Bidding war for Skip Schumaker surprisingly won't include Reds' NL Central rival

The Cincinnati Reds have yet to formally release a list of the candidates they intend to interview for their vacant managerial job, but a number of Major League Baseball insiders have signaled that former Miami Marlins' manager Skip Schumaker is at the top of their list.

Schumaker won the 2023 National League Manager of the Year Award, and though his Marlins squad lost 100 games this season, the 44-year-old is still viewed by many to be the most sought-after manager on the open market this offseason.

But while the Reds are presumed to be Schumaker's top choice as well, there was a scenario that could have derailed Cincinnati's attempt to bring him into the fold. Thankfully, that's not going to happen.

Reds have no real obstacle keeping them from hiring Skip Schumaker to replace David Bell as manager

The St. Louis Cardinals were suspected to have an opening this winter, but the franchise's front office has other plans, and they involve holding onto Oliver Marmol. Both the Cardinals' manager and president of baseball operations are expected to return in 2025.

That decision effectively ends any notion that Schumaker will be headed back to his former team where he spent for eight seasons as a player. It's also the organization where he cut his teeth as a coach. With the Cardinals refusing the part ways with Marmol and looking to restructure their entire player development department, the Reds are in prime position to secure the best manager available.

But that's not to say that Cincinnati now has an easy path to hire to Schumaker. The Reds owe David Bell nearly $5 million and Schumaker will command a rather hefty salary. But for the moment, the only other openings are the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners. Both teams missed the postseason this past year, and just like the Reds, have some questionable practices involving both their front office and ownership groups.

The Reds, White Sox, and Mariners are the only MLB teams without a manager right now

There were eight new managers hired last offseason, so it stands to reason that the number of vacancies will be much smaller this year. The Minnesota Twins have already announced that Rocco Baldelli will be back in 2025 and the Boston Red Sox inked Alex Cora to an extension earlier this season. There is the potential that Dave Roberts and Aaron Boone could get the axe if things don't go well for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, respectively.

In addition to Schumaker, the Reds are also expected to interview interim manager Freddie Benavides and former Chicago Cubs' skipper David Ross. Benavides seems unlikely to get the job on a permanent basis, but there is a lot of sentiment that Ross is a serious candidate for the opening. More names will surely emerge this week.

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