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Chris Woodward

Dodgers Hire Chris Woodward As First Base Coach

By Anthony Franco | November 22, 2024 at 11:25pm CDT

The Dodgers announced the hiring of Chris Woodward as first base coach. He replaces Clayton McCullough, who departed to take the Marlins’ managerial job two weeks ago.

Woodward returns to Dave Roberts’ staff after two seasons in the L.A. player development department. The 48-year-old spent three seasons as Roberts’ third base coach, a position he held between 2016-18. Woodward earned a reputation as a top managerial candidate over that stretch. He landed that gig in Arlington over the 2018-19 offseason. He managed the Rangers for nearly four seasons. Texas compiled a 211-287 record over his tenure. The Rangers fired Woodward towards the end of the ’22 campaign. They hired Bruce Bochy the following offseason, which proved a precursor to their 2023 World Series run.

In a press release, GM Brandon Gomes announced that Woodward will serve as a baserunning and infield instructor. Third base coach Dino Ebel will be responsible for working with the outfielders. Woodward played parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues as a utility infielder.

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Dodgers To Hire Chris Woodward As Special Assistant In Front Office

By Anthony Franco | January 20, 2023 at 6:27pm CDT

The Dodgers are hiring former Rangers manager Chris Woodward as a special assistant in their front office, reports Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). He returns to the Los Angeles organization, where he spent three years as a member of Dave Roberts’ coaching staff before landing the top dugout job in Arlington.

Woodward, 46, played parts of 12 MLB seasons as a depth infielder. After retiring in 2012, he transitioned into his post-playing career. Woodward joined the Mariners as a minor league infield coordinator and was promoted to the big league coaching staff the next season. He spent two years on staff in Seattle before joining the Dodgers as third base coach over the 2015-16 offseason.

That experience set the stage for Woodward to receive a fair bit of managerial attention. He was mentioned as part of the Yankees’ search that went to Aaron Boone and the Blue Jays’ process that eventually led to Charlie Montoyo. Woodward landed the top gig for the first time during the 2018-19 offseason, tabbed to lead a rebuilding Rangers club on a three-year contract.

Texas signed him to an extension after two seasons, guaranteeing his contract through 2023. That was the opening move of an active offseason for the Rangers, one they hoped would result in a notable step forward in the on-field results. Full-fledged contention in 2022 wasn’t likely, but Texas brass surely anticipated laying the foundation for a postseason-caliber team by 2023.

That didn’t pan out. With the club carrying a 51-63 record in the middle of August, the Rangers fired Woodward. President of baseball operations Jon Daniels was himself dismissed not long thereafter. Texas turned to Tony Beasley as skipper on an interim basis for the stretch run and hired Bruce Bochy to permanently lead the charge this offseason. The Rangers went 211-287 over Woodward’s tenure, though they anticipated a fair number of losses early on.

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Rangers Fire Manager Chris Woodward

By Anthony Franco | August 15, 2022 at 10:57pm CDT

The Rangers have made a change atop the dugout, announcing the dismissal of manager Chris Woodward on Monday afternoon. Third base coach Tony Beasley will take over on an interim capacity for the remainder of the 2022 season.

“(General manager) Chris Young and I had the very difficult task of informing Chris Woodward of our decision today,” president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said in the press release announcing the decision. “In his tenure as Rangers’ manager, Chris worked tirelessly under what was at times some difficult circumstances. He has been dedicated and passionate in his efforts to improve the on-field performance of the Texas Rangers, and it is greatly appreciated. He has represented the organization with class and dignity.

We have had extensive discussions over the last several weeks and while the team’s current performance is certainly a big part of this decision, we are also looking at the future. As the Rangers continue to develop a winning culture and put the pieces together to compete for the postseason year in and year out, we felt a change in leadership was necessary at this time. On behalf of the entire Texas Rangers organization, we thank Chris and wish him and his family the very best.”

Woodward, 46, spent a bit under four seasons at the helm in Arlington. Texas hired him off the Dodgers coaching staff over the 2018-19 offseason, making him the permanent replacement after dismissing Jeff Banister that September (with some intervening interim work from Don Wakamatsu). Woodward stepped into a difficult situation, taking over a team coming off a last-place finish that was cutting payroll as it embarked upon a rebuild.

