Brewers: 6 Managerial Candidates Emerge, Including 1 Surprise Former Player

In the wake of Craig Counsell's shocking departure to the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers are all of a sudden left with a managerial vacancy in the offseason for the first time since 2010. They're late to the party of interviewing candidates, but they still have a list they're looking at.

One name who likely would've been on this list was Stephen Vogt, but the Cleveland Guardians already snatched him off the market.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal had a list of six managerial candidates the Brewers are set to consider for their open job. This is not an exhaustive list, so there very well could be more under consideration.

Pat Murphy was expected to get an interview. Don Mattingly, former Dodgers and Marlins manager also makes a lot of sense. Joe Espada has been a popular name on the interview circuit recently. Clayton McCullough was among our list of potential candidates. The Astros hitting coach would be a good fit since their offense has been excellent. Wait a minute, what's that name at the end? None other than Rickie Weeks.

The Brewers had a former infielder manage the club for the last nine seasons and that went pretty well, perhaps they could hire another former infielder to be the next manager in Rickie Weeks.

Weeks has been working in the Brewers front office over the last couple years and recently just got a promotion to special assistant for player development. Prior to being named manager in 2015, Craig Counsell spent a few years in the front office as a special assistant as well.

Rickie Weeks has no professional coaching experience, then again neither did Counsell when he was given the job. He's bounced around as an instructor in his new job but nothing like an everyday managing job.

The other names on this list are much more experienced. Pat Murphy has been the Brewers bench coach since 2016 and he's expected to be offered a job on Counsell's staff in Chicago. If the Brewers choose not to hire Murphy for their opening, it feels likely that he will follow Counsell south.

Among the external candidates, Clayton McCullough from the Dodgers is highly regarded for his work with young players. Given Milwaukee's youth movement this year and more rookies that will arrive in 2024, he seems like a very strong candidate. Don Mattingly would give the Brewers' managerial hire some cachet. He's highly respected across baseball and has been a very good manager in the past. He spent this past season as the Blue Jays bench coach.

It's interesting to see two Astros coaches on this list. Dusty Baker just retired from Houston and they need a new manager down there. Joe Espada has been the bench coach for Houston for a while and Troy Snitker came in as the hitting coach after the whole sign stealing scandal. He wasn't responsible for the trash can.

Now that Counsell is gone, rumors about potential candidates to manage the Brewers are going to lighting up the Hot Stove and the primary focus for the front office. They need to get someone in place, and they're late to the party.