MLB Roundup 12/20: Athletics to promote Mark Kotsay to manager

Oakland Athletics reportedly set to promote Mark Kotsay

Two MLB Roundups in two days! It’s like pre-lockout times all over again. For a second straight day we have managerial news to talk about, with the Oakland Athletics filling the last remaining managerial opening in the majors. It feels like forever ago at this point, but early in the offseason the baseball world got some shocking news with Bob Melvin leaving the A’s to go manage the San Diego Padres. That left the Athletics needing to pivot, and according to reports they are deciding to stay internal and hiring Mark Kotsay to take over as their manager.

Kotsay was most recently Oakland’s third base coach, serving in that role for the first time this past season, but has been with the organization in a coaching capacity since the 2016 season when he was hired as the team’s bench coach. He’s also served as a quality control coach between the two other gigs as well. Kotsay has been seen as a future manager basically since he started coaching, and in fact interviewed for the Red Sox job a few years ago. He takes over an Athletics team that is routinely at least within shouting distance of a playoff spot, but also one that could be looking to trade away some of their best (and most expensive) players when the lockout comes to an end.

Why Red Sox fans should care: There are two relevant bits here for Red Sox fans. The first, concerning the present-day team, is that Will Venable did not get the job. Like Kotsay, Venable is viewed by many as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the game and did interview for this job. He’ll instead be back as Boston’s bench coach in 2022, but I suspect his chance at the big chair isn’t too far off. In addition to that, many will remember Kotsay’s playing days in Boston. He was with the Red Sox for pieces of the 2008 and 2009 seasons, ultimately playing in 49 games and hitting .241/.288/.335.