Texas bounced back a bit during Woodward’s first season, finishing in third place in the AL West at 78-84. The club was outscored by 68 runs that year, though, and regression hit the following season. Texas went 22-38 during the shortened campaign, then stumbled to a 60-102 record in 2021. It marked back-to-back last place finishes, but Texas nevertheless signed Woodward last November to an extension that ran through 2023.

At the time, Daniels praised the skipper for “(helping) to lay the foundation of our culture” throughout his first three seasons. The Texas front office certainly couldn’t have expected great results with the rosters they’d trotted out through 2019-21, and Woodward’s extension reflected the organization’s confidence in his ability to guide the club to a more competitive phase. Texas signaled a desire to push payroll forward at the start of the offseason, and they followed through with a far more aggressive winter than many might have expected.

The Rangers signed four players to multi-year free agent contracts, including two of the three largest overall guarantees of the offseason. Texas added Corey Seager for $325MM over a decade not long after signing Marcus Semien for seven years and $175MM. They stepped in as the Rangers foundational middle infield, while the club signed Jon Gray to a four-year, $56MM pact to anchor the starting rotation. Texas brass acknowledged that leaping from a 60-win team to immediate postseason contention seemed like a stretch, even with such an aggressive offseason overhaul. Yet they no doubt anticipated a marked improvement that’d serve as a stepping stone to a playoff run in 2023.

The results on that front have been mixed. The Rangers are on pace for their best season in three years, with a 51-63 record that has them in third place in the AL West. A 44.7% winning percentage is much better than the sub-40% marks of 2020-21, but that still translates to a roughly 90-loss pace over the course of a full schedule. They’re 9 1/2 games out in the Wild Card and virtually certain to miss the playoffs again, with little hope of playing meaningful games in the season’s final couple weeks.

At the same time, one could argue the Rangers have been more competitive than their record would suggest. They’ve been outscored by only two runs on the season with more blowout wins (games decided by five-plus runs) than losses. Had they played to a roughy .500 record that aligned with their run differential, they’d be in the Wild Card picture and the general tenor of the franchise would be far more optimistic. Instead, they’ve gone an atrocious 6-24 in one-run contests, losing so many tight games they’re nowhere near contention.

How much responsibility Woodward bears for that record is open to debate. There’s no doubt some amount of misfortune with a record that poor, but one could also note that Woodward is ultimately in charge of managing a bullpen that has blown 18 leads (the eighth-most in the majors). Texas has gotten productive seasons from some of their young position players (i.e. Jonah Heim and Nathaniel Lowe), but the club hasn’t gotten much from their younger starting pitchers aside from Dane Dunning. Meanwhile, Texas has gotten solid seasons from Seager and Gray, but Semien has underperformed in the inaugural season of his free agent deal.

Of course, managerial decisions are made based on far more than just the club’s on-field results. Teams are evaluating a skipper’s handling of the clubhouse and behind-the-scenes work that takes place out of public view. Daniels and Young evidently determined the time had come for a change in the voice atop the clubhouse.

Over the next two months, that’ll come with the elevation of Beasley to the manager’s chair. A former minor league skipper in the Pirates and Nationals farm systems, Beasley first joined Texas’ coaching staff in advance of the 2015 season. The 55-year-old is now in his eighth year with the Rangers, a stint that overlapped Banister’s and Woodward’s time as skipper. This will be his first major league managerial opportunity.

Texas will conduct a search for a full-timer next offseason. They’re the fourth team that’ll be doing so, as each of the Phillies (Joe Girardi), Angels (Joe Maddon) and Blue Jays (Charlie Montoyo) have dismissed their skippers in-season. Philadelphia has gone on a tear under interim manager Rob Thomson, while the Angels continued to flounder under their temporary skipper Phil Nevin. The Blue Jays have improved an already-productive club in their first month under interim manager John Schneider.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News first reported Woodward’s dismissal.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Rangers Extend Manager Chris Woodward

By Steve Adams | November 19, 2021 at 2:08pm CDT

The Rangers announced Friday that manager Chris Woodward has been extended through the 2023 season with a club option for the 2024 campaign. Woodward was previously under contract only through the 2022 campaign, which will be his fourth year managing the club.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Woody, and we are all committed to a shared vision for the direction of the ballclub,” president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said in a statement within today’s press release. “He has helped to lay the foundation of our culture here at the Rangers, and we feel confident in his leadership abilities moving forward.”

