2 Best MLB Manager Candidates Still On The Market

MLB teams can’t announce any player signings or trades during the lockout, but they can negotiate with manager candidates.

In fact, a couple of teams found their next skipper during the lockout, including the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets.

The A’s brought Mark Kotsay on Monday, while the Mets finalized the hiring of Buck Showalter over the weekend.

There are still several managers out there looking for a job.

There is one problem, though: there aren’t any openings at the moment after the A’s and Mets found their new skippers.

The St. Louis Cardinals replaced Mike Shildt with Oliver Marmol.

The New York Yankees opted to renew Aaron Boone, and the San Diego Padres lured Bob Melvin out of Oakland.

Additionally, the Boston Red Sox extended Alex Cora, and the Houston Astros did the same with Dusty Baker.

Scott Servais and Torey Lovullo also got their deals with the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively, extended.

In any case, should a team decide to switch managers at some point in the season, here are the best two options.

2. Matt Quatraro

Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro was one of the finalists for the Mets’ managerial position.

He didn’t get the job, but left a really good impression.

Hear Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro made a great impression with Mets higherups. Astros bench coach Joe Espada interviews tonight and Buck Showalter tomorrow. Showalter seems like safe choice due to successful MLB track record but hear it’s more “divided” than fans/media expect.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 16, 2021

He has been working with the Rays for years, so he’s obviously part of the new wave of analytics-driven managerial candidates.

The Rays have been one of the best teams in baseball for a few years now, and Quatraro is a big part of that success.

He was drafted by the then-Devil Rays in 1996, and after a brief minor league playing career, started coaching in 2004.

Besides a stint as an assistant hitting coach with the Cleveland Indians from 2014 to 2017, Quatraro has been with the Rays for most of his career.

He is a hitting specialist, as his resume suggests, but his Rays background makes him a very good option for a team looking to hit the reset button and start fresh.

1. Carlos Beltran

In late 2019, the New York Mets had secured the services of one of the best up-and-coming young managers in the game in Carlos Beltran.

However, a few weeks later, the 2017 sign-stealing scandal came to prominence, and Beltran was a key part of the scheme back when he was a player with the Astros.

The public repercussions of his participation forced the Mets’ hand and they fired him to replace him with Luis Rojas.

Time has passed, and nearly all of the people implicated in the scheme are back in baseball.

Manager AJ Hinch is leading the Detroit Tigers, and Cora is doing the same with the Red Sox.

MLB is slowly leaving the scandal behind, so it’s only fair for Beltran to get his chance eventually.

Here is a possibly controversial/hot take for ya:

Carlos Beltran should have a MLB job. Manager, hitting coach, bench coach. Don't matter.#MLBLockOut2021

— Rob Duran 🇩🇴 (@RobDuranSports) December 3, 2021

People who has been around him say he has a great baseball mind.

Evaluating only baseball-related situations, it’s evident he is more than qualified to be an MLB manager.

Again, at the moment, all positions appear to be full, but if Beltran wants to manage in the future, he will eventually get his chance.