidates remain in the mix for the job, although both pitching coach Ruben Niebla and bench coach Brian Esposito were at least part of the first round of interviews. Special assistant (and former Mariners manager) Scott Servais, Rangers special assistant (and former Padres catcher) Nick Hundley, and Cubs bench coach (and former Padres bench coach) Ryan Flaherty have all been connected to the position at one point or another, as well.

3. Twins nearing managerial decision:

While the Padres enter the final stages of their search, a decision could be on the way in Minnesota as well. Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggested last night that the Twins could decide on their new manager by the end of the week, and a quartet of finalists for the job has already been reported: Flaherty and Servais are both in the mix for that job as well alongside former Pirates manager Derek Shelton and Yankees hitting coach James Rowson. Given the overlap in candidates between the Twins’ and Padres’ searches, it’s entirely possible that one of the two clubs making their decision could spur action from the other, particularly if Servais or Flaherty is named manager by either club. Atlanta, Washington, and Colorado have all yet to decide their next manager as well, though in the case of the Rockies that process won’t get underway until a new head of baseball operations is named.

Offseason Outlook: Seattle Mariners

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The 2025 season was another heartbreaker for the Mariners. Thankfully, they have a lot of good things in place for the future.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Julio Rodríguez, CF: $162MM through 2034 (deal contains complicated option structure beginning after 2028)
  • Cal Raleigh, C: $94MM through 2030 (deal includes 2031 vesting option)
  • Luis Castillo, RHP: $45.5MM through 2027 (deal includes 2028 conditional club option/vesting option)
  • J.P. Crawford, SS: $11MM through 2026
  • Víctor Robles, OF: $5MM through 2026 (includes $500K buyout on $9MM club option for 2027)

Option Decisions

  • IF Jorge Polanco has $6MM player option with $750K buyout
  • Club has $7MM option for RHP Andrés Muñoz, plus two more club options for 2027-28
  • Mitch Garver, C/DH: $12MM mutual option with $1MM buyout

2026 guarantees (assuming Polanco and Garver become free agents): $76.5MM
Total future commitments: $326.25MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Thornton, Saucedo, Raley, Santos

Free Agents

In many ways, it was a fantastic season for the Mariners. They got a historic performance from catcher Cal Raleigh. They won the American League West for the first time since 2001 and made it to the ALCS for the first time since that same season.

But the dream ended there. It seemed they were on the cusp of their first World Series appearance when they went up 2-0 on the Blue Jays in the ALCS. The Jays tied the series up 2-2 but the Mariners managed to win Game 5, putting them one victory away. Seattle lost Game 6 but had a 3-1 lead in Game 7, until George Springer's home run put the Jays over the top.

So often in recent history, the Mariners have been a strong team but not quite strong enough. In 2021, they finished two games back of a playoff spot. They made it to the playoffs in 2022 and survived the Wild Card round, before getting swept out of the ALDS in agonizing fashion. The third game went 18 innings with the Mariners unable to score, losing 1-0 to the division-rival Astros. In both 2023 and 2024, they missed the playoffs by a single game. In a sense, 2025 was a step forward, but it was yet another case of getting so close that the final blow was all the more crushing.

Though the pain is fresh for many fans, there's a lot to feel good about in the future. The division is wide open. The Angels haven't been good in years. The A's are on the rise but still have lots of question marks. The Astros and Rangers have some veteran talent but are starting to feel a bit old and creaky, with both clubs facing budget crunches. The Seattle roster, meanwhile, is loaded with talent. A few guys are set to depart via free agency but the M's have payroll space and one of the best farm systems in baseball.

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Reds Outright Ian Gibaut

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Reds reliever Ian Gibaut has been activated from the 60-day injured list and sent outright to Triple-A Louisville, according to the transaction log at MLB.com. The right-hander had been on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. Gibaut has over three years of service time, so he can reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency.