The Rangers have gone 160-224 under Woodward, although the team didn’t make much of an effort to contend this past season. Rather, the 2021 campaign was, by design, dedicated to paring back payroll and giving younger players the opportunity to cement themselves as future regulars. That didn’t work out in all cases, though Texas certainly has to be encouraged by strides seen from Adolis Garcia, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Dane Dunning and Joe Barlow, among others.

The 2022 season will carry more of a win-now mindset, as the Rangers plan to be aggressive in their pursuit of free agents this winter with a nearly-blank payroll slate moving forward. It’s not realistic to forecast a return an immediate return to contention, regardless of who they sign off the open market, but with several other key prospects rising through the system (e.g. third baseman Josh Jung, right-hander Jack Leiter), the 2023 Rangers could have the makings of a competitive club.

Woodward’s extension is yet another reminder of the fact that managers are evaluated based off far more than wins and losses — and generally off a slate of factors that aren’t even visible to the public eye.

“After seeing Woody’s passion and consistency first-hand over the last year, extending our partnership is an easy decision,” general manager Chris Young said in his own statement today. “I look forward to continuing our shared commitment to improving the club.”

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Rangers Exercise Chris Woodward’s Option For 2022

By Connor Byrne | March 24, 2021 at 5:51pm CDT

The Rangers announced that they have exercised manager Chris Woodward’s option for 2022. The former major league infielder is now in line to spend at least four seasons as the Rangers’ skipper.

Now 44 years old, Woodward became the Rangers’ manager going into 2019. Before he went to Texas, Woodward worked as the third base coach for the Dodgers.

The Rangers have gone just 100-122 during Woodward’s reign, though it’s hard to fault him for that subpar record. The team has been in a rebuild, after all, and it looks as if this will be another difficult year in the standings for Texas. Nevertheless, the Rangers appear as if they’ll lean on the power structure of president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, new general manager Chris Young and Woodward for at least the next two years.

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Texas Rangers Chris Woodward

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Ian Gibaut, Chris Woodward Suspended Over Machado/Tatis Incident

By Mark Polishuk | August 19, 2020 at 8:01pm CDT

AUG. 19: Gibaut’s suspension was reduced to two games and he has dropped his appeal, the Rangers announced. He’ll begin serving the ban tonight.

AUG. 18: Major League Baseball has suspended Rangers right-hander Ian Gibaut three games and manager Chris Woodward one game for a controversial incident Monday that saw Gibaut throw behind Padres star Manny Machado.  Gibaut and Woodward were also both fined.  Gibaut is appealing his suspension while Woodward will serve his suspension for today’s game.

During Monday’s game, the Padres were leading the Rangers 10-3 in the eighth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. came to the plate with the bases loaded.  Tatis swung on a 3-0 pitch from Juan Nicasio that resulted in a grand slam, prompting Gibaut to replace Nicasio on the mound.  Machado was the next batter up after Tatis, and Gibaut’s first pitch to Machado was behind the third baseman’s back.  No ejections or warnings were issued after the pitch, though the umpiring crew did meet on the field to discuss the situation.

After the game, Woodward told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell and other reporters that wasn’t pleased by Tatis’ swing.  “There’s a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today’s game.  I didn’t like it, personally,” Woodward said.  “You’re up by seven [runs] in the eighth inning; it’s typically not a good time to swing 3-0.  It’s kind of the way we were all raised in the game.  But, like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis, so — just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not right.”

Even Tatis’ own manager Jayce Tingler wasn’t entirely pleased, noting that Tatis missed a take sign on the pitch.  “He’s young, a free spirit and focused and all those things. That’s the last thing that we’ll ever take away. But it’s a learning opportunity,” Tingler said.

