Guardians Have Competition In Managerial Search

The Cleveland Guardians, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Angels are all looking for new managers for the 2024 MLB season.

One of the biggest storylines around baseball, that hasn't had to do with the playoffs, has to do with Terry Francona stepping down as the Cleveland Guardians' manager. 

Tito had been hinting that this could happen during the final month of the season but made it official shortly after the team's final game. Since then (and honestly, probably before he actually announced it publicly), the organization has been hard at work searching for a new skipper.

However, they aren't the only club holding interviews for a new manager. These are the teams the Guardians are competing with for the best candidates on the market.

New York Mets

A lot of fans thought Cleveland underperformed in 2023, but the New York Mets might take the crown for the most disappointing season. It ultimately ended with Buck Showalter exiting as the team's skipper after winning NL Manager of the Year just a year prior.

New York will reportedly look outside their organization for Showalter's successor which could create an overlap with candidates the Guardians are interviewing.

San Francisco Giants

Gabe Kapler being fired as the San Francisco Gaints' manager came as a surprise to some. His teams weren't necessarily bad during his four-year tenure, but they could never get over the hump and solidify themselves as a top team in baseball and too many teams in the rest of the division were having success in their steed.

The Giants are an historic franchise and are willing to go for it when a World Series window opens making it an appealing location for managerial prospects.

Jul 19, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona (77) looks on from the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels

Maybe the next manager for the Los Angeles Angels will have the opportunity of working with Shohei Ohtani. Maybe he won't. Either way, whomever accepts this job will have a long rebuild ahead of him without any promising prospects and being in the competitive AL West.

Phil Nevin was the manager of the Angels for one and a half seasons after taking over for Joe Maddon in the middle of 2022. The organization apparently wants to head in a different direction and Nevin isn't in that picture. 

Milwaukee Brewers - Team To Watch

Craig Counsell is currently the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, but those close to the situation believe he could depart for the Mets once his contract is up after the league year is over. If that's the case then the Brewers will be the mix for a new skipper.

The Brewers have consistently been a good team in a weaker NL Central division. This could become an attractive destination for any managerial candidate.