Royals pick Matheny to be their manager
Mike Matheny, who had a 591474 record with the Cardinals before being fired during the 2018 season, was hired as manager of the Royals on Thursday.
Matheny, 49, will succeed the retired Ned Yost after serving as a special adviser with Kansas City this year.
“He has interacted with leadership of all levels,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “As Mike interacted with all those people, to a man, they were amazed by his leadership.”
The Royals are coming off a 103loss season and are in the midst of a massive retooling effort following backtoback World Series appearances in 201415.
“I truly see something very, very special about to happen here,” Matheny said, “and I want to be a part of it.”
The Phillies hired former Reds manager Bryan Price as their pitching coach. The Cal alum served as the pitching coach with the Mariners (200006), Diamondbacks (200709) and Reds (201013) before posting a 279387 record as Cincinnati’s manager (20142018).
Dave Bush, who pitched nine seasons in the majors and had been Boston’s pitching coordinator, was hired as its pitching coach.
Free agency beckons: Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon and Houston pitcher Gerrit Cole headline a group of 131 players who became free agents as their contracts expired Wednesday night after the World Series ended.
Among other pitchers who became free agents are lefthanders HyunJin Ryu (Dodgers), Dallas Keuchel (Braves) and Cole Hamels (Cubs) and righthanders Zack Wheeler (Mets), Rick Porcello (Red Sox) and Jake Odorizzi (Twins).
The group of position players who became free agents includes shortstop Didi Gregorius (Yankees), third baseman Josh Donaldson (Braves), outfielders Yasiel Puig (Indians) and Marcell Ozuna (Cardinals), and first baseman Jose Abreu (White Sox).
Contract news: The Indians exercised righthander Corey Kluber’s $17.5 million contract option for next season. The Reds also exercised their $5.5 million option on infielder Freddy Galvis.
Among the players whose options were not exercised were Yankees first baseman Edwin Encarnacion ($25 million), Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis ($16.5 million), Miami second baseman Starlin Castro ($16 million), Arizona infielder Wilmer Flores ($6 million) and Seattle lefthander Wade LeBlanc ($5 million).
Roster moves: The Padres traded outfielder Travis Jankowski to the Reds for international bonus money . ... The White Sox traded catcher Welington Castillo to the Rangers for minorleague infielder/ outfielder Jonah McReynolds.