Last month Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he anticipated the entire Major League coaching staff returning under manager Dave Roberts for the 2022 season.
However, more recent indications suggest the Dodgers could potentially face some changes. At present time that appears directly related to the New York Mets conducting a search for their next manager.
Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren — who was previously considered by the Mets for their managerial vacancy in 2017 — reportedly interviewed for the current opening this week.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough joined the group of those who interviewed with the Mets:
The #Mets’s sixth and expected to be final first-round interview for their managing position is with #Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, The Post has learned.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 9, 2021
McCullough was promoted to first base coach for the 2021 season, filling a void that was created when George Lombard was hired by the Detroit Tigers as bench coach.
McCullough spent parts of four seasons in the Cleveland Indians farm system before retiring as a player in 2005. He was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007 to serve as manager of their Rookie-level affiliate in the Gulf Coast League.
McCullough earned promotions to Class-A Lansing (2008-09), High-A Dunedin (2010-11) and Low-A Vancouver (2012-13), going 629-559 as manager over parts of seven Minor League seasons. McCullough become an instructional coordinator before departing the Blue Jays organization in January 2015.
Shortly after, he accepted a position as Minor League field coordinator with the Dodgers. McCullough was instrumental in operations at the team’s alternate training site at USC.
The Giants reportedly interviewed him for their manager position that ultimately was filled by
Gabe Kapler. San Francisco then was said to be interested in hiring McCullough to become a member of Kapler’s staff, but he remained with the Dodgers.
Will Dodgers sign Roberts to extension?
While the MLB lockout halted free agency, trades and other business, coaches are not impacted. Thus, it is plausible the Dodgers and Roberts could use the time to work on a contract extension that Friedman suggested was likely.
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