Sports
The 10 MLB managers likely to face the most scrutiny this offseason
Three down, how many more to go?
Over the past seven weeks, the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds have all fired their managers. If history is any indication, the turnover is only beginning.
A fourth job will open when Skip Schumaker exercises his “get out of jail free” card with the Miami Marlins. Other changes are almost certain, whether due to retirements, postseason flameouts or internal conflicts.
Sometimes, these things come out of nowhere. The Chicago Cubs’ hiring of Craig Counsell to replace David Ross at the end of last season was one such move. The St. Louis Cardinals’ firing of Mike Shildt after a 17-game winning streak propelled the team to a wild-card berth in 2021 was another.
Other times, the moves are more predictable. The White Sox’s dismissal of Pedro Grifol in early August was all but inevitable. Even the Reds’ dumping of David Bell earlier this week did not exactly qualify as a surprise.
Stuff will happen. Stuff always happens. Here’s a look at 10 managers under scrutiny:
It’s difficult to imagine the Dodgers blaming Roberts for the organization’s inability to keep pitchers healthy, especially when upper management passed on chances to scapegoat him for their Division Series losses in 2019, ‘22 and ‘23.
Since becoming manager in 2015, Roberts has led the Dodgers to eight NL West titles in nine years and a 106-win season the year they finished second. The team entering Wednesday had won 51 more regular-season games than its nearest competitor, as well as the 2020 World Series.
Blowing a four-game lead to the Padres with eight to play would have placed Roberts in jeopardy, but the Dodgers can clinch the NL West with a win on Thursday. A third straight upset defeat in the DS, however, is still possible. And such an outcome might compel president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to make a change.
Roberts, 52, is under contract through next season, which raises another question: If the Dodgers keep him, would they sign him to another extension or allow him to start 2025 as a lame duck? Based on his accomplishments, Roberts could rightly ask for more than the $8 million average annual salary the Cubs gave Counsell.
Boone’s fate, like Roberts’, might hinge on what happens in the postseason. The noise in New York certainly will grow louder if the Yankees make a quick exit in the DS or even if they advance to the American League Championship Series and perform the way they did in 2022, when they were swept by the Houston Astros.
The Yankees have made the playoffs in all but one of Boone’s seven seasons, and are tied with the Atlanta Braves for the third-most victories in the majors during that time. The current team, though, can be hard to watch. The Yankees are the worst base running team in the majors, according to FanGraphs. Their lapses on the bases and in the field are at some level a reflection on their manager.
Still, the Yankees’ overall collection of talent might be their best since 2009, when they last won the World Series. Boone, 51, will need to be quick-witted in the postseason, deploying pinch hitters and pinch runners, and managing a bullpen without a true closer (though Luke Weaver certainly has looked the part). The Yankees hold an option on Boone for 2025.
Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves
The Braves are not about to force out Snitker after he kept the team in contention during a season marred by one injury after another. The better question might be whether Snitker — at age 68, after nine seasons as manager and nearly 50 years in the Atlanta organization — still wants to manage.
Under contract through 2025, Snitker might be reluctant to go out on a sour note. He also might be reluctant, after decades of minor-league pay, to sacrifice a salary believed to be in the $1.5 million to $2 million range. But the job is so taxing, health is a concern for every manager. And Snitker talks occasionally about the difficulty of enduring the strain at his age.
An easy solution, if Snitker wants to move on, would be for the Braves to make him a high-paid advisor and keep him part of the organization. If anyone deserves a golden parachute, after six straight division titles and a World Series triumph in 2021, it’s “Snit.”
Baldelli is not solely responsible for the team’s collapse. The Twins seem unlikely to hold him responsible. But the team’s cohesion has eroded since it was swept in Kansas City in early September, amid a 12-23 freefall. And Baldelli, if he survives, might need to adjust his loose, laid-back style, which seemingly has backfired with his young team.
Injuries are part of the problem for a club that has used three rookie starters down the stretch and played without three top position players — Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis — for chunks of the season. But Correa, in comments after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Marlins at Target Field, indicated certain players were not showing enough urgency, saying of the Twins’ predicament, “Some guys take it as poison and some guys take it as fuel.”