Woodward and Tingler each received widespread criticism for their comments, with Woodward’s citation of baseball’s “unwritten rules” drawing particular derision.  Many current and past players (including such legends as Reggie Jackson and Johnny Bench) have defended Tatis, with Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty providing perhaps the most succinct counterpoint: “Don’t like it… don’t fall behind 3-0, pretty simple.“

The suspensions to both Gibaut and Woodward indicate a clear feeling on the part of the league that the pitch to Machado was intentional, and to that end, it is somewhat surprising that Woodward only received one game (if the league felt he directed Gibaut to throw behind Machado).  MLB has taken a generally stricter line for on-field discipline this year as part of their health and safety procedures, though this particular incident didn’t lead to anything like a brawl or even an open argument between the two teams.

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Rangers Hire Chris Woodward As Manager

By Jeff Todd | November 3, 2018 at 12:01pm CDT

The Rangers officially announced the hiring of Chris Woodward as their  manager for the 2019 season. He signs a three-year deal with a club option for 2022 to become the 19th full-time manager in club history.

He will be introduced by the team at a press conference on Monday, November 5th at 10am CT at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Woodward’s hiring brings an end to an exhaustive process to identify a successor to recently dismissed skipper Jeff Banister. He was replaced late in the season on an interim basis by Don Wakamatsu, who was considered a candidate for the full-time gig but evidently has not landed it. The hiring was initially reported last night by Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Woodward, who has most recently served as the Dodgers third base coach, was called a “frontrunner” earlier in the day by Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter).

The Rangers undertook an extensive search, but the initial effort failed to yield a clear candidate. Woodward, who just finished up his duties with the Dodgers in the World Series, was part of a second wave of names under consideration. Evidently, he aced the interview.

Woodward, 42, built a 12-year MLB career after originally being taken in the 54th round of the 1994 draft. He last saw major-league action in 2011 and hung up his spikes for good after the 2012 campaign, so he isn’t that far removed from his playing days.

Since that time, Woodward has worked in both the Mariners and Dodgers organizations. With Seattle, he served as minor league infield coordinator before moving up to the MLB staff for two campaigns. He ended up joining the staff of Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts. Over the past three seasons, he has high-fived many a homer-trotting Dodger and helped guide the organization to consecutive World Series appearances.

Said the Rangers, via a press release:

“We are excited to welcome Chris Woodward and his family to the Texas Rangers,” said Rangers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Jon Daniels. “Chris brings high energy, outstanding leadership and communication skills, a strong knowledge of the game and its evolving strategies, and great integrity—attributes that we feel are vital for our next manager. We believe these traits will resonate with our players, our staff, and our fans.  He has also been a big part of a very successful stretch in Los Angeles.

“We interviewed a number of strong candidates during an extensive interview process for our managerial role and believe we have found the right fit in Chris Woodward. We look forward to working with him and everyone on the baseball staff to develop and grow a culture that will lead to success for many years to come.”   

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The Rangers’ Managerial Search

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | November 1, 2018 at 5:40pm CDT

After parting ways with Jeff Banister late in the season, the Rangers are working to decide who’ll lead their dugout in 2019. GM Jon Daniels and company originally looked at a broad slate of possibilities, including late-season interim skipper Don Wakamatsu, but have now opened the search up to additional potential candidates.

We’re tracking developments in the hiring process in this post. The latest:

Latest Updates

  • Both Twins bench coach Derek Shelton and Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward have emerged as “strong” candidates in the Rangers’ managerial search, per Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic (Twitter link). Rosenthal notes that Woodward, who interviewed earlier today, was “extremely” impressive in his interview.

Click below to review the prior updates to the search and additional remaining candidates …

Read more

New Candidates Under Consideration

  • Twins bench coach Derek Shelton was given permission to chat with the Rangers after he was bypassed for the Minnesota managerial opening, per reports from Dan Hayes of The Athletic (via Twitter) and La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune. He interviewed yesterday, Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram adds. Shelton has held his current position for one season after spending time with the Blue Jays, Rays, and Indians in quality control and hitting coach capacities.
  • The Rangers are still working to bring in additional candidates for chats, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News has covered of late. D-Backs VP of player development Mike Bell — the brother of prior candidate David Bell, who’s now the Reds manager — is said to be getting a look. Additionally, the Texas organization is believed to be scheduling a chat with Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward and perhaps also Red Sox bench coach Ron Roenicke, both of whom just finished up duties in the World Series.
  • Though there are already a number of candidates considered to be finalists, as noted below, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that the Rangers are holding a first meeting with Eric Chavez. The former All-Star third baseman began the year as a special assistant to Angels GM Billy Eppler and finished out the year as the Halos’ Triple-A manager. He was considered to be a prime candidate to take over the Angels’ managerial post, but they’ve since named Brad Ausmus their skipper. Now, it seems that Chavez could at least potentially jump ship to a division rival.
  • Wilson reports that the Rangers have also interviewed Cardinals’ Triple-A skipper Stubby Clapp over the phone multiple times. But Clapp was just named first base coach on the St. Louis MLB staff, which appears to indicate that he is going to remain with that organization.

