Stephen Vogt will be returning to an MLB dugout just a year after hanging up his cleats.
The former Athletics and Giants catcher was announced as the Cleveland Guardians' new manager on Monday.
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Vogt, 39, played for the A's, Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves during his 10-year big league career while earning two All-Star selections, a World Series title and status as a fan-favorite wherever he played. His final MLB game came with the A's on Oct. 5, 2022.
The Guardians landed on Vogt as their replacement for Terry Francona, who stepped down as the team's manager after earning a franchise-record 921 wins across 11 seasons. Brewers manager Craig Counsell, New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza and Los Angeles Dodgers first-base coach Clayton McCullough were among the other candidates for the position before Cleveland ultimately appointed Vogt.
Vogt spent the 2023 MLB season as the Seattle Mariners' bullpen and quality control coach and now is in charge of a team that finished third in the AL Central last season with a 76-86 record.
"We're thrilled to welcome Stephen and his family to Northeast Ohio and to name him the next manager of the Cleveland Guardians," Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said in a news release. "Stephen earned a reputation as one of the best teammates in the game across his 16-year career as a player, and we've greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him over the past several weeks.
San Francisco Giants
"Stephen has thought critically about the type of leader and manager he wants to be. His deep care for others, his ability to build meaningful relationships with those around him, and his open-mindedness and curiosity make him an ideal fit to lead our club moving forward. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Stephen."