There are rumors going around that the Seattle Mariners want to hire Stephen Vogt as their manager.
The first problem with that is that Vogt is still under contract with the Cleveland Guardians — which would create the potential for an incredibly rare type of trade.
Technically, teams can trade a manger who is under contract. He’s essentially an asset, just like a player under contract.
There have been coach trades in the NFL before, and it’s always fascinating to see how a non-player is valued when traded for players or draft picks.
It’s hard to know how realistic such a pursuit would be in MLB generally speaking, but it is clear how the Guardians would feel about it. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was very straightforward about it when asked on Thursday.
Would Guardians Trade Stephen Vogt?
Antonetti says the Guardians would have zero interest in trading Vogt.
“I have every expectation that (Vogt) is going to manage here for a really long time,” Antonetti told long-time Cleveland sports reporter Tom Withers. “We don’t have any interest in (Vogt) managing anywhere else.”
Asked Guards pres. of baseball ops Chris Antonetti what he would do if the Mariners called and made trade offer for Vogt.
“I have every expectation that Voter is going to manage here for a really long time,” he said. “We don’t have any interest in Voter managing anywhere else.”— Tom Withers (@twithersCLE) October 22, 2026
It certainly is the right stance to take. There’s no reason to publicly speculate about trading your manager.
Could the Guardians actually consider it behind the scenes? That also seems like a “probably not,” but teams usually will at least listen for a second or two to see what exactly is being offered.
Vogt probably isn’t going anywhere, but it’s fascinating to consider such a possibility.
Why Mariners Would Trade For Stephen Vogt
The Mariners have moved on from their own former catcher-turned-manager, Dan Wilson. They need a new skipper.
Vogt has proven to be a charismatic leader for a Guardians team that seems to always overachieve relative to its payroll.
The Guardians were two wins from the World Series this season, while the Mariners missed the playoffs. Seattle has still never played in a World Series in the history of its franchise.
The Mariners would pursue such a move in order to get an established big league manager rather than taking a chance on someone new — and while it doesn’t seem like it would work, no one could blame them for trying.
Guardians Take Clear Stance on Stephen Vogt Trade