Sources: Vogt candidate for Guardians manager
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
Longtime major league catcher Stephen Vogt has emerged as a serious candidate for the Cleveland Guardians‘ managerial job a little over a year after he retired from playing, sources told ESPN.
Vogt, 38, is currently a coach with the Seattle Mariners and had already interviewed for the San Francisco Giants‘ open managerial job, which could soon be filled by San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin, who was granted permission to talk with the division rival. Vogt will have an in-person interview with the Guardians this week, sources said.
Following the retirement of manager Terry Francona after 11 seasons and six playoff appearances, Cleveland has considered a range of external candidates — Giants bullpen coach Craig Albernaz, New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza and Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough — and internal — field coordinator John McDonald, hitting coach Chris Valaika and farm director Rob Cerfolio.
Vogt didn’t debut in the major leagues until he was 27 but carved out a decade-long career because of his catching acumen and reputation as a dynamic clubhouse leader. After five years with the Oakland Athletics that included a pair of All-Star selections, Vogt bounced around, going from Milwaukee to San Francisco to Arizona to Atlanta before returning to Oakland, where he finished his career and hit a home run in his final at-bat.
Executives pegged Vogt as a future manager while he was still playing. His ability to connect with players — and loosen up a group with his sense of humor — combined with his knowledge of the game from playing catcher made him an intriguing candidate, especially for a job like Cleveland’s.
While the Guardians struggled to a 76-86 finish in the dreadful American League Central division, the arrival and immediate success of rookie pitchers Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Logan Allen furthered hope for a quick turnaround.
Cleveland’s offense scored the fourth-fewest runs in Major League Baseball this year, and the Guardians could trade one of their starting pitchers — potentially ace Shane Bieber or veteran Cal Quantrill — to address the deficiencies.
NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.
Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.
He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.
Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.
Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.
Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.
“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”
Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.
His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.
The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.
Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.
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