Five Candidates to Replace Mike Matheny as Royals Manager

If there's one thing the Royals will have plenty of this offseason, it's options.

The Mike Matheny era in Kansas City is over, as the club announced on Wednesday night that the 52-year-old (along with pitching coach Cal Eldred) won't be returning for the 2023 season.

While the firings of Eldred and Matheny come as no surprise, those moves appear to be precursors to multiple other shuffles within the Kansas City Royals organization. Additional change is imminent, and executive vice president/general manager J.J. Picollo will have his work cut out for him on several fronts over the next several days, weeks and months.

Given the profile of the position, it only makes sense to start at the manager spot. Who are some of the best candidates to replace Matheny, and are these managerial prospects likely or unlikely to be pursued by Kansas City? Let's take a look at five of those potential Matheny replacements, starting with a couple of internal options and then branching out to external possibilities.   

1. Pedro Grifol

Likely the fan favorite and a man who may be the leader in the clubhouse as far as internal candidates are concerned (both literally and figuratively), Pedro Grifol has been in and around the Royals organization since 2013. With recent experience as a bench coach and a past in player development, as well as a strong rapport with the current Kansas City roster, it makes sense to reason that he could have a shot at replacing Matheny. Grifol seemingly deserves a shot to lead a team, but whether that happens with the Royals remains to be seen. If Picollo wants to entertain the idea of an in-house candidate, Grifol should be at the top of his list. 

2. Alec Zumwalt

Speaking of internal candidates, Alec Zumwalt has experienced quite the rise in Kansas City. Back in May when the team fired (then) hitting coach Terry Bradshaw, Zumwalt was promoted to join the big-league staff and oversee hitting efforts with the MLB team. The 41-year-old not only brings youth to the table, but he also has a great amount of respect in Kansas City and has helped contribute to tangible results being put up on the stat sheet in year (summer?) No. 1 in his current post. Zumwalt has the backing of just about everyone for just about any job and for that reason — as well as multiple others — the buzz surrounding him being Matheny's replacement isn't going to die down until proven otherwise. He's had a tremendous impact on Kansas City's young hitters and should continue to do so moving forward regardless of his role.

3. Ron Washington

Ron Washington may be slated to turn 71 years old next April, but he's ironically an ideal fit for a clubhouse filled with youth. Additionally, the current Atlanta Braves third base coach has a calling card that could be a massive benefit to the Royals: infield defense. With Bobby Witt Jr.'s rookie struggles at shortstop and his less-than-stellar play at third base, having someone like Washington in his ear and in the clubhouse with him on a daily basis could be just what the doctor ordered. The upside of one of the best defensive infields in all of baseball with a rejuvenated Washington leading the way from the dugout could be an enticing proposition. He brings a youthful energy but a ton of experience to the table, and he deserves a bit more love in conversations like this. 

4. Matt Quatraro

One of the more popular names being dropped over the past couple of weeks (before Matheny was fired) and in the immediate aftermath of the Matheny firing is Matt Quatraro. The 48-year-old bench coach not only currently serves on one of the most highly regarded staffs in all of baseball in Tampa Bay, but he also has a connection to Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman from their time together with the Cleveland Guardians. His combination of experience at different levels, a running track record of proficiency and also some interviews for managerial positions a year ago leads to him being a natural fit in discussions about Kansas City's next manager. This could be the year that Quatraro makes "the leap," and the Royals should at least consider speaking with him. 

5. Carlos Beltran

This is perhaps the most controversial inclusion in the list, as Carlos Beltran is simultaneously one of the more iconic players in Royals history while also having a dark cloud cast above his aura as a potential manager in recent years. At least partially to the Houston Astros' issues with their cheating scandal, Beltran has remained without a managerial job. With that said, it makes sense to reason that his time is coming soon. The Royals could benefit from having a Beltran-Grifol duo in the dugout and clubhouse, but it would certainly be a viewed as either a risky move, a power move, or both. The high-end outcome would be tremendous. 

Honorable Mention: Clayton McCullough, Raul Ibañez, Vance Wilson, Tony Peña Jr., Joe Espada and many others.

All of these names, as well as many others, have been floated around by either a national reporter, local reporter or content creator of some sort. McCullough of the Dodgers is the trending topic on Thursday, as both The Athletic and Jon Morosi of MLB Network have linked his name to Kansas City's managerial opening. Elsewhere, each of the aforementioned candidates brings one thing or another to the table. For a lengthy list with plenty of reasoning behind it, David Lesky's Inside the Crown newsletter has quite the compilation of names.

Read More: In Firing Mike Matheny, Royals Continue to Commit to Change