Still Under Consideration (as of Oct. 21)

  • With Girardi and Bell out of the picture, Sullivan noted earlier Sunday that Wakamatsu, Tingler, Hyde, Wathan, Espada and Baldelli are the only known candidates left. Those are indeed the finalists from among the original slate of candidates, per the Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson. As of the date of this report, the club had not even had a face-to-face meeting with Espada yet.

Previously Considered

  • Don Wakamatsu, interim manager, Rangers. GM Jon Daniels announced that Wakamatsu would receive consideration for the post.
  • Jayce Tingler, assistant GM, Rangers. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram identified Tingler as a candidate; Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweeted that he has interviewed.
  • Brandon Hyde, bench coach, Cubs. Recently became one of the earliest outside candidates to interview, per Grant.
  • Joe Espada, bench coach, Astros. Interviewed via phone due to current duties, per Grant. First identified by Wilson as a candidate, Espada is in his first year as bench coach after taking over the post from current Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
  • Rocco Baldelli, field coordinator, Rays: Health problems derailed his promising major league career, but Baldelli has carved out a new path in the game. The 37-year-old has been on the Tampa Bay MLB coaching staff since 2014. MLB.com’s TR Sullivan tweeted that Baldelli had interviewed; he was originally tied to the Rangers by Grant.
  • Dusty Wathan, third base coach, Phillies: He’ll sit down with the Texas brass, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Wathan, a former Triple-A manager, was considered a leading candidate for the Phillies’ managerial post last winter and ended up joining the staff of Gabe Kapler.

Other Candidates

  • Sandy Alomar Jr., first base coach, Indians: The long-time MLB backstop, who has come up frequently in past managerial searches, is also expected to get a look, according to Wilson.
  • Grant lists Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward and Padres Triple-A manager (and former Rangers catcher) Rod Barajas as other possible candidates. The Rangers “have done significant due diligence” on each of Alomar, Espada, Woodward, Barajas and DeRosa, per Grant, though it’s not yet clear which of that bunch will sit down with the organization for a formal interview.
  • Having started with around forty potential candidates, per MLB.com’s TR Sullivan, the Texas organization evidently still has some paring to do. He names a host of other new possibilities, though it’s unclear whether any are going to receive an opportunity to interview. Rangers third base coach Tony Beasley is a possibility, as others have mentioned previously, as is Triple-A skipper Jason Wood. Other names of note include Omar Vizquel (White Sox minor-league manager), who is said to have “received initial consideration,” along with Gary DiSarcina (Mets third base coach), Jay Bell (Yankees minor-league manager), and Hensley Meulens (Giants bench coach).
  • Prior indications are that long-time Rangers second bagger Michael Young would be a strong candidate if he had interest in the position. To this point, though, there’s no indication that he does. As noted in that link and in another recent MLBTR post, a whole host of other names have been floated as possibilities. To this point, though, only those listed above have emerged as clear candidates. (And for those who are wondering, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan wrote in a recent Rangers Inbox column that Adrian Beltre “has expressed zero interest in managing.”)

Not Under Consideration

  • Former Yankees and Marlins manager Joe Girardi has been informed that he’s no longer in the running, as reported by Wilson as well as Fancred’s Jon Heyman.
  • The Rangers had interest in former big leaguer and current MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa, per Grant, but MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that DeRosa is enjoying his current position and has declined the opportunity to interview (Twitter link).
  • Former Giants VP of player development David Bell interviewed for the position, per MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, but he’s since been named the new manager of the Reds, with whom he signed a three-year contract.
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Texas Rangers Chris Woodward Don Wakamatsu Dusty Wathan Eric Chavez Jayce Tingler Joe Espada Joe Girardi Mark DeRosa Rocco Baldelli Rod Barajas Sandy Alomar Jr. Stubby Clapp

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Blue Jays’ Managerial Search Enters Second Round

By TC Zencka and Jeff Todd | October 23, 2018 at 5:50pm CDT

Since announcing the departure of manager John Gibbons, the Blue Jays have begun their search for a new skipper as they look to return to contention for the first time since back-to-back playoff appearances in 2015 and 2016. The search is now well underway, with the Jays narrowing a broad list of candidates to a smaller group that warrants closer consideration.