Baldelli, 43, has appeared more frustrated in the past six weeks than at any point during his six years as manager. His team’s lack of edge, though, would appear partly his own doing. Without the presence of an everyday force such as the Cleveland Guardians’ José Ramírez or the Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., the Twins might need a greater push from its manager in 2025.
Skip Schumaker, Miami Marlins
This one is a fait accompli. After the season ends on Sunday, Schumaker will take advantage of the freedom he gained last offseason when the Marlins agreed to void his 2025 option. At that point, the team will be left to replace a manager who, as a free agent, is expected to be coveted by multiple clubs.
Assistant general manager Gabe Kapler, who managed the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and ‘19 and the San Francisco Giants from 2020 to ‘23, would figure to be one candidate. But another possibility is that Kapler will remain in the front office and play a significant role in choosing Schumaker’s successor.
Among the potential candidates: Cleveland Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz, who was a member of Kapler’s staff in San Francisco; Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, whom Kapler hired as Los Angeles’ minor-league field coordinator during his tenure as farm director; and Royals bench coach Paul Hoover, who was a coach with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2019 to ‘22 while Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix was in the Rays’ front office.
Derek Shelton is still looking for his first winning season after five years with the Pirates. (Jeff Curry / Imagn Images)
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington seemed to settle the issue on Sept. 11, saying he fully expects Shelton to return, calling him the “right person to manage this team in 2025.” The only question, particularly in the wake of Bell’s dismissal, is whether owner Bob Nutting is content with the status quo.
Before the season began, Nutting said he expected the team to take a “meaningful step forward,” telling The Athletic, “We collectively believe we can compete for a division and a postseason berth.” A 7-20 collapse starting July 31 ensured neither would occur.
The Pirates are headed for their sixth straight losing season. They need two wins to match last year’s total, and it will hardly be a sign of progress if they somehow surpass that number, considering this is the year they added Paul Skenes.
Cherington is completing his fifth season. Shelton, 54, appears safe unless Nutting decides to completely overhaul the operation.
Last winter, coming off 89 wins in Schneider’s first full season, the Jays chased Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto. They ended up with Justin Turner, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kevin Kiermaier, all of whom they traded, and a club that will finish with the fourth- or fifth-worst record in the American League.
General manager Ross Atkins is not above pointing the finger at Schneider, as he did after the controversial removal of José Berríos in Game 2 of the 2023 Wild Card series. But the Jays keep indicating that they view their crash-and-burn as an aberration, and that they intend to roll out Vlad, Bo and Co. once more in 2025.
If Atkins fires Schneider, 44, it will only increase the attention on his own shortcomings. The Jays entered Wednesday with only 12 homers — 12! — from the cleanup spot. That’s not on the manager.
Grady Sizemore, Chicago White Sox
Let’s follow the Sizemore timeline.
Last season, he was a $15-an-hour intern with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This season, the White Sox gave him his first major-league coaching job. On Aug. 8, general manager Chris Getz named him interim manager in place of Pedro Grifol, saying the team would focus on candidates outside their organization for the permanent position. And on Tuesday, Getz reversed himself, saying Sizemore, 42, would be considered for the job.
Now that’s an ascent!
The White Sox still seem likely to make an outside hire, assuming someone wants to take over their record-tying (as of now) 120-loss juggernaut (there are only 30 of these jobs; someone will). Best of luck to that poor soul.
Bud Black is wrapping up his eighth season in Denver as the Rockies manager. (Ron Chenoy / USA Today Sports)
Black, 67, has presided over six straight losing seasons, and the Rockies need to finish 3-1 to avoid their second straight 100-loss campaign. A rebuilding club might benefit from a fresh voice, but virtually everyone likes Black and Rockies owner Dick Monfort operates in an insular bubble, preferring stability over change.
