Stories surfaced final week that the Rangers had given permission for Donnie Ecker to interview with the White Sox about their managerial opening, however Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning Information (X hyperlink) wrote that Ecker is not into consideration for the job. Ecker will as a substitute return for what’s going to presumably be his fourth season because the Rangers’ bench coach and offensive coordinator.
Ecker’s departure from the search might merely be attributable to a private choice to stay in Texas, slightly than essentially an indication that the White Sox are getting any nearer to hiring their new skipper. SoxMachine’s James Fegan described the managerial search final week as nonetheless being in need of any official listing of finalists, regardless that the crew had already eradicated some candidates whereas nonetheless aiming to talk to another names working for groups nonetheless alive within the playoffs. Dodgers coaches Clayton McCullough and Danny Lehmann are two names linked to the Sox that may match this description, although a variety of names are rumored to be on Chicago’s listing. A lot of the rumored candidates (like Ecker) can be first-time managers on the massive league stage, although Skip Schumaker and Phil Nevin each have previous expertise working MLB golf equipment.
Extra from each the AL and NL Central…
- A pair of IL stints attributable to proper knee irritation restricted to Lance Lynn to simply two begins during the last two months of the season, however Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Submit-Dispatch writes that Lynn is feeling higher “and expects to have a traditional offseason of preparation.” That is excellent news for Lynn as he heads into his 14th Main League season, and regardless of the knee points, Lynn nonetheless had a strong 3.84 ERA over 117 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. Because the Playing cards are planning to chop payroll in a rebuild 12 months, it isn’t a assure that Lynn’s $12MM membership possibility ($1MM buyout) can be exercised, although St. Louis might be extra more likely to choose up the choice after which store Lynn on the commerce market this winter.
- In different Cardinals information, Goold stories that longtime entrance workplace staffer Matt Slater is leaving the group. Slater has been with the crew since 2007 working as a scout, director of participant personnel, and (for the final seven seasons) as a particular assistant to the GM in a participant procurement capability. These roles meant that Slater was instantly concerned within the acquisition of a number of notable Playing cards gamers, and Goold notes that Slater was significantly influential within the crew’s worldwide scouting practices. This resume drew Slater some consideration from the Tigers and Phillies in previous GM searches, and he most likely shouldn’t have a lot bother touchdown a brand new gig with one other crew.
- The Pirates have employed Kevin Tenenbaum to steer their analytics division because the membership’s new VP of analysis and improvement, in accordance with reporter John Dreker (X hyperlink). The 32-year-old Tenenbaum has spent the final seven seasons in Cleveland’s R&D division, working because the director in 2022 after which VP of the Guardians’ analytics crew this previous season. This expertise with one other lower-spending crew is definitely of curiosity to the Pirates, particularly given the Guards have been much more persistently aggressive than the Bucs have lately regardless of working with usually comparative payroll.