As of Oct. 18, the Blue Jays were “believed to be down to five candidates,” per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. He cited Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Rays field coordinator Rocco Baldelli, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde and Giants director of player development David Bell as finalists, though Bell’s name is obviously no longer in play since he’s been hired by the Reds as their new manager. Here’s where things presently stand…

Latest Update – October 23

  • Rays bench coach Charlie Montoyo interviewed with the Jays today, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). It’s not clear if it was a second interview and Montoyo had already emerged as one of the reported finalists or if the Jays set up additional interviews after the Reds hired Bell (a reported Jays finalist) away. That brings the Blue Jays to 15 or more candidates interviewed for the managerial vacancy.

Full summation of the Blue Jays’ managerial search below:

Read more

First-Round Candidates

Except where otherwise noted, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reported the initial interest:

  • Ed Sprague, coordinator of instruction, Athletics: The former Blue Jays third baseman interviewed for the position, reports Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network (Twitter link). Sprague hasn’t managed at the big league level, and it’s not clear if he’s seen as a finalist or was merely one of many first-round interviews.
  • Sandy Alomar Jr., first base coach, Indians: Over the years, Alomar has often been cited as a possible skipper but has yet to be given the opportunity to run a dugout.
  • Joe Girardi, former Yankees and Marlins manager: Girardi spent the 2018 season as an MLB Network analyst after wrapping up his tenure in New York.
  • Mike Matheny, former Cardinals manager: Matheny was cut loose during the 2018 season, his seventh year in that role.
  • Eduardo Perez, broadcaster/analyst: In addition to his TV and radio duties, the former MLB corner infielder/outfielder has worked as a hitting coach, bench coach, and winter league manager since wrapping up his playing career.
  • Joe Espada, bench coach, Astros: Though he’s only in his first season on the Houston staff, he could follow Alex Cora in parlaying his time under skipper A.J. Hinch into a managerial job of his own.
  • Rocco Baldelli, field coordinator, Rays: The 37-year-old has been on the Tampa Bay MLB coaching staff for the past four years. He’s also drawing wide interest in this hiring round.
  • Rob Thompson, bench coach, Phillies: The veteran MLB coach just wrapped up his first season as the bench coach in Philadelphia after a ten-year run on the Yankees’ coaching staff.
  • John McDonald, defensive coordinator, player development field staff, Indians: The long-time MLB defensive stalwart has worked in the Cleveland player development department for the past several seasons. He’s short on directly relevant experience, but is a widely respected player with ties to the Toronto org.
  • Stubby Clapp, Triple-A manager, Cardinals: Though he only briefly touched the majors as a player and hasn’t made it back as a coach, Clapp has drawn attention for his success with the Cards’ top affiliate.
  • DeMarlo Hale, bench coach, Blue Jays: The long-time minor-league manager and MLB coach has previously featured as a top candidate for the Jays managerial job.
  • Bobby Meacham, Triple-A manager, Blue Jays: The long-time minor-league skipper and MLB coach has been with the Jays organization since 2013.
  • John Schneider, Double-A manager, Blue Jays: Schneider, 38, has worked his way up the coaching/managerial ladder in the Toronto farm system since his playing career was cut short.
  • Brandon Hyde, bench coach, Cubs: A candidate who has received consideration from multiple other teams, Hyde has logged five campaigns apiece as a minor-league skipper and MLB coach. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweeted that he’s a candidate.

Potential Candidates

  • Previous names linked to the opening by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal include former Cleveland skipper Eric Wedge and MLB Network analyst Dave Valle (twitter links). It is not certain at this time whether they have received real consideration during the search process.