A decision on Black is forthcoming; he is unsigned beyond this season. He had preliminary talks with Monfort about a contract extension during spring training, according to the Denver Post. But no deal was reached, and general manager Bill Schmidt has postponed any talk about Black’s future until the end of the season.
Marmol, 38, appears safe in part because president of baseball operations John Mozeliak plans to return for one more season. Mozeliak is not going to hire a new manager one year before owner Bill DeWitt Jr. installs a new front office. The next head of baseball operations should get to make that choice.
The Cardinals narrowly will avoid losing records in back-to-back full seasons for the first time since 1958-59. Their issues, however, run far deeper than Marmol, who led the team to 93 wins in 2022, his first season. His contract runs through 2026. He will get at least one more shot.
(Top photo of Aaron Boone: Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
Sports
Utah’s winningest coach to step down after 21 seasons: ‘Honor and a privilege’
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The Utah Utes will be ending an era when they play against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 31.
It will be head coach Kyle Whittingham’s last game as head coach after the 66-year-old announced Friday he is stepping down. Whittingham is the winningest coach in program history, going 117-88 over 22 seasons.
“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a statement Friday.
Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham on the sideline during the first half against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, Nov. 15, 2025. (Chris Jones/Imagn Images)
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years, and I’m very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here.”
Whittingham co-coached the Fiesta Bowl with Utah in 2004 and then took over as the permanent head coach the following season. Whittingham led Utah to a winning record in 18 of his 21 seasons.
This season, Utah is 10-2 and at one point ranked No. 13 in the AP poll, just missing out on the College Football Playoff (CFB).
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Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan., Nov. 28, 2025. (Jay Biggerstaff/Imagn Images)
Whittingham was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1981 in his senior year.
Before becoming a coach, Whittingham played in the USFL and the CFL from 1982 to 1984. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at BYU.
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Whittingham joined the Utah staff in 1994 and rose through the ranks. He began as the defensive line coach and eventually became the defensive coordinator before becoming the team’s head coach.
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His final game on the sideline will be the team’s bowl game against Nebraska. Whittingham, who is 11-6 in bowl games as a head coach, will look to end his tenure with a win on Dec. 31.
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Sports
Lakers look to sharpen defensive focus for Suns; could Jarred Vanderbilt be the answer?
The film tells the truth. The Lakers are not a good defensive team, evidenced by the sight of the NBA’s top guards blowing past Lakers defenders into the paint during a 10-game defensive swoon that ranks among the league’s worst.
Yet when coach JJ Redick shows his team the tape and then backs it up with the numbers, there’s still cautious optimism that the Lakers can improve.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room that thinks we’re a good defensive team right now,” Redick said, “but I also don’t think there’s anybody in that meeting room who thinks we can’t be a good defensive team. We’ve got to get better.”
In the 10 games since LeBron James returned to the lineup, the Lakers have scored 121.1 points per 100 possessions, a significant increase in their offensive rating of 115.4 during the first 14 games of the season. While their offensive rating ranks fifth in the league during the last 10 games, their 120.9 defensive rating ranks 28th. It’s a dramatic increase from their previous 113.7-point defensive rating.
The most glaring issues are the team’s defense in transition and early in the opponent’s offense, Redick said. The Lakers give up 1.19 points per possession in transition, fifth-worst in the league.
Sunday’s game in Phoenix against the Suns, who scored 28 fast-break points against the Lakers on Dec. 1, will be a significant test as the Lakers (17-7) try to avoid their first losing streak this season.
Led by Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and the 40-year-old James, the Lakers are not destined to be a fast team on either side of the court. They were outmatched against San Antonio’s dynamic backcourt led by the speedy De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, who combined for 50 points Wednesday as the Spurs scored 27 fast-break points and knocked the Lakers out of NBA Cup contention.
Losses like that exposed the Lakers’ lack of speed on the perimeter, but the team also has shown flashes of excellence against the best guards. The Lakers held 76ers star Tyrese Maxey to five points on two-for-six shooting in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ four-point win at Philadelphia on Dec. 7.
