Highlights
• The Minnesota Twins are hiring Derek Shelton, shrinking the carousel to four openings.
• The Atlanta Braves appear to be moving toward a fresh voice.
• The San Diego Padres’ finalists include Albert Pujols, Nick Hundley, and Ruben Niebla.
• The Washington Nationals moved on from Miguel Cairo and have interest in Rocco Baldelli and Danny Lehmann.
• The Colorado Rockies’ choice likely follows their general manager hire, with interim Warren Schaeffer still in play.
The Minnesota Twins made their decision. They hired former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Derek Shelton as their new manager. That tightens a manager’s market that began the offseason with eight open spots. Now, four jobs remain, but they are not created equal.
Two are plug-and-play jobs that can win right now. Two are jobs that are equal parts player development and game management.
Here’s where the MLB managers carousel stands.
Atlanta Braves
After Brian Snitker stepped away, the early speculation leaned toward familiar names and internal succession. That’s cooled. Recent reporting indicates Atlanta is pivoting toward an outside voice rather than promoting from within—seeking a communicator with modern game-planning chops, bullpen feel, and credibility with a veteran core . Smart fits: Danny Lehmann, Ryan Flaherty, George Lombard, Chris Woodward, or Bob Melvin.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres appear to be in the finalist stage with Albert Pujols, pitching coach Ruben Niebla, and former catcher Nick Hundley, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. Pujols brings field experience and a Hall of Fame resume, which gives him instant gravitas with stars. Hundley, the Chicago Cubs bench coach, has a front-row seat to modern game plans. Niebla, the Padres’ pitching coach, is the teacher who can stabilize a pitching staff and knit development to the big-league game.
The hire could come quickly once the World Series wraps.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals moved on from interim Miguel Cairo this week, according to the Washington Post, and have shown interest in former Manager of the Year Rocco Baldelli and Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann.
Washington needs someone who can build a dugout and a clubhouse. He has to assemble a staff, teach, and translate analytics for a young roster. Baldelli has done that at the big-league level. Lehmann has worked at Dave Roberts’s elbow through deep Octobers.
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies’ job is going to be the biggest challenge in this cycle. With a general manager search underway and Warren Schaeffer serving as interim after Bud Black’s dismissal, the managerial decision probably follows the front-office hire. That tends to favor a candidate who matches the incoming GM’s vision. This is a rebuild from the bottom up, and Colorado needs a fundamentals-first developer who can standardize defense, strike-zone control, and pitching usage in a harsh environment.
Timeline
General managers meet in Las Vegas in less than two weeks. Normally, these decisions are well underway by then. The Rockies still need a GM, so that seat may lag. Expect the remaining hires to land before the Winter Meetings unless a front-office domino slows the Rockies’ process.