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\n Skip Schumaker, seen here managing the Marlins in 2024, spent the 2025 season working as a special assistant to Rangers GM Chris Young before he was hired Friday to manage Texas. (Matt Blewett \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Schumaker, the 2023 National League Manager of the Year, is widely respected and was seen as the top managerial candidate available. Every team with an opening \u2014 except the Atlanta Braves \u2014 inquired about Schumaker\u2019s interest, league sources told The Athletic, perhaps prompting the Rangers to act as quickly as they did Friday<\/a>. With Schumaker now off the board, there\u2019s expected to be movement around some of the other openings this week. Former players turned special assistants seem to be the game\u2019s newest trend.<\/p>\n Former MLB catcher Nick Hundley is considered the favorite for the opening with the San Francisco Giants, where his former teammate, Buster Posey, is the president of baseball operations. Hundley, who is currently part of Young\u2019s front office in Texas, already interviewed with Posey, according to league sources, confirming an initial report by the San Francisco Chronicle. Hundley turned down a chance to interview with the Giants the last time the job opened up, citing family reasons. He is a big part of the Rangers\u2019 front office and isn\u2019t believed to be considering other managing opportunities outside of the Giants.<\/p>\n The favorite for the Los Angeles Angels\u2019 job is special assistant Albert Pujols, as reported by The Athletic<\/a> last week, though special assistants Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki are also in the mix. Suzuki also interviewed for the Giants job, while Hunter could be in the mix with the Minnesota Twins to replace Rocco Baldelli.<\/p>\n Baldelli and Brandon Hyde, dismissed from Minnesota and the Baltimore Orioles, respectively, are two well-thought of candidates who have experience and could be willing to immediately dive back in. They have the benefit of selectivity given their contract status. Baldelli\u2019s 2026 option with the Twins was picked up during the season, while Hyde was dismissed in May despite being under contract through 2026, league sources told The Athletic.<\/p>\n Hyde\u2019s player development background in overseeing the Orioles from rebuilding to a playoff berth in 2024 may be attractive to younger teams like the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies, though Colorado won\u2019t even begin the process of interviewing managerial candidates until it hires someone to lead baseball operations. Washington\u2019s hiring of Paul Toboni<\/a> as president of baseball operations gives that job more gravitas. The changeover means the club won\u2019t necessarily rotate away from another first-time manager after Dave Martinez was dismissed in July. Martinez told The Athletic on Monday that he \u201cdefinitely\u201d wants to manage again.<\/p>\n