“It’s less of scheme stuff. A little more of urgency,” guard Gabe Vincent said. “A little more of doing all the little things. If you don’t do them, like I said, there are some great players in this league that will expose you.”
One of the team’s top defensive options is on the bench. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt has played only three minutes in the last 10 games. He entered the game against Philadelphia only after Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.
Vanderbilt, an athletic forward, has been a consistent force on defense during his career but struggles to contribute on offense. While he impressed coaches with how hard he worked in the offseason to improve his shooting and ballhandling, Vanderbilt made only four of 14 three-point shots in the first 14 games. He averaged 5.8 rebounds per game before James returned to the lineup Nov. 18, pushing Vanderbilt to the bench.
Before the Lakers’ last game against the Suns, Redick said part of it was a numbers game with James’ return and felt the team would settle on a nine-man rotation. Vanderbilt had tasks he “needed to be able to do consistently to play” even before James returned, Redick said.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, scoring against Lakers guard Luka Doncic, and teammates continually drove past their defenders during an NBA Cup game Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But making changes at that time was difficult, the coach acknowledged. The Lakers were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. But they’re 2-3 in the last five games, which have laid their defensive struggles bare, and coaches are “looking at everything.”
“If this continues,” Redick said Friday, “he’ll definitely get his opportunities.”
After practice Friday, Vanderbilt stayed on the court shooting extra three-pointers with staff members.
Etc.
The Lakers assigned guard Bronny James to the G League on Friday.
Sports
Philip Rivers’ former teammate expresses one concern he has with 44-year-old’s return to Colts
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There is a good chance Philip Rivers sees some action on Sunday when the Indianapolis Colts take on the Seattle Seahawks in a must-win game for the AFC South team.
Rivers, 44, joined the Colts earlier this week as the team deals with a quarterback crisis. The potential Hall of Famer hasn’t played since the 2020 season, but when the Colts needed him the most, he answered the call and dove into a playbook to get game ready.
But what can any NFL fan think Rivers is going to provide for the Colts at 44? He’s changed so much since the 2020 season, as his opponents on the field. The Seahawks also have one of the best defenses in the league.
Shawne Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers walks on the sideline in the game against the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 15, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Shawne Merriman, Rivers’ former teammate, told Fox News Digital that he expected him to play well but was concerned about one thing.
“It’s a tough week for him to get back. But I’ll tell you this, Phil’s upside was never his athleticism. It was always his competitiveness,” he said. “He’s the most competitive player I’ve ever played with, that’s one. And two, it was his preparation and his mental and his knowledge of the game of football. Those two things would always got Philip to be that elite quarterback. It was that. So, it’s not gonna be that much different as far as him moving around the pocket.
“The concern I do have is you can’t replicate football without playing it. So, you can have a coach out there, I’m sure he was throwing the football around with his high school kids. I’m sure that he was working out, but you can’t replicate football. So, I think he’s gonna go out there and look good. I think he’s gonna go out there and actually look like he did five years ago.”
When the rumors started that Rivers was potentially going to come to Indianapolis for a workout, Merriman said he wasn’t surprised.
Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers looks for an open receiver during the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 29, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
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The former San Diego Chargers star said when he spoke to Rivers during Antonio Gates’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony, it didn’t feel like the quarterback was completely finished with the game.
“I wasn’t shocked. And, this is why – a couple of years ago, I put on Twitter that Phil was still ready to play and this was I think in 2023,” he said. “And everybody’s like, ‘What? Well, yeah, right.’ He’s been gone out of the game I think three years at that point and then literally a week later or two, it pops up that the San Francisco 49ers, their quarterback situation with all their injuries, that they were thinking about bringing in Philip. And I said, I told you.
“I had a conversation with Philip and he didn’t say, ‘Oh, I’m coming back to play,’ but when you talked to him, it sounded like he was ready. It sounded like he was talking about the game in the present moment.”
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Merriman said he got together with Rivers and Drew Brees during Antonio Gates’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony and it didn’t like Rivers was exactly finished with football.
“So, I’m not surprised at all and it’s the right decision by the Indianapolis Colts.”
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