Former All-Star catcher emerging as serious candidate for Guardians manager

Terry Francona’s successor could end up being another (albeit much younger) former player.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Monday that retired ex-All-Star catcher Stephen Vogt is emerging as a serious candidate for Cleveland Guardians manager. Passan notes that Vogt already previously interviewed for the managerial opening of the San Francisco Giants as well.

Vogt, 38, played 10 MLB seasons with six different teams. He was an All-Star in back-to-back years (2015 and 2016) with the Oakland Athletics, his primary team. Vogt retired after the 2022 season and now works for the Seattle Mariners as a bullpen and quality control coach.

The Guardians, who went 76-86 this year and missed the playoffs, are one of four teams currently looking for a new manager (with the Angels, Mets, and Giants). They recently got linked to a longshot currently-employed skipper, but a candidate like Vogt is probably the much more realistic play here.