Several MLB field managers are under pressure as their teams struggle, with rookie Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants facing a particularly tough start. Most managers, except for Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, are at risk of losing their jobs.
Rookie manager Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants, arguing here with Dave Rackley, got his team off to a tough start. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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An ancient baseball adage insist managers are hired to be fired.
With the possible exception of Dave Roberts, who has piloted the Los Angeles Dodgers to consecutive world championships, few of the 30 active managers have job security.
Nine are starting their first years with their current clubs and several are on one-year contracts, making it easier to cut the chords. When contracts expire or teams sputter – especially in major markets – rumors start.
In addition to the winds that swirl constantly in his home ballpark, San Francisco’s Tony Vitello has had to sail through some uncertain weather in his clubhouse. The Giants lost 10 of their first 16, giving them a .375 winning percentage tied for the worst in the majors.
Since it’s easier to fire one manager than 26 players, rookie pilot Vitello might not last the season. The only field boss plucked directly from the college ranks without a shred of big-league background, he has endured several clubhouse conflicts coupled with poor on-field performance.
Also on thin ice is Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who lost his 2025 coaching staff after his team went from baseball’s best in June to a playoffs observer in October. He also lost two Mets icons in Pete Alonso, the team’s career home run leader, and Edwin Diaz, a lights-out closer who also answered the lure of free agency dollars.
The Mets started the week with a five-game losing streak and last-place spot in the National League East. Their 7-9 record left them in last place, three-and-a-half games behind the front-running Atlanta Braves. To compound the felony, they’re just starting a three-game series against the formidable Dodgers in Los Angeles.
No manager seems safe in New York, though Aaron Boone has helmed the Yankees since 2018. Even with a five-game losing streak of their own, the erstwhile Bronx Bombers share first place with the Orioles and Rays, who also have 8-7 records. But poor hitting has sabotaged solid pitching and prevented the Yankees from pulling away from the pack.
The Yankees have more world championships (28) and pennants (40) than any other club but haven’t won anything since 2009. With a $335 million payroll that ranks third in the majors, the team-owning Steinbrenner family isn’t satisfied.
Alex Cora, whose Boston Red Sox share the AL East basement with the defending league champion Toronto Blue Jays, is also hearing footsteps – not to mention Fenway Park crowd chants of “Sell the Team.” The Sox were active dealers during the winter but failed to keep Alex Bregman, a gifted third baseman with a solid bat. His void has not been filled.
Most on the spot in the American League West is Houston’s Joe Espada, now in the last year of his three-year pact. At 6-10, the once-powerful Astros started the week at the bottom of the division after losing more games than any American League team other than the woeful Chicago White Sox.
In the same division, the Los Angeles Angels split their first 16 games but stayed within a half-game of first place, occupied by the Rangers and Athletics.
Kurt Suzuki, 42, spent 16 years as a major-league catcher but never managed or coached before. He’s only signed for a year – in case owner Arte Moreno or GM Perry Minasian decides he’s still not ready for prime time. He’s trying to do as a rookie what took Bill Rigney, Mike Scioscia, Brad Ausmus, and Joe Maddon many years of trying: instilling a winning spirit on a losing team.
Owners and general managers responsible for hiring field managers often make decisions by the one-third mark of the season, around Memorial Day.
Honorable Mention: Derek Shelton, Twins; Blake Butera, Nationals; Will Venable, White Sox; Skip Schumaker, Rangers; and Dan Wilson, Mariners.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Several MLB managers, including rookie Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants, are feeling the heat due to their teams' poor performances.
Tony Vitello's job security is in question because the San Francisco Giants have had a tough start to the season.
Dave Roberts is distinguished from other MLB managers due to his success in leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to consecutive world championships, which has provided him with greater job security.
With the possible exception of Dave Roberts, very few of the 30 active MLB managers are considered to have job security.
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