Amazing News: The Guardians took a daring step to bolster her Fierce Competition.

 

On Saturday, FanSided MLB source Robert Murray claimed that San Francisco Giants bench coach Kai Correa is departing to join the Cleveland Guardians. Correa’s job is currently unknown, but he will be a member of Cleveland’s Major League coaching staff, according to Murray.

Correa, 35, is regarded as a rising star in the MLB coaching ranks. After joining the Giants in 2020, he became former manager Gabe Kapler’s right-hand man, serving as interim manager for the final four games of the 2023 season after Kapler was fired. Correa was the infield teacher for San Francisco in addition to his duties as a bench coach.

Correa’s move to the Guardians is a reunion for him, who previously spent time with the Cleveland club. In 2018, he was the infield coach for their Rookie League squad, and in 2019, he was the short-season defensive coordinator. It also helps that someone in Correa’s age bracket was just hired as the Guardians’ new manager.

Correa then joined the Giants as the bench coach and infield coordinator under new manager Gabe Kapler prior to the 2020 season. When Kapler was fired late in the 2023 season, Correa took over as manager for San Francisco’s final three games. After the season, he interviewed for the full-time manager’s position, but the Giants chose an experienced captain instead.

This inevitably resulted in a shakeup of the Giants’ coaching staff, with a number of coaches (including Bryan Price, Matt Williams, Pat Burrell, and Ryan Christenson) with long ties with Melvin or the San Francisco organization joining the team. In Christenson’s case, he took over as bench coach, leaving Correa unemployed.

Correa, 35, joins former San Francisco staffmate Craig Albernaz on the Guardians’ staff, as Albernaz transitions from bullpen coach to field coordinator. Stephen Vogt, the new manager of the Guards, was supposedly a candidate for the Giants’ managing position before the Padres formally allowed Melvin to enter the picture. Vogt also played for the Giants for the 2019 season, only little before Correa and Albernaz were hired.

Following the departures of DeMarlo Hale and Mike Sarbaugh, the positions of bench coach and third base coach are both open in Cleveland. Those seem like natural matches for Correa, though it’s possible he’ll accept a less-traditional title like infield coordinator or defensive coordinator, as his infield coaching experience would almost certainly be part of his duties again.