*Photo from Sportsnaut*
There's a new bench boss in Ohio. The Cleveland Guardians have hired former catcher Stephen Vogt as their next manager, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Guardians have confirmed.
Vogt was a big league player as recently as 2022, when he played in his 10th season while suiting up for the Oakland Athletics. He retired after the year and spent 2023 as the bullpen and quality control coach of the Seattle Mariners.
The 39 year old Vogt reportedly received a 3 year contract with the Guardians, as he comes in to replace former manager Terry Francona, who was the Guardians manager for the previous 11 years, leading them to a World Series appearance in 2016.
Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said that "We're thrilled to welcome Stephen and his family to Northeast Ohio and to name him the next manager of the Cleveland Guardians. Stephen earned a reputation as one of the best teammates in the game across his 16-year career as a player, and we've greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him over the past several weeks."
Vogt has been praised for his high baseball IQ as a big league catcher and was a clubhouse leader with every team he played for. The hiring of a first time manager like Vogt is a big change from a seasoned veteran in Francona, but it's one that the Guardians felt was necessary.
Antonetti said of Vogt that "Stephen has thought critically about the type of leader and manager he wants to be. His deep care for others, his ability to build meaningful relationships with those around him, and his open-mindedness and curiosity make him an ideal fit to lead our club moving forward. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Stephen."
Vogt will have big shoes to fill as he steps into the position Francona vacated. Francona had 921 wins in Cleveland, the most in franchise history. He was also the longest tenured manager in franchise history.
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