Girardi lands with Phillies as Mets take pass: sources
Say it ain’t Joe. In a double whammy for fans who had clamored for a proven winner at manager, Joe Girardi won’t only be absent from the home dugout at Citi Field next season, but he has joined an NL East foe to potentially torment the Mets.
The World Series-winning manager agreed to a three-year contract Thursday with the Phillies, with a club option for 2023, leaving the Mets with five known candidates in their search. Girardi had received a second interview from Mets officials in recent days, but ultimately wasn’t deemed the right fit by general manager Brodie Van Wagenen to succeed Mickey Callaway, according to sources.
Girardi had the best résumé of the six known candidates, but there were questions as the process began whether he would mesh with
Van Wagenen, who has preached “collaboration” as a key ingredient for the next manager. And clearly, there were concerns whether Girardi would bond with the front office.
“If Brodie doesn’t hire his own guy, then he’s not as smart as I think he is,” said a person connected to the Mets who has a relationship with Van Wagenen. “This is his one opportunity to get a person that he can go out to eat with, hang out with, be simpatico with, and if he messes that up, he’s not going to get another chance.”
Tim Bogar, Eduardo Perez, Carlos Beltran, Luis Rojas and Derek Shelton are the remaining known candidates for the job. Bogar, the Nationals first-base coach, was scheduled to interview with team officials for a second time on Thursday. The expectation was Beltran will receive a second interview on Friday. It’s also known that Perez, an ESPN analyst, already received a second interview with the club.
Of the remaining candidates, none has previous MLB managing experience other than Bogar’s 22-game stint in an interim capacity with the Rangers in 2014. Beltran has spent the past two seasons working as a Yankees special assistant after interviewing for the managerial vacancy when Aaron Boone was hired. Shelton is the Twins’ bench coach and Rojas spent last season as the Mets’ quality control coach.
Girardi was a finalist with Buck Showalter and Dusty Baker for the Phillies’ job, which opened after Gabe Kapler was dismissed. Girardi spent the past two seasons in broadcasting after his contract wasn’t renewed following the Yankees’ Game 7 loss to the Astros in the 2017 ALCS.
“[Philadelphia] got a great one,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters at the Stadium. “Joe was here for 10 years for a reason. To me, if you’re going into the marketplace and he’s available in the marketplace, you can find no better candidate.
“He’s been a winner his entire career so I would expect nothing but the same is going to continue in Philadelphia.”
Girardi’s first managing job came with the Marlins in 2006, when he won National League Manager of the Year but was fired after clashing with owner Jeffrey Loria. The Yankees hired Girardi before the 2008 season, and he was at the helm for the franchise’s last World Series title in ’09.
Dave Eiland, who was fired as Mets pitching coach in June, is among the possibilities to join Girardi in Philadelphia. Eiland was the Yankees’ pitching coach under Girardi during the team’s last championship season.
The Phillies joined the Angels (Joe Maddon), Cubs (David Ross) and Padres (Jayce Tingler) among teams that have filled their managerial vacancy. The Giants, Pirates and Royals still have openings in addition to the Mets.