Who might replace Mike Matheny as Royals manager? What experts and fans are saying
Many Royals fans got what they wanted Wednesday, hours after the team finished the season in last place in the American League Central.
Royals General Manager J.J. Picollo announced that manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred won’t be back for the 2023 season, setting off a mix of joy and relief among the team’s fanbase.
Many had wanted to see the moves happen and Picollo didn’t waste any time.
Now with the changes having been made, who might be in the dugout in the 2023 season? Here is what fans are saying and names that have been brought up by a couple of national baseball writers.
A week ago, the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal mentioned a pair of potential candidates: Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol and Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro.
Former Star reporter Andy McCullough, who is also with the Athletic, mentioned Quatraro, among his eight candidates to replace Matheny.
Others include Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Phillies third base-coach Dusty Wathan (the son of John Wathan, who has spent much of his life with the Royals), Red Sox bench coach Will Venable and Astros bench coach Joe Espada.
Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough is a being considered for the Royals’ opening.
Here is a closer look at candidates that fans have mentioned they want to see.
Pedro Grifol
The Royals bench coach since the 2020 season, Grifol has been with the franchise since 2013.
I want Pedro Grifol as the next manager of the #Royals. If he doesn't get the job, I'm going to need some very clear justification regarding the decision.
— Jimmy Hart (@TheJimmyHart) October 6, 2022
Grifol
— Kelley Stumph (@StumphKelley) October 6, 2022
Pedro Grifol or Carlos Beltran would actually be really fire https://t.co/wxFXIOY41N
— CEO of Montegridy Farms, Inc (@RoyalsMLBChamps) October 6, 2022
Matt Quatraro
As Rosenthal mentioned in his story, Quatraro was Cleveland’s hitting coach from 2014 to 2016 when Royals chairman/CEO John Sherman was that team’s minority owner.
Matt Quatraro. 2 organizations have been Guardians and Rays. Won at both. Great player development. Easy choice.
— Richard Leach (@blkorangefb) October 6, 2022
Royals Top-10 Managerial Candidates
In no particular order
1) Matt Quatraro
2) Miguel Cairo
3) Joe Espada
4) Ron Washington
5) Eric Young Sr.
6) Pat Murphy
7) Jeff Banister
8) Dino Ebel
9) Kai Correa
10) Bruce Bochy— Jeremiah Edwards (@Jedwards_radio) October 6, 2022
Joe Espada
The Astros bench coach has interviewed with five teams in the past to be manager and is seen as a candidate for the Marlins opening, as NJ.com noted.
Instead, if I’m the Royals, I would go after people like Skip Schumaker, Matt Quatraro, or Joe Espada to be the new guy in charge. Maybe even take a chance on someone like Mike Napoli. But if it’s me, Espada and Quatraro are 1A and 1B
— Harry Harman (@hbharman) October 6, 2022
Alex Zumwalt
After firing Terry Bradshaw as hitting coach earlier this season, the Royals moved Zumwalt to the dugout. He is the team’s senior director of player development and hitting performance.
Zumwalt would be great. What about pitching? https://t.co/x49imBhzNu
— Cristian Martinez (@martinezc2424) October 6, 2022
Zumwalt promoted. Beltran for an outsider. #Royals https://t.co/bkd8SeFxx6
— Brett Rasdall (@BrettRasdall) October 6, 2022
Zumwalt/Saylor 2023 pic.twitter.com/KxdzgPEHHW
— Royals Farm Report (@RoyalsFarm) October 6, 2022
Raúl Ibañez
Ibañez, a former Royals player, is MLB’s Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations. He said in 2019 he wasn’t interested in interviewing for a manager’s job but times change.
Beltran or Ibañez. #Royals https://t.co/LOpViUidxL
— Jack Johnson (@JohnyJ_15) October 6, 2022
When the #Royals make a managerial change today or tomorrow, two guys on my wish list are Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez!
— Chiefs Insider (@ChiefsInsider) October 5, 2022
Carlos Beltrán
The former Royals star was hired by the Mets as manager in 2020 before being fired for his role in the Astros cheating scandal.
https://t.co/rVdx4IA2qa pic.twitter.com/naUEIC9xj8
— Mark the Overseer (@MarkTheOverseer) October 6, 2022
Carlos Beltran... he was denied of his first chance by the mets, now he deserves his chance to be a manager, and even more with his former team.....
— Domingo Rama (@kcguns) October 6, 2022
Beltrán, and it's not even close.
— Rob Sternberg (@robsternberg) October 6, 2022
Joe Maddon
Maddon, 68, was mentioned often on social media by Royals fans as a top choice. He won a World Series title with the Cubs in 2016, and won an AL pennant with the Rays. He was fired by the Angels in June.
Maddon.
— Smitty (@Steve_Real) October 6, 2022
Can we hire Joe Maddon @Royals
— Fish (@DaFisher9) October 6, 2022
If they aren’t looking at Joe Maddon then what are they doing? #TogetherRoyal https://t.co/2BhRb4VXSW
— Nick Whyman (@NickWhyman) October 6, 2022
Brian Bannister
The former Royals pitcher is the Giants’ director of pitching, and fans would like to see him as manager or pitching coach in place of Eldred.
Raul Ibanez, Alec Zumwalt and Brian Bannister need to be first three calls
— Sam King (@Kingsam145) October 6, 2022
If I had a say in it, I’d want Brian Bannister as Royals Manager… or GM.
— Eric Clarkson (@Eric_Clarkson) October 6, 2022
How about Brian Bannister? https://t.co/UvTjNfF9o7
— jason costigan (@Jasoncostigan) October 6, 2022
Other names Royals fans mentioned: Kai Corrrea, Mike Schildt, Jayce Tingler and Ron Washington.