Not Under Consideration

  • Sam Fuld has also impressed the Toronto front office, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). But the former big league outfielder, who has been with the Phillies as “Major League player information coordinator” for one year, does not seem to be in the competition for the Jays job. Per Jerry Crasnick, via Twitter, Fuld has withdrawn from the search.
  • Though he was previously tabbed as a name under some consideration, Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward is not considered a candidate at this time, per Arash Madani of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter).
  • David Bell, formerly the VP of player development for the Giants, interviewed for the Jays’ position but was recently hired as the new manager of the Reds.
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Yankees Have Made Managerial Hiring Decision

By Steve Adams | December 1, 2017 at 6:49pm CDT

6:49pm: Meulens is remaining in San Francisco, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle hears. (Twitter link.) In conjunction with the other reports, that would appear to suggest that Boone is the choice.

6:10pm: New York has made its decision, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets, though it’s still not clear whether it’ll be Boone or Meulens.

5:00pm: Thomson has been informed that he will not get the job, Joel Shermanof the New York Post tweets. Likewise, Beltran has been told he’s no longer under consideration, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports tweets.

2:42pm: It is “likely” that either Boone or Meulens will receive the nod to become the next Yankees skipper, according to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News. Beltran was also among the group that “made the strongest impressions,” per the report, but Madden reasons that he is unlikely to get the job since he just wrapped up his playing career.

Meanwhile, Thomson is said to be a “leading candidate” to join the Phillies as their bench coach, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). WFAN’s Sweeny Murti had reported recently (via Twitter) that Thomson was interviewing with Philadelphia.

8:09am: The Yankees will not conduct any further interviews as they seek to fill their managerial vacancy, general manager Brian Cashman tells reporters (Twitter links via Ken Davidoff of the New York Post). The Yankees will not conduct a second round of interviews with the six candidates that have sat down with the team, either, Davidoff adds.

The latest development in what has been one of the lengthiest managerial searches in recent memory means that one of Rob Thomson, Hensley Meulens, Eric Wedge, Chris Woodward, Aaron Boone or the recently retired Carlos Beltran, who interviewed for the post yesterday, will be the Yankees’ new skipper. Unless Wedge is the ultimate selection for the Yankees, they’ll head into 2018 with a rookie skipper. More surprising is the fact that two of the final candidates, Boone and Beltran, have never even coached at the professional level.

To this point, none of the six has been characterized as any sort of favorite, though ESPN’s Andrew Marchand hears from two sources that Boone did quite well in his interview (Twitter links). Marchand also notes that he’s heard a positive review for Meulens and one for Beltran following their respective interviews as well.

Thomson, who served as the Yankees’ bench coach since 2015, would be a familiar choice for both the players and the front office. The Yankees may risk the possibility of losing him to another organization if he doesn’t ultimately get the managerial nod, as WFAN’s Sweeny Murti reported (on Twitter) this week that Thomson was also interviewing for the Phillies’ currently vacant bench coach position.

Meulens played with the Yankees from 1989-93 and has served as the Giants’ hitting coach dating back to 2010 (including in each of San Francisco’s three World Series-winning seasons). The Curacao native speaks five languages, including Spanish, Dutch and Japanese, which would serve him well as he communicates with a diverse group of players on the Yankees’ roster.

Wedge managed the Indians from 2003-09 and the Mariners from 2011-13 but hasn’t been in a big league dugout since the conclusion of that Seattle tenure. He spent two years serving as an ESPN analyst in the interim before taking a player development job with the Blue Jays prior to the 2016 season.

Woodward, the Dodgers’ third base coach, was on the Mariners’ coaching staff from 2014-15 and has been in his current position with the Dodgers since the 2016 season. He’s previously worked as a minor league infield coordinator (also with the Mariners) since retiring as a player back in 2012.

Neither Boone nor Beltran brings any field experience to the table, though that certainly doesn’t disqualify them as serious candidates for the job. Beltran only recently announced his retirement from a 20-year playing career that may very well culminate with enshrinement in Cooperstown. Boone has been a mainstay on ESPN since 2010 and enjoyed a solid 12-year playing career that included one of the most famous home runs in Yankees franchise history.

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New York Yankees Philadelphia Phillies Aaron Boone Carlos Beltran Chris Woodward Eric Wedge Hensley Meulens Rob Thomson

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