*Photo from Royals Review*
Kansas City has a new leader in charge. The Kansas City Royals have hired Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro as their newest manager, according to an announcement on Sunday by the Royals.
Royals executive vice president and GM JJ Picollo said in a statement that "We are extremely excited to have Matt leading our club and core of talent. Matt has great experiences throughout his career that have prepared him for this. He thoroughly impressed us all during our interview process and is clearly respected across the industry. We are looking forward to working alongside Matt to bring winning baseball to our great fans."
The 48 year old Quatraro spent the last 5 seasons with manager Kevin Cash as his bench coach in Tampa Bay. Last offseason, he interviewed for managerial openings with the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics, and interviewed with the Detroit Tigers after the 2020 season ended.
Royals owner John Sherman said in a statement that "J.J. and his staff designed and executed a rigorous process that revealed Matt to be the best leader for our club. Matt is widely respected throughout baseball with a proven record and tangible contributions in two organizations that built winning cultures through creativity and innovation. We are thrilled to welcome Matt, his wife Chris and sons George and Leo to the Kansas City community."
The contract signed by Quatraro is a 3 year deal and has a club option for the 2026 season. He served as an assistant hitting coach for the then Cleveland Indians from 2014 to 2017, overlapping with Sherman's stint as a minority owner. Quatraro spent 4 years as the Rays minor league hitting coordinator, and helped lead the Rays to the playoffs 4 times as a bench coach.
Quatraro said through the Royals that "I’m grateful to Mr. Sherman and the ownership group, J.J. and the front office and everyone else with the Royals for this opportunity. I already knew the talent on the roster and how great the fans in Kansas City are, and the interview process convinced me that the terrific things I’d heard about the organization’s culture are true. I can’t wait to get started, and for my family to get to Kansas City and be part of that community."
The Royals fired previous manager Mike Matheny after a 97 loss season in 2022. Quatraro will also take over the search for a new pitching coach after Cal Eldred was also let go. He'll be tasked with giving the Royals their first winning season since 2015, when they won the World Series.
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