The 31-year-old has pitched in parts of four seasons with the Reds from 2022-25. In 137 2/3 innings with Cincinnati, he has posted a 3.92 ERA with a roughly average 22.5% strikeout rate and a below-average 9.3% walk rate. The highlight of his tenure was Gibaut’s 2023 season, in which he had a 3.33 ERA in 75 2/3 innings out of the Reds’ bullpen and allowed hard hits at a rate of just 31.8%, well below the league average of 38.2% among qualified relievers that year. Unfortunately, Gibaut made only two appearances the following season as he underwent surgery for a nerve issue in his forearm. The Reds non-tendered him in November 2024, but re-signed him to a minor league contract in January 2025.

In 25 1/3 innings across 25 appearances this year, Gibaut had a 4.62 ERA but did not miss many bats, with a mere 13.2% strikeout rate. Some of that can be attributed to injury, as his season was interrupted by two separate trips to the IL, the first coming at the end of April. Gibaut also appeared to be working with diminished stuff, as his average fastball velocity declined from 95.2 mph in 2023 to 94.0 mph in 2025 (he only threw two innings in 2024). However, he still did well at limiting hard contact with a hard-hit rate of 33.7%. He also lowered his walk rate to 7.3%, which graded out better than league average.

Although this move keeps him off the Reds’ 40-man roster, it’s plausible that Gibaut could work his way into a middle relief role in 2026 if he chooses to stay in the organization. Emilio Pagan and swingman Nick Martinez are free agents. Meanwhile, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter both have club options, although the $6.5MM value of Barlow’s option might keep him from returning. Gibaut earned a more affordable $1.3MM in 2025 and should earn a similar amount if not slightly less in 2026. He can be controlled through 2027 via arbitration.

Padres Interview Albert Pujols In Managerial Search

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October 28: Pujols had a second, in-person interview today, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Acee, the Padres have narrowed the search down to the finalists. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla and bench coach Brian Esposito were also interviewed in the first round, though it is unclear if they are still being considered. Meanwhile, former Mariners manager and current Padres special assistant for player development Scott Servais is also in the mix, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

October 20: As the Padres search for a replacement for retiring manager Mike Shildt, they’re setting their sights on a big name: future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. According to a report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Pujols is set to interview for the position with the Padres, though it’s not yet known when that interview will take place.

Pujols’s name isn’t exactly new as a managerial candidate. He spent the early part of the offseason closely connected to the Angels as a potential successor to Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery in Anaheim. He was thought the be the favorite for that position at one point and was even known to be discussing a contract with Angels brass less than two weeks ago, but since then it’s been reported that Pujols will interview with Baltimore while the Halos have begun interviewing other candidates. While Pujols managing in Anaheim doesn’t seem to be off the table, it no longer appears to be a foregone conclusion as it once might have.

San Diego makes a third managerial vacancy that Pujols is set to interview for, and it’s quite an attractive one. Unlike the Orioles and Angels, the Padres made it to the postseason this year before falling to the Cubs in three games during the Wild Card series. While the Dodgers have a firm grip on the NL West that they don’t seem likely to relinquish any time soon, San Diego has made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons and even advanced to the NLCS back in 2022. They’ve averaged 88.5 wins per season over the past four years and have a talented core of players that includes Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, Mason Miller, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Nick Pivetta, among others.

With that said, it’s also worth noting that the Padres are set to lose front-of-the-rotation arms Dylan Cease and Michael King this winter, with the starting rotation serving as a major question mark headed into next year. The questions regarding the rotation and the fact that some of the club’s star players like Machado are getting older could mean that the Padres don’t have quite as bright of a future as a team like the Orioles, which is littered with exciting young players in their prime who figure to be under team control for years to come.

Pujols is far from the only candidate for the Padres job, of course. Acee notes that pitching coach Ruben Niebla is expected to interview for the position. Cubs Bench Coach Ryan Flaherty, who also served as bench coach in San Diego under Bob Melvin and was a finalist for the manager’s chair before it ultimately went to Shildt two years ago, is also a speculated candidate for the job. Former Padres catcher and Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley is known to be of interest to San Diego for the role, but he recently withdrew from consideration from the manager role with the Giants due to family considerations and it’s not known if he would consider taking the Padres job at this point.

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