3 teams that could be a Skip Schumaker hire away from contending
The Miami Marlins made the shocking decision not to pick up Skip Schumaker’s option for 2025, which will make him a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.
Schumaker earned Manager of the Year honors in the National League last season after guiding the Marlins to an 84-win season and a Wild Card berth. But his days in Miami are numbered.
There are going to be plenty of teams interested in Schumaker at the end of the season who could contend if they decide to take a chance on him.
Here are three teams that could benefit from a Schumaker hire in 2025.
3. Houston Astros
It’s no secret that the seven-time defending AL West champion Houston Astros are off to a surprisingly dreadful start this year. At 12-22, they sit 6.5 games back of first place in the American League West.
While the pitching has fallen flat on numerous occasions, with injuries being a major issue, there are other glaring problems. It’s clear that the Astros are missing Dusty Baker’s experience, and that Joe Espada may not have been the right man to succeed him.
Perhaps Schumaker could find himself on the Astros’ radar if the team ultimately misses the postseason.
Schumaker deserves credit for being able to take the Marlins to the postseason last year despite the competitiveness of the NL East. Who’s to say he couldn’t do the same with the Astros if they let Espada go.
Nobody anticipated things looking this bad for the Astros at the start of the season, especially after reaching their seventh consecutive ALCS, but a change could do them some good if they feel so inclined. Schumaker might just be the right guy to lead them forward if they fall short and hope to bounce back into postseason contention soon.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to show incremental progress. They improved drastically in 2023 and are now just two games below the .500 mark after creeping closer to the top of the NL Central.
A few key additions could help them improve and actually contend for an NL Central title in the near future, but adding somebody like Schumaker and replacing Derek Shelton might be the way to go.
Schumaker did the unthinkable with a Marlins’ roster that was not expected to contend in 2023 and could easily do the same with the Pirates as they continue to show signs of life.
Young stars such as Oneil Cruz, Edward Oliveras, and Jack Suwinski compliment veterans like Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen. With the right mix of players, Schumaker could easily have success in Pittsburgh and turn a small-market team into a contender.
Everything depends on how the Pirates ultimately finish in 2024 and if they end up finding themselves in the mix for a postseason spot at the end of the year. If not, a change could be made at the managerial position, and Schumaker might be the right guy to lead them forward into a new era.
1. St. Louis Cardinals
The No. 1 mistake the St. Louis Cardinals made after firing Mike Shildt was replacing him internally with Oli Marmol. Things are once again looking bleak on the Gateway to the West.
Despite a 91-loss season, the Cardinals foolishly extended Marmol and are already paying the price for it, sitting five games below the .500 mark. If the Cardinals finish under .500 again, it would make sense for them to fire Marmol and give Schumaker a call.
Schumaker served as Marmol’s bench coach in 2022 and also played the vast majority of his MLB career in St. Louis, winning two World Series titles in the process. Even with a limited role, Schumaker was a fan-favorite in St. Louis.
His ability to blend old-school thinking with analytics is part of what made him successful in Miami. He would instantly have the respect of the clubhouse if hired for 2025, having been around some of the game’s greatest players in Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina during his playing career.
The lessons learned from his old teammates would help make him somebody the clubhouse could get behind. If the Cardinals want to succeed, it would be wise to move on from Marmol and give Schumaker a chance.
This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 teams that could be a Skip Schumaker hire away from contending.